THUNDER BAY -- Bombardier and Unifor are back at the bargaining table.
Around 900 members of Unifor Local 1075 have been on the picket line for nearly two months. The two sides were in talks last week but agreed to a mutual break late Friday afternoon.
On Tuesday union officials gathered workers on the picket line to say bargaining would begin again in the afternoon. Workers cheered and applauded at the news.
"Get it done boys," one worker yelled.
The company and union wouldn't provide comment.
A GO Train car was shipped from the Thunder Bay plant early Tuesday afternoon. Company spokeswoman Stephanie Ash said the move went smoothly.
The strike began July 14.
The primary point of contention during the labour dispute has been the concessions the company is seeking to early retirement benefits for recent hires and a change to the pension structure of future workers.
In late August, union members had an opportunity to vote on what Bombardier called its final offer. About 81 per cent of the Local 1075 members gave that offer the thumbs down amid a vote that was supervised by Ontario’s Ministry of Labour.
Had members accepted it, the offer would have seen employees hired after Dec. 31, 2010 receive a lump sum payout of $350 in lieu of any pre-65 early retirement benefits.
New hires would be ineligible for early retirement benefits.
Future hires would also have been enrolled in a defined contribution pension plan, while all current workers would remain on their defined benefit plan.
