The National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC) announced Dec. 30 that members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) have ratified a national collective bargaining agreement covering more than 12,000 freight rail employees.
With this ratification, approximately 95% of the union-represented freight rail employees at railroads participating in national handling are now covered by 12 ratified collective bargaining agreements that follow the industry-wide pattern.
The ratified agreement provides:
- “Wage increases of 18.8% over five years. Based on current inflation projections, this increase will translate to real wage growth for covered railroaders, along with pay certainty for the life of the contract. Under these agreements, average annual wages will rise to about $135,000 and average total compensation will increase to about $190,000 by the end of the contract in 2029.
- “Enhancements to world-class health and welfare benefits with no increase to the employee contribution rate. Employees’ 2025 health care premiums have decreased to about $277/month, well below the national average of more than $500/month for employer-provided family coverage.
- “Access to more paid vacation time for employees earlier in their careers.”
“We congratulate BLET members on their ratification vote,” said Jeff Rodgers, Chairman of the National Railway Labor Conference (NRLC) and the NCCC. “With 11 unions and nearly all freight rail employees covered by a ratified agreement through 2029, employees have resoundingly endorsed this pattern agreement with 18.8% wage increases and enhanced benefits.”
BLET members join employees represented by ATDA, BMWED, BRC, IAM, IBB, IBEW, NCFO, SMART-MD, SMART-TD, and TCU in approving a total of 12 national collective bargaining agreements covering the period through Dec 31, 2029. These national agreements are in addition to dozens of local agreements reached and ratified this round.
Since the exchange of Section 6 notices on Nov. 1, 2024, the 2025 bargaining round has seen “historic collaboration” between freight rail carriers and unions that has led to nearly all rail union employees having ratified agreements just more than one year later, NRLC noted. “Early local agreements set the stage for this momentum, establishing a clear pattern that addresses employee needs while strengthening the freight rail industry’s ability to provide safe, reliable service.”
The 18.8% wage increase in these pattern agreements builds on the historic 24% wage increase from the 2022 bargaining round. Taken together, these wage increases represent a nearly 50% (compounded) wage increase for covered employees between 2020 and 2029.
Further Reading:
- NCCC Reaches National Agreements With TCU, BRC
- NCCC, ATDA Ratify National Agreement
- NCCC, BMWED Vote to Ratify National Agreement
- IAM Ratifies National Agreement With NCCC
- NCCC, IBB Ratify National Agreement
- NCCC, IBEW Vote to Ratify National Agreement
- NCCC, NCFO Ratify National Agreement
- SMART-MD Votes to Ratify National Agreement With NCCC
- NCCC Reaches Tentative Agreements With SMART-TD, Yardmasters
