BNSF, yardmasters reach tentative labor pact

BNSF Railway Co. and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers - Transportation Division, Yardmasters (SMART-YM) announced on April 11 that they have reached a tentative five-year collective bargaining agreement.

If ratified, the agreement would cover about 320 yardmasters and bring the percentage of the railroad's union workforce now covered under ratified or tentative agreements to 42%, BNSF officials said in a press release.

The agreement calls for a 3.5% average wage increase per year over the next five years. It also offers the workers more vacation time earlier in their career and improvements to health-care benefits.

"This tentative agreement provides paid sick leave, rest days for the extra board yardmasters, who work fulltime irregular "on-call" style shifts, improvements to health care and a compensation package,” said Matthew Burkart, general chairman, yardmasters. “This is the first time the yardmaster craft has seen significant quality of life advancements since 1997."