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February 10, 2025|News

BLET Ratifies New Contract With Keolis, Reaches Tentative Deal With Alstom

Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
(Images Courtesy of BLET)
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) members have ratified a new contract with Keolis for Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) engineers. Additionally, the BLET has reached a tentative contract with Alstom for locomotive engineers who operate Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC) trains.

BLET members on Feb. 5 ratified a new contract with Keolis Commuter Services for locomotive engineers working at the MBTA in Boston. The agreement governs rates of pay, benefits, and work rules for 194 members.

The five-year deal is retroactive to July 1, 2023, and provides general wage increases of 25.0% (5% for 2023; 5% for 2024; 5% in 2025; 5% in 2026; and 5% in 2027). The deal also includes an additional $2.00 per hour on top of the 5% GWI in 2027, totaling a compounded GWI of 31.87% through the term of the agreement.

 Other improvements include:

  • Addition of three paid sick days, annually.
  • Improvement to the current Bereavement Leave language with the inclusion of additional family members.
  • Lowering the current factor day requirement for annual vacation to 160 factor days and allowing two weeks to be utilized in the single day format.
  • Addition of holiday for Juneteenth.
  • Affords Local Chairmen discovery for formal on-property investigations.
  • New hires will still receive vacation time if they fail to hit required factor days within first two years of employment.

Members governed by this agreement belong to BLET Division 57 in Boston. The negotiating team consisted of Amtrak General Chairman Pat Darcy; Vice General Chairman Gabriel Perez; Secretary-Treasurer Brad Cleary; National Vice President Jim Louis; Division 57 Local Chairman Gary Hobson; and Division 57 Special Representative Paul Chaput.

Additionally, the BLET has reached a tentative contract with Alstom for locomotive engineers who operate MARC trains in the Washington-Baltimore area. The tentative agreement governs pay, benefits, and work rules for 20 members.

The tentative five-year agreement covers the period from Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2028, and would provide general wage increases of 15.9% (compounded). Additional items include:

  • Backpay due 60 days after ratification.
  • $1,500 signing bonus for eligible engineers.
  • Flat co-pay of $15 for occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy in place of employee having to meet deductible for coinsurance to apply.
  • Lap-backs or side-trips will be paid for one trip rate.
  • Modification of EBS to allow for seven-day bids.

Ballots were mailed this week and are due by Thursday, February 20, at 3:00 p.m. ET.