General Chairpersons Francis Ariola (GO 663) and Rick Pauli (GO 769), who handle the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal Air, Rail and Transportation Workers’ (SMART-TD) Amtrak properties, on Sept. 24 announced a new ratified seven-year agreement with Amtrak. Approved by a 3-1 margin, the agreement brings increases in pay, training and healthcare to more than 2,100 members.
The tentative agreement will be in effect from July 1, 2022, through December 1, 2028. It includes a full retroactive pay increase dating back to July 1, 2022. General Chairpersons Ariola and Pauli will provide information to their members about when they will receive their back pay.
Other highlights include:
- “A general wage increase.
- “Full retroactive pay dating back to July 1, 2022. This increase will apply to the short crew payments as well as the general wages.
- “10 weeks (about 2.5 months) of paid parental leave.
- “The addition of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a paid holiday.
- “An increase in training pay.
- “The addition of pay protection for emergency annulments.
- “The addition of compensation for deadheads to classes.
- “All current employees will keep AmPlan I as their healthcare plan.
- “It drops the 90% of the 75% and 80% when working in the yard.
- “Improvements to bereavement pay to include three working days rather than three consecutive days off.
- “Increases overtime pay for employees who are on three- and four-day yard assignments on their relief days.
- “Increases new hire training per diem to $40.
- “Increases away-from-home terminal expenses.
- “Increases conductor certification pay.”
“Our members are a major part of the experience passengers have aboard Amtrak, and they have approved this contract as appropriate for their work,” SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson said. “Congratulations to our membership and GCs Ariola and Pauli in getting a fair contract for our members!”
Negotiations began after examining Amtrak executive bonuses. Pauli was quoted as saying at the time: “It’s good to know the company has all that bonus money available. [We] will make sure to keep that in mind when discussing our members’ future wages.” Both chairpersons, the union notes, “kept their promises.”
