CN Tower workers are still locked out even though both sides say they're willing to talk

Negotiations between CN Tower workers and their employer have yet to resume since workers were locked out at the end of June, even though both sides say they're ready to to talk.

Unifor, the union represents workers at the CN Tower, began negotiating with the employer, Canada Lands Company, in April. Talks reached a standstill in late June and workers have been locked out from CN Tower since.

Unifor says the lockout is hurting the tourist attraction's business. About 250 CN Tower workers attended a rally on Tuesday organized by Unifor to call on their employer to return to the table and negotiate a deal that employees consider fair.

But a spokesperson for the CN Tower said Tuesday that the company has yet to receive a request for a meeting from the union for further negotiation. 

Unifor Local 4271 president Shan Ramanathan, who has worked at CN Tower for 13 years, told CBC Toronto on Tuesday that despite it being peak season for tourism, the recent line for CN Tower has been "cut much more than half". 

"We haven't seen a line up for the last nine days, except for one day, which was July 4," Ramanathan said. "People are responding to us. The public is collaborating with us by boycotting the tower." 

Unifor national president Lana Payne said in a statement that by hosting a rally, the union and the workers want to send a message to their employer that they deserve respect, decent wages and fair contracts. 

"It's disgusting that a Crown corporation would lock out workers rather than negotiate a fair wage," said Payne.

Representatives from CN Tower said that most recently, the company offered the union a nine per cent wage increase over three years (three per cent annually), as well as other improvements to employee benefits and pension protection. 

"The CN Tower made it clear to the Union that we are flexible in how monetary improvements were allocated between wages and benefits," said the employer.

"Unfortunately, the Union did not present any counter-proposals since our last meeting on June 26, 2025, and has not requested a meeting for further negotiation."

The company said that even though parts of the tower are affected, the observation levels, EdgeWalk and The Shop remain open.