ONR, Auto Workers reach GO contract deal

Nugget File Photo A worker welds at the Ontario Northland Railway shops recently.

Local News - Ontario Northland and Canadian Auto Workers Local 103 agreed Tuesday to how 30 new employees would be hired and some work shifted to Cochrane if the Crown corporation is awarded a multi-million dollar GO Transit contract to refurbish commuter coaches.

The deal also sets out how construction would be contracted out to handle the 71 bi-level cars, how the North Bay rail shop would be re-organized and how the ONTC would increase the diversity of its workforce.

“A lot of people have worked long and hard on putting together a competitive bid, and locking in a revenue stream of $10 million a year would be great news for the whole region,” Local 103 president Brian Stevens said in a release.

Ontario Northland is one of several bidders for the contract, estimated at $75 million if the option of 50 additional cars is picked up by GO Transit.

The bid deadline is Thursday.

“Both parties understood clearly that we would need to put in place the right mechanisms in advance of any hiring so we can roll this out with confidence should we be successful in our bid,” Stevens said.

“If the ONTC is chosen, we could see 30 new hires almost immediately with the expectation of being in full GO program mode by early September,” he said. The agreement also covers training, if required.

“As a result, the company and union needed to come to an understanding on how to manage that while still continuing with scheduled maintenance work that’s required in operating the railway.”

CAW represents about 400 workers at Ontario Northland from the rail and bus division mechanics to ONTelcom clerical, on-board services staff and housekeeping staff at the Station Inn in Cochrane.

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