BLET members ratified a new five-year contract with the Utah Railway on March 20. The agreement was ratified by a vote of 30-6. It governs rates of pay, benefits and work rules for approximately 42 operating employees.
General wage increases will total 41% (46.7% compounded) over the life of the contract (23% at signing; 5% in 2025; 4% in 2026; 4% in 2027; and 5% in 2028). Signing bonuses will be paid to employees based on length of service (10+ years of service will receive $19,000; 4+ years of service will receive $7,500; 1+ year of service will receive $1,500). Prior to this agreement, the last effective wage increase was January 1, 2015.
The Utah Railway members belong to Division 221 (Salt Lake City, Utah). The negotiating team consisted of BLET General Chairman J.E. Hamilton, National Vice President Garrison Best, and Division 221 Local Chairmen Casey Ostler (representing engineers) and Jason Wiseman (representing trainmen).
A Genesee & Wyoming subsidiary, the Utah Railway is a 59-mile short line railroad that operates throughout Utah. It interchanges with Class I railroads BNSF and Union Pacific.