BOSTON — Keolis Commuter Services, the operator of Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail trains, has reached amended labor agreements with an additional nine of the company’s 14 unions.
The agreements, which still need to be ratified by members of each union, will be retroactive to July 1, 2023, when the contracts became amendable, Keolis announced yesterday.
“Keolis is pleased to have reached fair agreements with nine of our 14 unions today,” said Abdellah Chajai, CEO and General Manager of Keolis Commuter Services. “We’re proud to be one of the largest employers in Massachusetts and these agreements reflect our commitment to our workforce,” Abdellah Chajai, Keolis Commuter Services CEO, said in a prepared statement. “The railroad is a legacy industry and we want it to continue to be a place where people are proud to work and develop a career.”
“We’re proud to have reached this strong agreement on behalf of the members of the nine unions we represent at Keolis. This contract ensures that our members will continue to receive the pay and benefits they deserve for the hard work they do,” said Matt Hollis, chairman of the coalition of unions.
The coalition includes: American Railway and Airway Supervisors Association (ARASA), The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division (BMWED), Brotherhood of Railway Carmen (BRC), Brotherhood of Railway Signalmen (BRS), International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB), International Association of Machinists (IAM), Transportation Communications Union (TCU), Brotherhood of Railway Carmen (BRC), SMART Sheetmetal, and National Conference of Firemen and Oilers (NCFO).
Among other provisions, the five-year agreements include paid sick leave, annual wage increases, enhancements to the bereavement and vacation policy, and the addition of Juneteenth as a paid holiday.
Earlier this year, Keolis and the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) reached an agreement, overwhelmingly ratified by TWU’s membership. With today’s additional agreements, Keolis has now settled with 10 of its unions.
