Rail Strike Update: International Brotherhood of Boilermakers Rejects Labor Agreement

Stakeholders reported on Monday (11-14-22) that members of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB) have rejected the labor agreement that was worked out between the railroads and the leadership of 12 different rail workers unions. The IBB represents about 300 employees, many of whom work on repairing locomotives.

The IBB joins the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way–Employees Division (BMWED) and the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS) in rejecting the labor deal. Their votes send all three unions back to the bargaining table.

Seven other unions have previously ratified the agreement.

The National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC), the group representing the freight railroad in negotiations, said it was “disappointed” that IBB members failed to ratify the pact.

Members of the two largest unions representing locomotive engineers and train conductors—the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers–Transportation Division (SMART-TD)—are voting this week on whether to ratify their labor contracts. Those results are expected to be announced next Monday, November 21st. These two unions represent roughly half of the over 100,000 rail workers affected by the labor negotiations.