CLEVELAND, January 12 — BLET members from two of the four general committees of adjustment on CSX Transportation ratified two tentative collective bargaining agreements on Monday. They represent more than 40% of BLET engineers working for the Class I railroad.
BLET members from the Northern District GCA voted by an overwhelming 82% to 18% margin to transition from the modified former Conrail Agreement to the CSXT Single System Agreement, with a majority of eligible members approving the change. The Transitional Single System Agreement (or TSSA) includes many new work rules and benefits. Those benefits include a new compensation system that combines a Performance Bonus Plan, general wage increases and a signing bonus.
The TSSA also resolves this GCA’s outstanding wage and rule Section 6 Notice for the current round of bargaining.
Those members from the Northern District GCA and members from the Northern Lines GCA also ratified an agreement that implements a New York Dock notice served by the Carrier in 2009 to create the Northern Mid-Atlantic Seniority District (NMAD). The NMAD Implementing Agreement was approved by a 69% to 31% margin and:
- • preserves existing prior rights seniority for all employees working in the Northern, Eastern and Western Districts;
• provides expanded work opportunities in the Northern, Eastern and Western Districts using NMAD seniority;
• preserves seniority zones limiting the force assignment of Locomotive Engineers;
• provides for movement between seniority districts and zones that was heretofore restricted; and
• provides New York Dock protective benefits for displaced Locomotive Engineers with a connection to this transaction.
BLET National President Dennis Pierce praised those involved for their efforts. “I want to congratulate General Chairmen Rick Finamore and Jim Louis and their teams, as well as Vice President Gil Gore, for their hard work for more than a year to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion,” Pierce said.
President Pierce also thanked those members who took the time to vote on their future. As in all internal votes held in the past year, the Mobilization Network was once again activated to “Get out the Vote.” Pierce added, “Just over 50% of the membership voted on the TSSA; that level of participation is in large part due to the strength of the mobilization network, which is a grass roots effort driven entirely by member involvement.”
Pierce also thanked Vice President Gore and the General Chairmen for their efforts to go out on the property and meet with the membership to discuss the proposed agreements. “Attendance at Division meetings by National Division officers has been one of the cornerstones of my admini-stration since the day I took office. As I have often said, the best way for the National Division to hear and understand the concerns of the membership is face to face at a union meeting. The reasons for the National Division to attend Division meetings are many; the turnout in this vote confirms the importance of this policy,” Pierce said.
These agreements become effective as soon as administratively possible and will cover more than 2,100 BLET members.