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New CAW contract ratified at Savage Alberta Railway
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CAW members at Savage Alberta Railway, which is owned and operated by CN, have unanimously ratified a new three year
collective agreement with the Company. They are members of Council 4000/Local 4001 and work as Conductors and Locomotive
Engineers for the short line railway located in north western Alberta, based in Grande Cache and Grande Prairie, Alberta.
The new agreement includes percentage wage increases in each year of the three year agreement:
January 1, 2010:
A 2.4% wage increase on all classifications retroactive to January 1, 2010;
January 1, 2011:
A 2.6% wage increase
January 1, 2012:
A 3% wage increase
The Agreement also provides for a significant flat rate adjustment on rates of pay effective the first pay period following ratification.
The new deal also includes the establishment of a new pension plan, an additional general holiday and the elimination of the entry
level rates that were in the previous collective agreement.
CAW National President Ken Lewenza commended the Bargaining Committee on their achievements. The committee was comprised
of Council 4000 President Barry Kennedy, Local 4001 Unit Chairperson Dave Judge, Council 4000 Regional Representative Ron Shore
and National Representative Bob Fitzgerald.
Council 4000 President Barry Kennedy said that he is pleased with the deal, and said that it is clear by the ratification results that
the membership feels the same way by their overwhelming endorsement. “We have come a long way since our first contract and I
am very proud of our achievements to this point. Our wages and benefits are very good, and securing a pension plan this round is
significant when you consider how many companies today are either scaling back on pension plans, or eliminating them all
together,” said Kennedy.
Since joining the CAW in 2002 and ratifying the first negotiated collective agreement on May 31, 2003, our membership has seen
significant wage increases, whereas Conductors pay has increased 56.1% by CAW bargaining (59.1% by the end of this contract),
and Locomotive Engineers pay has been increased by 44.4% over the same time period (47.4% by the end of this contract). And
our benefit plan is in the forefront of other railway benefit plans, including paid sick leave.
The new agreement llis re for four years, and run until 23:59 hours on December 31, 2014.
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