The agreement with Keolis governs rates of pay and health care benefits for locomotive engineers who operate trains for Virginia Railway Express. Photo: courtesy of VRE
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On November 29, BLET members ratified a new five-year contract with Keolis Rail Services Virginia (VRE). The agreement governs rates of pay and health care benefits for locomotive engineers who operate trains for Virginia Railway Express (VRE).
The agreement runs through 2025 and includes full retroactive payments dating to 2021. It provides general wage increases compounded at 22.2% over the life of the agreement (2% in 2021, 5% in 2022, 5% in 2023, 4% in 2024 and 4.5% in 2025). There are no work rule changes, and membership contributions to health and welfare will be capped beginning in 2025.
The negotiating team consisted of General Chairman Mark B. Kenny, Vice General Chairman Patrick W. Darcy Jr., and Division 14 Local Chairman Jamie Wooldridge. VRE provides commuter rail service from the Northern Virginia suburbs to Alexandria, Crystal City, and downtown Washington, D.C., along the I-66 and I-95 corridors.