BLET members unanimously ratified a new contract with the Berkshire & Eastern Railroad (B&E). The agreement governs rates of pay, benefits and work rules for 32 members.
The five-year agreement provides general wage increases of 22.5% over the life of the contract (5% at signing, 5% in 2025, 4% in 2026, 4% in 2027, and 4.5% in 2028). General Chairman Ben Martin said the union made no concessions in the new deal. The agreement outlines a 24 hour rest cycle for extra board employees, which they never had before, where the rest will initiate at 1600 the day prior and expire at 0400 the day after. The agreement also eliminates supplemental spare rules and includes increased meal allowances.
During negotiations, General Chairman Ben Martin, National Vice President L. Randy Fannon Jr., and Division 112 Local Chairman Nick Paige represented the BLET.
The B&E is a short line railroad in New England and New York, using tracks owned by Pan Am Southern and running between Mechanicville, N.Y., and Ayer, Mass. Pan Am Southern is jointly owned by CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway.
Photo: Brian4449, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons