BLET members ratify new pact with CF&E

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) members have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with the Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern Railway (CF&E).

Covering about 40 BLET members, the seven-year contract is retroactive to 2017 and extends through 2023. It provides a 26.6 percent wage increase over the life of the agreement. Members also receive a $500 bonus upon ratification and are eligible for a $2,000 retention bonus in 2023, according to a BLET press release.

In addition, health and welfare benefits, 401(k) and vacation days now are part of the contract, and allowances for meals and boots have increased.

The BLET organized the CF&E property in 2005. The Genesee & Wyoming Inc. subsidiary operates 323 miles of track from Crestline, Ohio, to Tolleston, Indiana, east of Chicago.