2012 Service Updates
Thursday, February 2, 2012 - 5:35 p.m. - Update
Freight Railroads Reach Agreement With BMWE
Railroads Now Have Agreements with All 13 Unions in National Bargaining
The nation’s major freight railroads have now reached a tentative agreement with the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWE), the last remaining union covered in this round of 13 national labor negotiations.
This eliminates the immediate threat of a national railway strike on February 8, 2012, which could have impacted the critical flow of goods and services. As with prior agreements reached with unions during this round of bargaining, today's tentative agreement with the BMWE will require a ratification vote by union members, which the union will be scheduling in the near future.
Earlier today, the National Carriers' Conference Committee (NCCC) announced that all 12 of the labor union agreements previously reached with railroads have now been approved by union members.
The full press release from the National Carriers' Conference Committee (NCCC) is included below.
Thank you for your continued support. We will continue to keep you updated as new information becomes available.
WASHINGTON (Feb. 2, 2012) – The nation’s major freight railroads today reached a tentative agreement with the last unsettled union, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWE), which represents more than 25,000 employees in the current round of national bargaining. The deal follows contract ratifications announced earlier today by members of the American Train Dispatchers Association and the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen.
The railroads have now reached agreements with all 13 of the rail unions in national bargaining; 12 of those agreements have been ratified. The BMWE agreement eliminates the threat of a national rail strike on Feb. 8.
“These agreements demonstrate that voluntary bargaining continues to work in the rail industry,” said A. Kenneth Gradia, chairman of the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC), the railroads’ bargaining representative. “The carriers and the unions, with the critical support of the National Mediation Board, have resolved their differences, ensuring they will continue to work together to help drive America’s economic growth today and in the future.”
The NCCC represents more than 30 railroads, including BNSF, CSX Transportation, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific in national bargaining with the 13 major rail unions.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Two More Unions Ratify Agreements With Freight Railroads
Twelve of 13 Unions Now Have Ratified Contracts; Railroads, Remaining Union Continue Negotiations
Two additional unions have ratified contracts with the nation's major freight railroads.
The full press release from the National Railway Labor Conference (NRLC) is included below. For additional information, please visit RailLaborFacts.org
Thank you for your continued support. We will continue to keep you updated.
WASHINGTON (Feb. 2, 2012) – Members of the American Train Dispatchers Association and the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen have ratified new contracts with the nation’s largest freight railroads. The unions, which together represent approximately 8,600 employees in this bargaining round, began negotiations with the railroads’ bargaining representative, the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC), in January 2010.
The 12 ratified agreements cover more than 107,000 employees, or more than 80 percent of all employees covered in the current round of national bargaining. The railroads are making every effort to reach an agreement with the last union, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes, before the current cooling off period ends on Feb. 8.
The NCCC represents more than 30 railroads, including BNSF, CSX Transportation, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific in national bargaining with the 13 major rail unions.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Operations Return to Normal Between Portland and Seattle
Union Pacific rail operations have returned to normal on the BNSF route between Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington, following last week's winter storm which produced snow and icy conditions across the area. UP's Seattle subdivision had been closed late last week, as crews worked to clear downed trees from the track and restore train operations.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Winter Storm Impacts Operations Between Portland and Seattle
A winter storm resulting in heavy snow and icy conditions across the Pacific Northwest yesterday is impeding Union Pacific rail operations across the BNSF route between Portland and Seattle. The Seattle subdivision between Portland and Seattle remains closed, as crews work to clear downed trees from the track and restore train operations, currently estimated to resume late this evening.
Union Pacific is currently holding trains scheduled over this corridor and is not launching new trains until the route re-opens. Customers with shipments moving between Portland and Seattle should anticipate 24- to 48-hour delays as operations resume and crews work off the backlog of traffic.