BNSF, CSX, and NS Railways Reach Collective Bargaining Agreements With Several Unions Just Four Months Before Next Round

BNSF Railway Co. (BNSF) and Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) announced that they have reached tentative five-year collective bargaining agreements with the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen Division/TCU (BRC), International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers–Mechanical Department (SMART-MD), and the Transportation Communications Union/IAM (TCU), Progressive Railroading reported (8-26-24).

BNSF has also reached a tentative agreement with the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA), and NS announced it has reached tentative agreements with multiple General Committees for the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers–Transportation Division (SMART-TD).

Subject to ratification, the agreements come four months before the opening of the next collective bargaining round, giving covered employees unprecedented certainty about upcoming enhancements to their pay, health care, and vacation, BNSF officials said in a press release.

Meanwhile, CSX Transportation announced it reached new tentative five-year collective agreements with seven additional labor unions.

With those additional unions, CSX has now reached a total of 12 separate tentative agreements, covering more than 50% of its union employees. The terms of the agreements are aligned, providing equivalent packages of improved wages, health care, and paid time off benefits, CSX officials said in a press release.