CLEVELAND, March 5 — Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen who work on the former Wisconsin Central territory overwhelmingly ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with Canadian National on January 17.
The agreement covers nearly 300 members. The six-year agreement (which dates from April 1, 2005 through April 1, 2010) provides BLET members with overall wage increases of 21.24 percent.
An overwhelming majority of members voted to renew the hourly-rate agreement, in which BLET members are paid hourly wages and enjoy better job security in exchange for greater work rule flexibility for the company. Traditional agreements are mileage- and rule-based wage systems, which date back to the era of steam locomotives.
The BLET members at CN-WC were the first in the country to ratify an hourly-rate agreement back in 2002.
BLET General Chairman John Reynolds said 94 percent of eligible members voted on the contract, which was by an 86 percent majority.
In addition to pay increases, the BLET secured improved job protections. A locomotive engineer will now be assigned to every job at Wisconsin Central, including remote control assignments. The union’s “no furlough” clause has also been extended to cover approximately 30 additional members who were not protected under the old contract.
Improved work schedule assignments are also part of the new contract. Under the old contract, members were forced to work six days in a row with only one day off. Now, the assignments alternate from week to week between five day and six day work weeks. The same applies to the engineers’ extra board at CN-WC.
In terms of health care, BLET members at CN-WC opted to belong to the union’s national health care plan. The benefit to members is that they are now eligible for bridge insurance, which provides health care benefits between ages 60 and 65 (when they become eligible for Medicare). Railroad Retirement allows employees to retire at the age of 60 provided they have 30 years of service, and the addition of the bridge insurance will make it easier for Wisconsin Central engineers to retire at age 60.
In addition, maximum coverage under the union’s Short Term Disability plan was extended from six months to a year.
General Chairman Reynolds was on the negotiating team, along with BLET Vice President Rick Radek, 1st Vice Chairman John Woyak and 2nd Vice Chairman Eric Hau. Characterizing the negotiations as intense, General Chairman Reynolds said contract talks with CN regarding the new agreement began in late fall 2004.
“I thank Rick Radek, John Woyak and Eric Hau for their hard work and dedication to the membership,” General Chairman Reynolds said.
“Although the negotiations were protracted, requiring mediation during one phase of them, we are pleased that our membership so overwhelmingly approved the results,” Vice President Radek said. “Given these troublesome economic times, probably the strongest feature of the agreement is the level of employment security it accords our membership through its crew consist and protective benefit provisions.”