UTU, NCCC reach tentative agreement with record pay boost

A 17 percent pay increase, retention of the $200 monthly cap on health care cost sharing, FRA certification pay, a faster process for new hires to reach full pay rates and no rollback of the January 2011 cost-of-living adjustment highlight the new five-year national rail agreement negotiated between the United Transportation Union and the National Carriers' Conference Committee. Railroads represented by the NCCC include BNSF, CSX, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific and many smaller railroads. Some 38,000 UTU members, including yardmasters, are covered by the tentative new agreement. UTU District 1 general chairpersons voted unanimously June 2 to submit the tentative agreement to the membership for ratification under the craft autonomy provisions of the UTU Constitution. The general chairpersons also voted unanimously to recommend ratification. General chairpersons now have until June 20 to submit questions regarding details of the tentative agreement. The questions will be submitted to the NCCC for answers. The agreed-upon questions and answers will become part of the tentative contract submitted to the membership for ratification. "In the 41-year history of the UTU, this wage increase is the highest in excess of the current and projected Consumer Price Index," said UTU International President Mike Futhey. The tentative agreement is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2010, and extends through Dec. 31, 2014. Yardmasters have essentially the same agreement, but with additional pay increases unique to their craft.