46,000 Freight Rail Workers Win Wage Increases and More Bargaining News

Some 46,000 freight rail workers have a new contract that improves wages, topping Bargaining Digest highlights the week of Jan. 25. The AFL-CIO Collective Bargaining Department delivers daily bargaining-related news and research resources to more than 900 subscribers. Union leaders can register for this service through our website, Bargaining@Work.

Settlements
UTU, National Carriers Conference Committee: On Jan. 23, the United Transportation Union (UTU) and National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC), the national bargaining agent for more than 30 of the major U.S. freight railroads, reached a tentative agreement providing some 46,000 freight rail workers with general wage increases totaling 17 percent over five years. UTU had been negotiating with the NCCC for about three years, since the current contract became amendable in November 2004. Under the Railway Labor Act (RLA), rail contracts become amendable but do not expire. The tentative agreement applies to UTU conductors, brakemen, engineers, firemen, hostlers, switchmen and yardmasters employed by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, CSX, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific and some smaller railroads.

UTU, Canadian National Railway: Canadian National Railway (CN) and the UTU announced that parties reached a tentative four-year agreement for 600 UTU workers at CN’s former Illinois Central (IC) and Chicago, Central & Pacific (CCP) properties in the Midwest and southern United States. Details are being withheld pending a ratification vote.  The voting results should be announced in mid-March.

IAFF, Wooster, Ohio: Firefighters in Wooster, Ohio, represented by the Wooster Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 764, approved a deal with the City Council, which includes a 3 percent pay increase in 2008, 4 percent in 2009 and 3 percent in 2010.

UFCW, Eugene, Ore., Grocery Stores: Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 555, ratified a four-year contract by roughly 90 percent with three national supermarket chains, Kroger, Safeway and Supervalu, that covers some 1,200 grocery employees in Eugene, Ore. The new contract, approved Jan. 17, increases wages by $1.30 per hour over term and maintains benefits at current levels. The contract also is expected to serve as a pattern for a number of smaller contracts covering another 5,000 grocery workers in other parts of the state.

Negotiations
UAW, Ford Motor Co.: The Ford Motor Co. plans to offer buyout and early retirement packages to 54,000 U.S. hourly workers to cut more jobs and replace workers with those making a lower wage. Chief Executive Alan Mulally said Ford is negotiating the new round of buyouts with the UAW. Mulally said the first round of buyouts would be offered immediately to hourly workers employed at closed plants in Atlanta, St. Louis, Edison, N.J., and Norfolk, Va. Those offers close the week of Feb. 28. The second round of buyouts would go to workers at all other U.S. Ford locations, opening Feb. 18 and closing the week of March 17.

Multiple Unions, US Airways: Unions, representing some 30,000 members at US Airways, joined in a coalition to demand management complete the merger begun nearly three years ago, adhere to current labor contracts and reach agreements that improve the wages, benefits and working conditions of employees. The coalition includes the Air Line Pilots (ALPA), the Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA), the Airline Customer Service Employee Association (joint representation by the Teamsters and the Communications Workers of America), the Machinists (IAM) and the Transport Workers (TWU).

Organizing
AFT, Northcoast Children’s Services: In California, some 250 early care and education workers at Northcoast Children’s Services voted for AFT representation.
Disclaimer: This information is being provided for your information only.  As it is compiled from published news reports, not from individual unions, we cannot vouch for either its completeness or accuracy; readers who desire further information should directly contact the union involved.

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