TENTATIVE RAIL LABOR AGREEMENTS REACHED PREVENTING STRIKE ACTION
All twelve U.S. rail labor unions and the six Class 1 railroads have reached tentative labor agreements in the early morning hours of September 15, 2022. Union members must vote to ratify the agreements for them to take effect however, the conditional contracts include language that prevents potential labor stoppages for several weeks.
“The industry would like to thank all unions involved in negotiations for their efforts and dedication to reaching agreements throughout this process.”
LABOR AGREEMENT TERMS
The pending contracts grant rail employees a 24 percent wage hike over a five-year period from 2020 through 2024, including an immediate payout on average of $11,000 upon ratification, which implements the recommendations of Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) No. 250.
“These rail workers will get better pay, improved working conditions, and peace of mind around their health care costs: all hard-earned. The agreement is also a victory for railway companies who will be able to retain and recruit more workers for an industry that will continue to be part of the backbone of the American economy for decades to come.”
UNIONS AND RAIL CARRIERS INVOLVED IN CONTRACT RENEWALS
The twelve labor unions include:
- American Train Dispatchers Association
- Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET)
- Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees
- Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen
- International Association of Machinists
- International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
- Mechanical Division of International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART)
- National Conference of Firemen & Oilers
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
- Transport Workers
- Transportation Communications Union (including Brotherhood Railway Carmen)
- Transportation Division of SMART (including Railroad Yardmasters of America)
Class I rail carriers include:
- BNSF
- Canadian National
- CSX (negotiating wages and work rules independently with SMART-TD and BLET)
- Kansas City Southern
- Norfolk Southern
- Union Pacific
- Canadian Pacific is negotiating independently with all its unions
RAIL FREIGHT EMBARGOES
Rail freight embargoes are still in force but services are expected to return to normal levels as union members vote to ratify the tentative labor agreements.
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