On February 26, BLET members voted unanimously to ratify a new four-year contract with Alstom. The contract cover locomotive engineers who operate Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC) trains in the Washington-Baltimore area.
The agreement covers the period from Jan. 1, 2024 through Dec. 31, 2027 and addresses work rule improvements along with health & welfare benefits. The contract also provides general wage increases of 3.25% in 2024, 3.0% in 2025, 4.0% in 2026, and 3.0% in 2027.
Members governed by this tentative agreement belong to BLET Division 97 in Baltimore and the CSXT-Northern Lines General Committee of Adjustment. The negotiating team consisted of CSXT-NL General Chairman Brian Farkas and National Vice Presidents Randy Fannon and Jeff Thurman.
MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration and operated under contract by Alstom and Amtrak. The tracks are owned by CSXT and Amtrak. MARC reports about 19,300 passenger boardings per weekday.
Photo by Cory Rusch, BLET Division 659