INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, June 20 — By a nearly 5-to-1 ratio, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) ratified a new on-property agreement with the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad (DM&E) on June 13, 2022.
The agreement provides General Wage Increases (GWIs) of 24.75% (27% compounded) for the life of the contract (January 1, 2020 to January 1, 2024). There are no major work rule changes and no health care concessions contained in the contract.
“The pay increases in this contract reflect that our members are essential to the railroad’s success,” BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce said. “I thank our DM&E members for staying the course and for their solidarity in support of the negotiating team throughout the process.”
The negotiating team consisted of CP Rail-U.S./Metra Northern District/Indiana Southern/Dakota Minnesota & Eastern General Committee of Adjustment Chairman Pete Semenek, First Vice General Chairman Nick Mugavero, and assigned Vice President Marcus Ruef.
“I would like to thank Brothers Semenek, Mugavero and Ruef for their work in bringing these negotiations to a successful conclusion,” President Pierce said.
BLET members who work for the DM&E belong to four BLET Divisions: Division 117 in Mason City, Iowa; Division 200 in Davenport, Iowa; Division 266 in Savana, Illinois.; and Division 393 in Kansas City, Missouri. For collective bargaining purposes they are represented by the CP Rail System/U.S. General Committee of Adjustment.
The DM&E is a Class II railroad and a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway. It operates from Marquette, Iowa, to Kansas City, Missouri, and Mason City, Iowa; from Davenport to Chicago; and also to St. Paul out of Marquette over trackage rights on Soo.