02:49 PM EDT, 05/01/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Canadian National Railway ( CNI ) on Wednesday said members of the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 2004, ratified a new three-year collective agreement, even as other other employees represented by the Teamsters voted to strike as soon as May 22.

The USW represents approximately 2,500 track and bridge employees at CN, primarily responsible for track maintenance across Canada.

The new deal comes a different union as saying thousands of railway workers in Canada at CN and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) have voted overwhelmingly to strike as early as May 22.

Reuters noted contracts covering locomotive engineers, conductors and yard workers at CN and CPKC expired on Dec. 31, 2023, and Teamsters Canada Rail Conference is re-negotiating a third agreement covering CPKC rail traffic controllers.

The three groups, numbering 9,300 workers, each voted over 95% to authorize a strike.

All of this comes after CN overnight Tuesday announced a public debt offering of C$700 million 4.60% Notes due 2029, and C$550 million 5.10% Notes Due 2054. CN in a statement said it expects to close the offering on May 2, 2024, subject to customary closing conditions.

CN plans to use the net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, which may include the redemption and refinancing of outstanding indebtedness, share repurchases, acquisitions and other business opportunities.

The debt offering is being made in Canada under CN's base shelf prospectus dated April 2, 2024.

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