Railroads, two more unions reach tentative pacts

The National Carriers' Conference Committee (NCCC) late last week announced the nation’s major freight railroads have reached tentative agreements with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the American Train Dispatchers Association, which together represent about 6,000 freight-rail employees.

The tentative agreements announced Sept. 2 follow the Aug. 16 recommendations of the Presidential Emergency Board No. 250, NCCC officials said in a press release. NCCC is negotiating on behalf of the railroads.

The PEB recommendations include a 24% wage increase during the period from 2020 through 2024 — with a 14.1% wage increase effective immediately — and five annual $1,000 lump sum payments. A portion of the wage increases and lump sum payments are retroactive and will be paid out promptly upon ratification of the agreements by the unions’ membership.  

Combined with the tentative agreements also announced last week, five of the 12 unions in the national bargaining round have now reached tentative pacts. Together, those five unions represent more than 21,000 employees.

Under the Railway Labor Act, the railroads and unions remain in a 30-day "cooling off" period. Voluntary settlements with all unions would avert any potential disruptions to rail service after the cooling-off period ends Sept. 16.