Amtrak MOW workers gain higher wages from arbitration ruling; LACMTA reaches tentative agreement with ATU

A final and binding arbitration ruling issued Tuesday will raise wages an average of 3.1 percent annually for Amtrak maintenance-of-way employees, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) announced yesterday.

The wage increases are retroactive to Jan. 1, 2010. In addition, back wages will be paid to all qualified union members, active or retired, BMWED officials said in a press release.

A panel of three arbitrators rendered the decision, which was negotiated by the Passenger Rail Labor Bargaining Coalition, a collaboration of the BMWED and Brotherhood of Railroad Signalman.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1277 reached a tentative agreement covering maintenance employees, including rail maintenance specialists, LACMTA announced yesterday.

Details of the agreement will not be released pending an ATU ratification vote, which likely will occur over the next month. Local 1277 represents 2,291 LACMTA workers while the ATU represents 1,101 retirees.

If approved, the new multi-year pact would be retroactive to July 1, 2013, when the previous contract expired.