TORONTO, Ont. — Owner/operators serving intermodal yards in the Greater Toronto Area appear to have reached an agreement to end their labor disruption, the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA) reports this morning.

An agreement calling for an increase in pay of 33% in the GTA and 25% on the highway was reached last night with the new committee representing the owner/operators, according to CIFFA, which has played a role in trying to keep discussions ongoing during the dispute.

"We understand that there may be some hold outs, but then again, how can one find uniformity of opinion in such a highly fractured community?" CIFFA comments in its daily bulletin to association members.

CIFFA adds that the only outstanding issue was the rate being paid for highway moves and offered some tough advice on those wishing to break the deal brokered yesterday..
"We were very clear that these carriers should be identified as the majority of owner/operators find the offer acceptable. In other words, carrier owners that do not support this new arrangement, and thus jeopardize the back-to-work agreement, need to be identified and boycotted by the community! We cannot afford a Vancouver type walk-out and CIFFA is convinced that the import/export community will agree with this," CIFFA comments in its bulletin.

Some owner/operators continued to hold out yesterday and Monday and CIFFA says that was "due to continued threats and intimidation towards those willing to work."