LA POCATIERE, Que. – Workers at a Bombardier rail plant in La Pocatiere, Que have given their unio a strong strike mandate.

Local unio president Mario Levesque says 96 per cent of ballots cast today supported the move.

Levesque says workers have been without a new contract since last November.

He says the sticking points in negotiations remain wages and pensions, along with work being outsourced to the United States and Mexico.

There are about 470 unioized workers in total at the Quebec plant, which is currently helping to build a new fleet of subway trains for Montreal.

Bombardier didnt immediately return a request for comment.

The Montreal-based transportation giant employs nearly 7,000 people at manufacturing, engineering, services and business centre locations in Quebec, Ontario, the United States and Mexico.

Follow @Cdnmetalworking