Bombardier proposes 'secret ballot' for latest Thunder Bay offer

Striking workers at Thunder Bay's Bombardier plant will vote next week on the company's last offer.

Bombardier applied to the Ministry of Labour to hold what is being called a secret ballot vote.

A company spokesperson said this kind of vote allowsunion members to make their own decision, instead of the union executive rejecting an offer.

"The Ministry will actually allow our employees, our Unifor employees, to have a vote on the last contract offer that we presented last weekend, said Stephanie Ash.

She said the company will give employees information on the offer, so they can make an informed decision.

It's the same offer that Bombardier presented to the union last weekend andincludes a lot of improvements, including awage increase in the second and third years, she said.

The union has a different view, saying the latest deal from the company doesn't address the concerns about pensions that drove workers to the picket line in the first place.

"It was a meagre offer," said Dominic Pasqualino, president of Unifor Local 1075, representing workers at the Bombardier plant. "It as rather insulting."

Ash said the impasse made it necessary to apply for the secret ballot vote.

"If the offer is rejected, then Bombardier Transportation is really going to look at what do we do next. It certainly is going to be a difficult situation and one that will take some serious [consideration]."

Ash said the company is waiting on the ministry to provide a firm date for the vote, sometime next week.

The workers have been on strike since July 14.