Ballots were mailed on February 6 and are due by February 26. Photo by Cory Rusch, BLET Division 659
The BLET has reached a tentative contract with Alstom for locomotive engineers who operate Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC) trains in the Washington-Baltimore area.
The tentative four-year agreement covering the period from Jan. 1, 2024 through Dec. 31, 2027 addresses work rule improvements, health & welfare benefits, and would provide general wage increases throughout the life of the agreement (3.25% for 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, National Vice Presidents Randy Fannon and Vice President Jeff Thurman.
Note to MARC members: Ballots were mailed on February 6 and are due by Thursday, February 26. Members who are eligible and have not received a ratification packet by Tuesday, February 17, should call the National Division’s dedicated voicemail line at (216) 241-2630, ext. 222. When connected with the voicemail, please leave the following information:
- Your name, address and phone number;
- The division to which you belong;
- The railroad you work for;
- Your date of birth;
- The last four digits of your Social Security number; and
- Your email address.
Please note: All replacement ballots will be distributed by email. Any member who requires a replacement ballot must include their email address in the voicemail; otherwise, they will not be able to participate in the ratification vote.
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.