The tentative five-year deal with Keolis, which operates MBTA’s 14 commuter rail lines serving the Greater Boston region and Rhode Island, is retroactive to July 1, 2023, and governs rates of pay, benefits, and work rules for 194 members.
If ratified, it would provide general wage increases of 25.0% (5% for 2023; 5% for 2024; 5% in 2025; 5% in 2026; and 5% in 2027), according to BLET. 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 proposed improvements would 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.
Ballots, which were mailed last week, are due by Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 2 p.m. ET.
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.
