America - BMWED-IBT members of the Burlington System Division (BSD) on CPKC's Soo-Milwaukee Line announced 10 Nov 2023 that they have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with the Class I railroad.
 
According to the union, the BSD members on the Soo-Milwaukee were "extremely engaged" throughout the process and that diligence has led to significant improvements to the contract.
 
Especially noteworthy, BMWED-IBT says, was the voter turnout during the ratification process, which topped 80 percent.
 
"During this round of voting the CP membership turned out in unprecedented numbers with an 84 percent voter turnout. This truly shows their engagement in this process and that they are indeed paying attention," said BSD General Chairman George Loveland.
 
"With this three-year contract the CP Members will receive a 15.5 percent wage increase with significant improvements in travel expenses with no concessions on their part."
 
Reaching a new contract is a "significant victory", the union says, but Loveland wants to encourage the Soo-Milwaukee members "to continue their impressive engagement to press for further achievements on the property. It has been an uphill battle with CP to get to this point. but the membership's perseverance and insistence on getting a fair contract got us to this point without having to give up their work rules to get what they deserve. This victory is short lived because in a year or less we will be back at the bargaining table starting all over again. In the interim, we plan on engaging CPKC to hopefully get some further agreements accomplished, such as sick leave and CDL deals. That would help greatly in speeding up the next round when we once again start bargaining over wages," said Loveland.
 
Carolina Worrell.