Headline News
BLET Reaches Tentative Contract With New England Central Railroad
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative agreement with the New England Central Railroad (NECR) governing rates of pay, benefits and work rules for 35 operating employees.
On April 3, 2018, ballots, instructions, and a synopsis of the agreement were mailed to active members working for the NECR. Voting will conclude on Friday, May 9. Members who have not received a ballot by Tuesday, April 17, should request a replacement by calling the BLET National Division at (216) 241-2630, ext. 222. When connected with the extension, please leave the following information:
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your name, address and phone number;
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the division to which you belong;
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your date of birth; and
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the last four digits of your Social Security number.
E-mail requests for ballots will not be accepted because personal information is required to verify eligibility before a ballot can be issued.
Operating employees at the formerly non-union NECR voted unanimously to join the Brotherhood in September of 2004 and they ratified their first-ever union contract in April of 2006. They are a part of the BLET’s STR-DH-SLR-MMA General Committee of Adjustment.
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce encouraged all NECR members to closely review the April 3 ratification packet and to make sure they attend a Division meeting or contact the General Committee of Adjustment office with any questions they might have on the issues.
“Union membership is not a spectator sport, and I encourage all of our New England Central Brothers to become educated on the details of the tentative agreement and to participate in this most important process of union democracy,” President Pierce said.
The NECR is a Genesee & Wyoming subsidiary headquartered in St. Albans, Vt., which operates over 383 miles of leased and owned tracks. It interchanges with Canadian National (East Alburgh, Vt.); Canadian Pacific (Burlington, Vt. and Bellows Falls, Vt.); CSX (Palmer, Mass.); Norfolk Southern (Brattleboro, Vt. and Millers Falls, Mass.); the Vermont Railway (Burlington, Vt.; Montpelier Junction, Vt.; White River Junction, Vt. and Bellows Falls, Vt.); Massachusetts Central Railroad (Palmer, Mass.); Pan Am Southern Railway (Brattleboro, Vt. and Millers Falls, Mass.); and the Providence and Worcester Railroad (Willimantic, Conn. and New London, Conn.).
Click here to read the original news release on the BLET’s website.