Railway carmen, Union Pacific reach job security agreement

The Brotherhood of Railway Carmen (BRC) and Union Pacific Railroad reached an agreement that provides a job security commitment for hundreds of union employees if the proposed merger between UP and Norfolk Southern Railway goes through.

The BRC is the latest union to reach an agreement with UP that ensures members employed at both UP and NS at the time of the merger will have job security for life, subject to the usual requirements for continued employment, UP officials said in a press release. 

The other two unions are International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers–Transportation Division and the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers.

In July, UP and NS announced that UP would acquire NS and the two would merge their operations to create the nation's first coast-to-coast transcontinental railroad. The proposed merger must be approved by the federal Surface Transportation Board.

“Security for our members is a huge accomplishment. I am proud to report that BRC members working at Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern can have the peace of mind that comes with knowing your job is secure and that you don’t have to worry about being involuntarily furloughed,” said BRC General President Don Grissom in the press release.