The BLET successfully negotiated and ratified 15 new collective bargaining agreements in 2025, boosting wages and providing substantial contractual improvements for more than 22,000 active members.
This achievement is backed by the work of the assigned Vice Presidents, who advised and assisted General Committees throughout negotiations. The National Division office supported these efforts by providing legal guidance, economic cost analysis, and public relations support, along with handling in-house printing and mailing of agreements and ballots.
The national agreement, ratified on December 30, was the largest in scope of these contracts, covering more than 12,000 members at 10 different carriers, including Class I railroads BNSF, Norfolk Southern, and Canadian National. It provides general wage increases, improved health & welfare benefits, accelerated vacation accrual, and — importantly — no work rule concessions or givebacks.
BLET National President Mark Wallace became BLET’s lead negotiator in mid-2025 when he became National President. Following the tentative agreement, BLET leaders held a series of Town Hall meetings to discuss the terms of the deal. “This is a democratic union, accepting or rejecting this agreement was solely our members’ decision,” Wallace said. “The feedback we received, as we traveled the nation showed us that our members knew exactly how tough it was to deal with the national pattern and voted with a clear understanding of what was at stake. Against that backdrop, this agreement delivers real gains, protects our work rules and health care benefits, and avoids concessions.”
BLET members at Class I railroads CSX and Union Pacific also ratified new contracts in 2025. The CSX deal provides 3,500 members with wage increases and five new paid sick days annually, with the option to convert up to two personal leave days into sick leave. The UP contract provides 6,000 members with wage increases and addresses quality-of-life issues like meal increases while preserving the integrity of the 11/4 work-rest agreement. Additionally in 2025, 300 BLET members on CPKC’s Soo Line territory ratified a five-year contract.
Of particular note last year was BLET’s three-day strike and eventual contract ratification at New Jersey Transit, the nation’s third-largest commuter railroad. It was the first strike at NJT in 42 years and ended a five-year contract battle. A high percentage of eligible BLET members participated in the ratification vote. Eighty-nine percent of members cast ballots, with 398 voting in favor (95%) and 21 voting against (5%). The seven-year agreement (2020-2027) governs approximately 450 locomotive engineers and addresses wages as well as other critical issues.
Contracts were also ratified at several other commuter/passenger railroads in 2025, including Keolis/MBTA, Belt Railway of Chicago, Caltrain/Transit America Services, Metra-UP Line, and SEPTA.
Short-line contract ratifications included the Union Railroad of Pittsburgh, Pa., Terminal Railway–Alabama State Docks, New York & Atlantic, Western New York & Pennsylvania, and the New York Susquehanna and Western.
BLET members at the Arizona Eastern Railway unanimously (22-0) ratified their first union contract this year, which improved their pay, benefits, work rules, and boosted morale across the property. The path to a first contract was not easy for these Arizona railroaders. They were abandoned by another organization. BLET was asked to come in and organize the property, securing a unanimous contract.