Rail carriers, BMWED agree to tentative five-year pact

The National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC) and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) of the Teamsters Rail Conference have reached a tentative five-year national labor agreement.

Announced yesterday, the agreement reflects terms consistent with a pattern established by more than 50 other national and local agreements since the national bargaining round began in November, 2024, NCCC officials said in a press release.

The deal is now subject to ratification by nearly 8,000 BMWED-represented employees.

If ratified, employees' benefits would include wage increases of 18.8% over five years, enhancements to health and welfare benefits with no increase to employee contribution rate, and access to more paid vacation time for newer employees.

“It’s a major step forward and a testament to the ongoing collaboration between the industry and its unions to address employee priorities and promptly resolve this bargaining round," said Jeff Rodgers, chairman of the National Railway Labor Conference and the NCCC.