CSXT members ratify pair of agreements

BLET members from two of the four general committees of adjustment on CSXT ratified two tentative collective bargaining agreements. They represent more than 40 percent of BLET engineers working for the Class 1 railroad.
BLET members from the Northern District GCA voted by an 82 percent to 18 percent margin to transition from the modified former Conrail Agreement to the CSXT Single System Agreement, with a majority of eligible members approving the change. The Transitional Single System Agreement includes many new work rules and benefits. Those benefits include a new compensation system that combines a performance bonus plan, general wage increases and a signing bonus. The TSSA also resolves this GCA’s outstanding wage and rule Section 6 Notice for the current round of bargaining. Those members from the Northern District GCA and members from the Northern Lines GCA also ratified an agreement that implements a New York Dock notice served by the Carrier in 2009 to create the Northern Mid-Atlantic Seniority District. The NMAD Implementing Agreement was approved by a 69 percent to 31 percent margin and: • preserves existing prior rights seniority for all employees working in the Northern, Eastern and Western Districts; • provides expanded work opportunities in the Northern, Eastern and Western Districts using NMAD seniority; • preserves seniority zones limiting the force assignment of locomotive engineers; • provides for movement between seniority districts and zones that was heretofore restricted; and • provides New York Dock protective benefits for displaced locomotive engineers with a connection to this transaction. BLET National President Dennis Pierce praised those involved for their efforts. “I want to congratulate General Chairmen Rick Finamore and Jim Louis and their teams, as well as Vice President Gil Gore, for their hard work for more than a year to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion,” Pierce said. These agreements become effective as soon as possible and will cover more than 2,100 BLET members.