CHICAGO — CN and the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-gineers and Trainmen (BLET) announced today that 400 locomotive engineers working on CN’s former Illinois Central (IC) properties in the United States have ratified a five-year collective agreement with the company.
The agreement, effective Jan. 1, 2006, improves wages and benefits for the employees and preserves the hourly-rate system of compensation for locomotive engineers that CN pioneered on its U.S. properties in 2002.
Gordon Trafton, senior vice-president of CN’s United States Region, said: “I am pleased that the BLET membership has ratified this long-term agreement, which will provide greater workplace stability for both CN and its locomotive engineers on the former IC. We’re also glad to see that these employees continue to see the merit of the hourly rate system of compensation.”
The hourly rate of compensation for locomotive engineers is a break from traditional railroad mileage- and rules-based pay systems. The hourly rate concept enhances employee productivity while giving BLET members a better balance between work and home lives.
John Koonce, BLET general chairman, said: “There was a lot of hard work put into this agreement, not only from myself but also Richard Radek, BLET vice-president, and Mark Whitchurch, first vice-general chairman. This agreement shows that negotiations are not just a one-way street, but instead they can be a mutual understanding of everyone’s needs.”
CN’s former IC network extends from Chicago to New Orleans and from Chicago to Omaha, Neb., and Sioux City, Iowa.
The BLET, based in Cleveland, is a division of the Rail Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Canadian National Railway Company spans Canada and mid-America.