JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — CSX Transportation announced on Friday, Aug. 30, that it had reached five-year tentative labor agreements with two more unions. That increases its total to agreements with 11 unions covering 15 work groups and amending 20 collective agreements, CSX said, covering more than 50% of its unionized workforce.
The latest agreements are with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers & Helpers, and the Transportation Communications Union.
“The latest tentative agreements build upon the momentum that we have created alongside our union partners and allows us to solidify the foundation at CSX where every employee feels valued and empowered,” CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs said in a press release. “Our employees are the backbone of our company, and their dedication and hard work are critical to our ability to deliver on our promises to our customers and the communities we serve.”
Like the earlier agreements, the latest deals are pending ratification by union members and were reached more than four months before current agreements become amendable under the Railway Labor Act.
CSX began the recent spate of early labor deals on Aug. 21, announcing agreements with three unions [see “CSX, well before a deadline, reaches deal …,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 21, 2024]. It announced additional deals two days later [see “CSX adds more union agreements,” News Wire, Aug. 23, 2024]. Norfolk Southern and BNSF Railway have also announced tentative agreements with some unions.
Granted that it’s a holiday weekend, but as a recovering editor may I just raise a gentle objection to News Wire using almost the same CSX stack train photo in two CSX stories about a day apart? 🙂
More substantively, trade unions are consolidating and expanding their areas of representation. A few years ago I would never have expected the UAW to bargain for university lecturers in my town, for example. I think stories like this one would be more valuable to readers if they mentioned which crafts are covered by new agreements. With respect to this story, I can think of a variety of railroad work that might be in the brief of the TCU, and that might be different on CSX than other roads…
All companies should realize that without their workers there is no company.