A month-long strike at Canadian National Railway came to an end last week when employees ratified a new three-year collective agreement.

Some 5,000 workers represented by the Canadian Auto Workers walked off the job Feb. 20 in a contract dispute centring on wages, benefits and disciplinary procedures.

On March 19, shopcraft workers voted 69 percent in favour of the new deal, while clerical, customer service and intermodal yard workers voted 81 percent in favour.

They began returning to work March 20.

The strike had a minimal effect on most bulk grain movement, as CN managers and replacement workers kept trains running.

However shippers who use containers, particularly special crops, said they suffered significant losses because of the month-long shutdown.

Intermodal traffic was down by an estimated 30 percent nationwide, and the intermodal yard at Saskatoon, an important shipping point for special crops, was closed for extended periods during the strike

The tentative agreement provides for annual wage increases of three percent, a $1,000 return-to-work bonus, improvements to shift differentials and extended health benefits, and an end to CN's newly instituted and contentious disciplinary system.