U.S. railways BNSF and Norfolk Southern have each reached deals with multiple unions representing their workers.
The railways jointly announced the deals on August 23, with BNSF and Norfolk Southern agreeing to tentative collective bargaining contracts with five unions combined between the two companies. Both BNSF and Norfolk Southern reached deals with the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen Division, mechanics union SMART-MD, and the Transportation Communications Union. Norfolk Southern also separately agreed to a tentative contract with rail worker union SMART-TD, while BNSF reached a deal with the American Train Dispatchers Association.
The new deals include a 3.5% yearly wage increase over the next five years, along with more vacation hours earlier in workers’ careers, and “meaningful enhancements” to healthcare benefits. Three unions with Florida-based railway CSX also agreed to a new contract with an identical wage increase two days before BNSF and Norfolk Southern announced their own deals.
In Canada, workers at the country’s two largest railways were locked out on August 22. A day later, Canada’s Industrial Relations Board imposed binding arbitration on the railways and union, requiring them to reach a deal and return to work as soon as possible. Workers with Canadian National Railway resumed work on August 23, while workers at Canadian Pacific Kansas City remain locked out.
