BLET reaches tentative national agreement with freight railroads

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) announced today that it has reached a tentative national agreement with the freight railroads represented by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC) after nearly ten months at the bargaining table.

The tentative agreement generally follows the industry-wide wage pattern established by other rail labor unions. It includes health care improvements — with no increase in out-of-pocket costs, annual general wage increases, retroactive pay, and a one-time lump sum payment of $500. If ratified, the five-year agreement, covering July 1, 2025, through July 1, 2029, will provide a compounded wage increase of 18.8 percent, which is expected to outpace inflation over the life of the contract.

While BLET’s negotiating team ardently worked to move beyond the pattern, the carriers were unwilling to agree to additional gains without requiring concessions to work rules and other core protections. In keeping with the union’s long-standing principles, the BLET leadership refused to exchange fundamental work rules for marginal improvements, prioritizing the protection of member rights and job security.

“Since taking over as President and Lead Negotiator in May, my goal has been to bring greater transparency and accountability to the bargaining process,” said BLET National President Mark Wallace. “The BLET Wage Team worked diligently to find a path forward that our members could support. This tentative agreement delivers meaningful wage growth without any concessions to work rules. As a membership-driven organization, it is now up to our members to determine the path ahead.”

A ratification vote will be conducted by mail ballot and electronic voting, with results to be announced in December.

The tentative agreement covers 11,000 BLET members employed by BNSF Railway, Norfolk Southern, and Canadian National’s U.S. operations, as well as several smaller carriers represented by the NCCC. Union Pacific and CSX were not included, and CPKC participated only in health and welfare matters.

Negotiations began in December 2024, following the exchange of Section 6 notices under the Railway Labor Act (RLA). Under the RLA, contracts remain in effect until they are amended through collective bargaining.