NS Extends Tentative Agreements to Nine Unions, BNSF to Six
The two Class I’s on Aug. 30 said they partnered to reached tentative agreements with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB) and the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers (NCFO). Separately, NS also reached tentative deals with the ATDA, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED), and SMART–Transportation Division Yardmasters (SMART-TD Yardmasters).
All the pacts come four months before the opening of the next collective bargaining round. If ratified they will offer craft railroaders a 3.5% average wage increase per year over the next five years; more vacation earlier in their career; and “meaningful enhancements to an already robust suite of health care benefits.” NS’s nine agreements cover approximately 55% of its total union workforce; BNSF’s six agreements cover 17% of its union-represented workforce.
They follow CSX’s recent announcements that it has reached tentative five-year agreements with 12 unions.
The last bargaining rounds, in 2020, led to the formation of a Presidential Emergency Board in July 2022. Nearly five months later, President Joe Biden signed into law a congressional resolution (H.J. Res. 100) imposing on four holdout rail unions a collectively bargained Tentative Agreement ratified by eight others.
“These agreements would not be possible without the industry-leading partnership Norfolk Southern has built with our labor unions,” NS President and CEO Alan H. Shaw said during the Aug. 30 announcement. “As we recognize Labor Day this upcoming weekend, we express our appreciation for the contributions of our craft employees. We’re committed to supporting them with the pay, health care, and personal time they deserve, and look forward to reaching additional agreements with all our unions in the near future.”
“We are pleased to come to tentative agreements with two more of our unions ahead of the scheduled bargaining round,” BNSF President and CEO Katie Farmer said on the same day. “The well-being of our people is key to our collective success, and this swift collaboration is indicative of our commitment to working together to continue delivering exceptional freight service to our customers. Thank you to our team of negotiators and labor leaders for prioritizing this agreement.”
“This agreement marks a historic milestone, reached well before the expiration of the moratorium period, and reflects the mutual cooperation and commitment of Norfolk Southern and BMWED to engage in open, honest dialogue while proactively addressing the critical issues facing our members,” BMWED National Division President Tony Cardwell said. “We are proud of the progress we have made working together and look forward to implementing this agreement and partnering with Norfolk Southern to build on this foundation of collaboration and mutual respect.”
IBB Director Railroad Lodge Services John Mansker said that the union “is excited to have a tentative agreement” with both NS and BNSF, “as it is a whole package with wage increases, vacation, and insurance.” Alan Shaw and Katie Farmer and their railroads, he added, “have really stepped the game up for negotiating contracts for rail labor before contracts are up. All the unions hope this will be a standard practice in the future.”
“I want to thank Vice President of Labor Relations Wai Wong and his Labor Relations team for their hard work on this,” said Michael Pistone, NCFO President, during the Aug. 30 announcement of his union’s agreements with NS and BNSF. “We need to continue to look at ways to work together so the NCFO members and Norfolk Southern can continue to progress into the future.” Pistone also thanked BNSF’s Katie Farmer “on tasking the Vice President of Labor Relations Sam Macedonio and General Director of Labor Relations Derek Cargill to work on this” agreement with NCFO. He noted that NCFO “welcomed the opportunity to roll up our sleeves at the bargaining table to reach this solid tentative agreement that will improve the overall quality of life for the NCFO membership and their families.”
“Reaching comprehensive agreements on a local level has been long overdue, so this is an important moment on the Norfolk Southern property,” ATDA President Ed Dowell said. “I commend our ATDA bargaining team composed of Vice President Brandon Denucci, Vice President Colin Thurman, General Chairman Nick Serrano, and System Treasurer Craig Duncan, each instrumental in advocating our demands to the carrier. Additionally, I’d like to recognize Norfolk Southern’s bargaining team composed of Vice President Labor Relations Wai Wong, Assistant Vice President Labor Relations Drew Shepard, and Assistant Director Kristen Baucom. I’d also like to personally thank Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw for reaching out and addressing our concern that our Norfolk Southern members’ wages and benefits were lagging behind the other Class I railroads. This agreement represents real progress.”
“Norfolk Southern Yardmasters are the best in the industry, are integral to the success of Norfolk Southern, and have earned the benefits contained in this Agreement,” said Joe Borders, General Chairman SMART-TD Yardmasters. “General Chairman Dan Weir and I thank Norfolk Southern for their partnership and for providing a forum through this Agreement for SMART-TD Yardmasters to continue discussions to address additional areas of mutual interest.”
Railway Age Capitol Hill Contributing Editor Frank N. Wilner offers his observations.
