Canadian National Continues Bargaining With Canadian Auto Workers to Reach Contract Settlement

    MONTREAL--March 5, 2001--CN

    Canadian National said it is continuing negotiations with the Canadian Auto Workers today in hopes of reaching a new collective agreement with the union. The two parties had set aside March 3 and 4 to negotiate a final settlement.
    CN said it believes it can reach a settlement with the CAW without labour disruption. Federal mediators continue to assist the negotiations, aimed at securing a three-year CN-CAW agreement to replace one that expired on Dec. 31, 2000.
    The CAW announced last week that its 5,000 CN members will strike the railroad in Canada on March 7 if negotiations do not produce a new agreement.
    If a strike occurs, CN will continue operations with management personnel performing CAW shopcraft, clerical and intermodal yard jobs.
    In current national negotiations in Canada, CN has secured ratified collective agreements with the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees and the Canadian National Railways Police Association. A tentative agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is subject to a ratification vote.
    Canadian National Railway Company spans Canada and mid-America, from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to the Gulf of Mexico, serving the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, B.C., Montreal, Halifax, New Orleans, and Mobile, Ala., and key cities of Toronto, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, St. Louis, and Jackson, Miss., with connections to all points in North America