ARLINGTON, Va. — A federal court has shot down a union’s effort to negotiate wages, health care, and other key issues at a local, rather than national, level, according to the organization representing railroads in national labor bargaining.
The National Railway Labor Conference said in a press release that the U.S. District Court for the District ruled that Railway Labor Act does not allow the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) to seek local negotiations with some railroads.
“There is a long history of negotiating collective bargaining agreements in the rail industry on a national basis,” said Brendan Branon, chairman of the NRLC and the National Carriers’ Conference Committee, the NRLC’s bargaining arm representing major U.S. freight railroads. “We are pleased that the court’s ruling affirms the railroads’ right to select the NCCC as their bargaining representative and use the tried-and-true national handling process to reach agreements.”
The current round of bargaining began in 2020. Under the Railway Labor Act, the current contract remains in force while negotiations continue, and unions cannot strike while various steps in the negotiating process continues. The two sides are currently involved in compulsory mediation.
