North Americia - The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen announced this week it reached tentative contract agreements with Canadian Pacific/Soo Line, Kansas City Southern, and Dakota Minnesota & Eastern railroads.
 
The CP/Soo Line tentative agreement includes a 22 percent wage increase over five years (3, 3.5, 7, 4 and 4.5 percent per year) along with five US$1,000 annual lump-sum bonus payments, BLET officials said in a press release.
 
When compounded, 300 workers' hourly rates will increase to US$61.98 by September 2024.
 
BLET has mailed eligible members their ballots to vote for the agreement.
 
Those ballots are due 10 Mar 2023, BLET officials said.
 
The KCS and DM&E tentative agreement would become effective only if the Surface Transportation Board approves the proposed CPKC merger, BLET officials said.
 
The agreement would apply to all locomotive engineers employed by DM&E, all active members of Division 527 employed by KCS, and those employed by the Gateway Western Railway.
 
The details of the tentative agreement were not disclosed.
 
Those ballots have been mailed and are due 3 Mar 2023.
 
Author unknown.