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MONTREAL, March 15 (Reuters) - The union for 5,000 striking workers at Canadian National Railway Co. hopes to complete a ratification vote on a new contract offer by Friday, the Canadian Auto Workers said on Monday.
If the vote is positive, the strike at Canada's biggest railway, now in its fourth week, would be lifted immediately, CAW negotiator Abe Rosner said.
"We will begin (the vote) tomorrow and we will try to have a final result for the whole country by Friday," Rosner said.
"It's a bit ambitious, but we have to do it because the strike will continue as long as there is not a positive vote."
The Canadian Auto Workers, which represents CN's striking mechanics, clerks and container yards workers, and the company reached a tentative agreement on a new contract early Monday after a week-end of intensive bargaining.
A crucial part of the tentative deal scraps CN's new and much maligned discipline system, and there will be no discipline for strike activity.
"The turning point came when the company agreed to roll back the discipline system. It got the negotiations back on course again," Rosner said.
The three-year offer includes annual wage increases of 3 percent, a back-to-work C$1000 ($750) bonus and improved shift pay and pension formula.
"We will await the results of the ratification vote, we hope that it is successful and we hope to have people back as soon as possible," CN spokesman Jim Feeny said.
CN stock was up 51 Canadian cents at C$51.60 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Monday, and up 44 cents at $38.74 in New York.
($1=$1.33 Canadian)