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Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers members March 28 ratified their first-ever contract with 245-mile Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia Railway (CBNS), ending a nearly two-month-long strike.
The RailAmerica Inc. subsidiary short line's 34 BLE-represented locomotive engineers and conductors walked off the job Feb. 6 at 7 a.m. to protest a host of issues, including seniority, work schedules, wages, rest, crew consists, vacation, pension plans, training and spare boards.
The workers in October 2000 elected BLE as their designated representative, and in early 2001 began negotiations with BLE, CBNS and RailAmerica officials to develop a contract, but failed to reach an agreement. BLE plans soon to release contract details, which weren't disclosed.
CBNS annually hauls about 26,000 carloads of limestone, lumber, grain and scrap metal throughout Nova Scotia.