Who we Are - What is National Council 4000?
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National Council 4000 is the umbrella organization for five (5) regionally based CAW Local Unions across Canada
that represent over 5,000 members in various sectors, largely within the railway industry.
Our structure was formed in November of 1997 at our Founding Convention held at the CAW Family Education Centre,
located on the shores of Lake Huron in Port Elgin, Ontario. The delegates to this convention voted to change our
bargaining unit structure from 45-local unions situated across Canada, and formed a National Council with
five regionally based locals to service members from coast-to-coast.
Our roots began at the start of the railroad, specifically those which were amalgamated to become Canadian National
Railways. This was under the union banner of the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway, Transport and General Workers
Union (CBRT&GW). The CBRT&GW, initially called the Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Employees, was Canada's first
sole Canadian Union, founded in Moncton, New Brunswick on October 12, 1908. In 1994, the CBRT&GW voted to merge
with the National Automobile, Aerospace, Transportation and General Workers Union of Canada (CAW-Canada).
Since the formation of CAW National Council 4000, our structure has continued to grow. Besides workers employed at
Canadian National and VIA Rail Canada, which makes up the majority of our membership, our organization represents
workers at Rocky Mountaineer Vacations in British Columbia; Conductors and Locomotive Engineers at CN
Grande Prairie and Grande Cache (formerly Savage Alberta Railway) in Alberta; Coyote Terminals, Judy Vent Investments
(Harvey's), Motor Coach Industries and Toronto Terminals Railway in Ontario; Shawinigan Railway in Quebec;
Scanwood Canada Ltd. in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, DHL International Express, World Trade and Convention Centre and
support staff from the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The Local Unions within CAW National Council 4000:
Local 4001 - Mountain Region
(B.C., Alberta and Western Saskatchewan)
Local 4002 - Prairie Region
(Eastern Saskatchewan including the City of Saskatoon, Manitoba and North Western Ontario)
Local 4003 - Great Lakes Region
(Central and Southern Ontario)
Local 4004 - St. Lawrence Region
(Quebec, including the City of Ottawa)
Local 4005 - Atlantic Region
(New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland & Labrador)
CAW National Council 4000 has 10-full time elected representatives to service our membership, which includes a
National Council President, Secretary-Treasurer, and 8 Regional Representatives who serve as Business Agents
on behalf of the Locals. Our Council has offices located in Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax.
Each Local Union within the National Council has an elected Local President and Financial Secretary, in addition to
various other elected Local representatives such as Local Chairpersons, Vice Local Chairpersons, Health, Safety and
Environment Chairpersons, Trustees, Recording Secretaries and Shop Stewards. Within the five Local Unions, each has
various Local Units which service specific sectors or geographical areas within the Local.
CAW National Council 4000 holds a National Convention every three years. Our Founding Convention was held at the
CAW Family Education Centre in Port Elgin, Ontario, in November 1997. Our first convention since the formation of the
Council was held in March 2001 at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, Quebec. Our second convention was held at
the Sheraton Centre in Downtown Toronto from September 23 to September 26, 2004, while our third and most recent
convention was held at the Delta Montreal Hotel from November 1 to 4, 2007, and which celebrated our 10th anniversary.
CAW National Council 4000 continues to thrive and grow with help from our successful organizing drives to organize
"unorganized workers" who are seeking union representation from Canada's largest private sector Union, CAW-Canada.
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