IBB votes to ratify new collective labor agreement with BNSF Railway

Date
Nov 19, 2024

Roughly 17% of railroad’s union workforce now covered under ratified labor agreements 

FORT WORTH, Texas, – BNSF Railway, in partnership with The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB), announced today members of the labor union have voted to ratify a new five-year, collective bargaining agreement with the Class I railroad. 


The agreement gives covered employees unprecedented certainty about upcoming enhancements to their pay, health care, and vacation.
“This ratified agreement demonstrates our ongoing commitment with our union partners to ensure continued exceptional service for our customers,” said BNSF President & CEO Katie Farmer. “The success of our railroad is built upon the collaboration and mutual respect of our hard-working railroaders, and I’m excited to take this next step forward together.” 
The tentative agreement provides a 3.5-percent average wage increase per year over the next five years. It also offers railroaders more vacation earlier in their career and meaningful enhancements to an already robust suite of health care benefits.


“This was an all-around great agreement, from wage increases to a better insurance package and vacations,” said IBB Director of Railroad Lodge Services John Mansker. “The members spoke with an outstanding vote ratification.”


In recent weeks, BNSF has also reached ratified agreements with members of The National Conference of Firemen and Oilers (NCFO), The International Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Railroad, Mechanical and Engineering Department (MD), The American Trains Dispatchers Association (ATDA), The Transportation and Communications Union (TCU) and Brotherhood Railway Carmen, (BRC). 
The railroad has also reached a tentative agreement, which is pending ratification, with The  International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).


Contact:
Kendall Kirkham Sloan
Director, External Communications
Media@BNSF.com