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Burlington Northern Santa Fe recently negotiated new safety agreements with Transportation Communications International Union Brotherhood of Railway Carmen, and the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers.

The agreements — which took effect Sept. 1 — address safety participation, such as the unions' safety and advisory committees, safety assistants and a risk identification process. The contracts also enable workers to choose an alternative non-punitive discipline system in lieu of the traditional discipline process.

"We will soon provide supervisors in the affected shop crafts with additional details on the alternative handling and workplace observation processes," said Dan Kozak, assistant vice president of labor relations, in a prepared statement. "We strongly feel that the alternative handling program will transform discipline into a truly non-punitive, learning-based system."