BLET members today ratified a new five-year contract with Transit America Services, Inc., (TASI). The agreement covers 68 locomotive engineers who operate passenger trains at Caltrain. Ballots were counted this afternoon. Eighty-four percent of members cast ballots, with 50 voting in favor (89%) and 6 voting against (11%).The contract provides numerous work rule improvements beneficial to the membership and a general wage package which keeps them on the forefront of passenger engineers in the nation.
The BLET’s Caltrain members belong to Division 65 in San Jose, Calif., and are represented by the Amtrak General Committee of Adjustment (GCA). The negotiating team consisted of: Division 65 Local Chairman Kevin Quest, prior Local Chairman Jordan Coleman, Vice General Chairman Gabriel Perez, Western Regional Chairman Chad Skinner, GCA S-T Bradley Cleary, Amtrak General Chairman Pat Darcy, and National Vice President Jim Louis.
TASI is the contractor for the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (JPB), which owns and operates Caltrain. Caltrain operates commuter rail service in Northern California between Gilroy and San Francisco.
“This agreement provides clear economic gains and improvements to existing work rules for our Caltrain members,” BLET National President Mark Wallace said. “I commend General Chairman Darcy and the entire negotiating team for their efforts in securing this ratified agreement.”
Photo courtesy of Caltrain