(Reuters circulated the following story on August 5.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amtrak and the union representing 5,000 of its employees, including ticket and reservations agents, have reached a tentative contract agreement, the railroad said Tuesday.
Details of the agreement were not released pending ratification by the Transportation Communications International Union. The group represents about 25 percent of Amtrak workers.
Amtrak is looking for concessions from its employees on work rules as part of an aggressive drive to cut costs, improve efficiency and obtain another round of federal subsidies.
The tentative deal with the union, which also covers baggage handlers and clerical employees, is the first successful contract renegotiation under the cost-cutting initiative Amtrak began earlier this year with its 13 unionized bargaining groups.
The agreement is retroactive to January 2000 and runs through December 2004.