"Overall, we have protected members from the vicious and ongoing attack that Amtrak management has continued for most of the round of negotiations," said Freddie Simpson, president of BMWED`s national division and teamsters` international vice president. In an increasingly difficult political environment for collective bargaining, this agreement protects labour rules, is not arrogant towards members in the form of sharing the costs of health insurance and provides for modest but constant wage increases. He also avoided additional mediation and/or possible emergency presidential counsel, as well as a repeat of binding arbitration that settled the last round of negotiations with Amtrak in 2014. Amtrak`s agreement with NABTU, as well as its subsidiaries and state and local councils, represents a transformative moment for passenger rail and organized construction by establishing a model of collaboration between work and workforce management and development. Along with Amtrak`s 15-year expansion strategy to create half a million jobs that bring more than $150 billion in economic benefits to 160 local communities, this agreement helps ensure a cohesive pool of construction workers, workforce training and labor standards with wages, health benefits and retirement security that support the family. "Our bargaining committee worked hard to reach this new agreement that resolved the dispute over wages, benefits and labour rules that began on January 2, 2015. The new agreement, which was signed on the 31st. Expires in December 2021, which guarantees our members pay raises and the protection of their health care," Simpson said. Copies of the proposed agreement and information on ratification will be communicated by the Presidents General to their respective members together with voting documents to be prepared and distributed from 15 January. SMART TRANSPORTATION CEO Dirk Sampson (GO 769), Robert Keeley (GO 342) and Fran Ariola (GO 663) announced today that they have entered into a preliminary agreement with Amtrak on behalf of their passenger rail members. A summary of the interim agreements can be found here. "Members recognized the value of the proposed contract and, by ratifying the agreement, secured the wages and benefits that were hard-earned and hard-earned by the bargaining team," said John Previsich, Assistant Chair of the SMART Transportation Division. SMART TD President John Previsich and Vice Presidents John England and John Lesniewski led the bargaining team, and an interim agreement was reached on January 11.

"Today`s agreement opens up more career opportunities for our members and allows our benchmark training model to provide Amtrak with the highest quality work," said Sean McGarvey, President of NABTU. "Our highly skilled professionals have the best manual skills in the world. Through this agreement, we will continue to grow our diverse workforce and strengthen the economies of other communities across the country." We applaud Amtrak for coming to the table to work with us and our members, and we also thank Ed Wytkind, former chair of the Transportation Trades Department (TTD), for his help and support throughout the process. The agreement applies to more than 1,400 locomotive engineers who operate Amtrak`s passenger and commuter trains through its 21,000-mile network of routes in 46 states. "The agreement protects wages from expected inflation and preserves the health plan, but it has been particularly difficult to achieve this because the process is politically led by some of the most anti-working class forces that have ever held political office," said Jed Dodd, chairman of the BMWED Amtrak bargaining committee and general president of the Pennsylvania Federation. Follow this link to see a summary of the agreement that has just been ratified. "I must thank President Mike Futhey and Vice President John Previsich for their efforts in making this agreement possible," said Mr. Sampson. "Despite the moments of uncertainty that existed, their leadership, patience and confident attitude kept this round of negotiations very long and difficult.

I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of General President Bill Beebe, General Vice President Charlie Yura and Local 1361 President Gary J. Hopson for their support in concluding these negotiations. By a majority of more than 9 to 1, BLT members ratified their new collective agreement with Amtrak. The final tally was 90.5% for and 9.5% against, with nearly 65% of eligible members voting. The agreement was adopted by nearly 60% of eligible train drivers who voted and 86% of eligible shipyard captains who voted. The agreement applies retroactively to 2010 and the new wage rates must come into effect within 30 to 45 days. The payment of retroactive wages takes place approximately 60 days after the wage rates come into effect. "Given the stalemate in our previous collective bargaining with Amtrak prior to the conclusion of the 2017 National Transportation Agreement and the exorbitant health care costs proposed by the airline at the time, it is clear that this agreement represents a significant improvement in overall wage increases and workers` health contributions over the life of the agreement. without expiring the existing work rules," said Mark Kenny, LTIP General President for Amtrak. NEW YORK – Amtrak and the North American Building Trades Unions (NABTU), the union organization representing more than 3 million skilled workers, today announced a historic national agreement to promote a strong labour pool of U.S.

union builders to build and expand the U.S. passenger railroad. For military personnel who lose income as a result of their service, the agreement provides for up to 120 hours of "Make Whole" pay. Amtrak employees, represented by the Smart Transportation Division (UTU), have ratified a five-year agreement with the management of National Railroad Passenger Corp. (Amtrak). Amtrak employees, represented by the GO-769, GO-663 and GO-342 General Adjustment Committees (SMART Transportation Division drivers, deputy managers and site masters), voted overwhelmingly in favor of ratifying a preliminary agreement reached last month. The presidents met on January 10-11 at SMART TD`s headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, to continue negotiations on a new contract for Amtrak workers represented by the union. Supported by SMART TD President John Previsich and Vice-Presidents John Lesniewski and John England, union and Amtrak representatives reached preliminary agreements for each bargaining group.

Any draft agreement will be submitted to the members concerned for ratification. The agreement, which was concluded on 1. The entry into force in April 2018 provides for a salary increase of 18.83% over the duration of the contract, which runs until 2021, plus retroactive compensation. As part of this, Amtrak and its construction partners will work with construction unions to accelerate training programs, promote diversity, and ensure fair wages and benefits for construction workers on their projects. This announcement underscores Amtrak`s commitment to investing in today`s workforce as well as the next generation of U.S. workforce. The exemptions, initially granted by the Trump administration in March 2020 in response to the emerging coronavirus pandemic, were heavily criticized by the SMART Transportation division when it was created. They have since been renewed several times, covering settlements that included the following: "My top priority at Amtrak is to close this deal," Sampson said.

Mediation talks are ongoing. Mediation meetings are currently scheduled for 13 and 14 February, as well as 20 and 21 March. We are always trying to solve difficult problems. The bargaining team will continue to move its demands forward with the support and guidance of Vice-President John Previsich. Biden`s previously announced candidate for the three-member board of directors is union attorney Deirdre Hamilton. On September 21, the Federal Railroad Administration sided with a request by the SMART Transportation Division to reject the extension of COVID-related exemption requests by the Association of American Railroads (AAR) and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Gerald W. Fauth III, the current president of the NMB, has been appointed for a new three-year term. He has been a member of the Management Board since November 2017. "This contract protects the working rules under which our Amtrak members work, while limiting their health care dues and offering actual salary increases," said Dennis Pierce, President of the LTIP. A new member, Ray Crowder, has been part of the union and Amtrak for nine months, but he has already received much praise for the experience.

"I love working here," Crowder said. Another engineer, Stephen Johnson, said: "I`m glad we have the services, support and rights that come with being a union." President Trump`s repeated election promises have focused on securing American jobs, creating thousands of new jobs, and modernizing and expanding our infrastructure. If that`s still true, Trump must allow this project to move forward, as Caltrain PCEP will create nearly 10,000 jobs, not only in California, but also in other states, including Utah, Texas, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. .