National Contract Negotiations
The Tentative Agreement and Agreed Upon Q&A’s are available in the Member’s Area
News
Labor leaders skeptical of CSX CEO talk of improving railroads’ relationship with rank and file
Dennis Pierce, president of the BLET, says railroads have lost touch with their employees due to the way they are treated under Precision Scheduled Railroading, which has brought longer days, more time spent away from home, less rest between trips, and fewer days off.
The Coordinated Bargaining Coalition again calls on NMB to proffer arbitration
Due to the NCCC’s refusal to negotiate a fair agreement in good faith, all CBC Unions again request that the NMB proffer arbitration to the parties to stop the endless delays by the rail carriers.
Rail unions refusing advance payments in favor of a new deal
All the major railroads now plan to offer their employees up to $600 a month in advance of raises they expect to pay once the current two-year-old national contract talks are eventually settled. But a coalition of unions that represents more than 105,000 railroad workers said Monday they’ll refuse the payments partly because workers would be on the hook to repay some of the money if the eventual raises aren’t big enough to cover the payments. The unions want the National Carriers’ Conference Committee that represents more than 30 railroads to negotiate a contract instead.
CBC Unions reject lump-sum offers, seek proffer of arbitration
The Coordinated Bargaining Coalition released the following statement on April 25, 2022: On January 24, 2022, after more than two years of bargaining with the major U.S. Class I railroads, the 10 Rail Unions bargaining as part of the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition...
Utah railroad workers criticize Union Pacific over schedules, lack of pay raises
Local members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) met with National President Dennis Pierce Wednesday morning in Salt Lake City as the union negotiates with Union Pacific and other railway companies for a new contract.
NMB declines to release BMWED/SMART-MD coalition from mediation
The National Mediation Board (NMB) has denied the BMWED/SMART-MD Coalition’s request for a proffer of arbitration.
Union Solidarity, More Important Now than Ever
By Dennis R. Pierce, BLET National President (BLET Editor’s Note: The following message from President Pierce has been excepted from the January-March 2022 issue of the Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen News.) INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, March 28 — In the piece that I wrote...
BMWED/SMART-MD encouraged by CBC’s support
The recent letter of support from the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition, comprising of 11 Rail Unions including our Teamster Rail partner the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, is encouraging and of significant importance to us as we continue to strive for an equitable and prosperous conclusion to this bargaining round with the Class I freight railroads.
Unions to NMB: Release us from mediation
The BMWED/SMART-Mechanical Division bargaining coalition late last month petitioned the National Mediation Board (NMB) for a proffer of arbitration, requesting to be released from further mediation sessions with the National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC); the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition unions support the move.
BLET and SMART-TD seek immediate federal government investigation of carrier attendance policies
CLEVELAND, Ohio, (February 1, 2022) — By letter dated January 31, 2022, BLET and SMART-TD are seeking review by both the Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Transportation of all Class I attendance policies. In a joint letter to Labor Secretary Martin Walsh...