Earlier today, BLET members ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with Amtrak. The new seven-year agreement was approved by a 550-479 vote of the 1,029 (73%) ballots cast. The contract governs locomotive engineers who operate Amtrak’s passenger and commuter trains over its 21,000-mile, 46-state route system.
The contract provides full retroactive payments dating to July 1, 2022, and will run through 2028. Highlights of the deal include:
- 30% general wage increase (34.12% compounded);
- 10 weeks of paid parental leave;
- a significant increase in away-from-home expenses;
- significant improvement to vacation arrangements in PTO (33 days);
- 90 minute instructor engineer allowance;
- improvement to bereavement leave, transitioning from 3 calendar days to 3 working days;
- addition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid holiday; and
- double the current certification allowance.
General Chairman Mark B. Kenny thanked the entire Amtrak Executive Committee for their efforts in negotiating the deal: Vice Chairman P.W. Darcy; Secretary-Treasurer B.J. Cleary; Eastern Regional Chairman J.J. O’Neill; Midwest Regional Chairman G.L. Perez; and Western Regional Chairman C.M. Skinner. General Chairman Kenny also thanked National Vice President Jim Louis for his help throughout the negotiating process.
TrueBallot, Inc., conducted the contract vote. Ballots were counted on December 6, 2023.