ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Carriers Conference Committee has announced a third tentative national agreement, this time with SMART-MD, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Mechanical Department.
The NCCC is the negotiating unit for the National Railway Labor Conference, which represents U.S. Class I railroads and some smaller operations. It opened the latest round of national bargaining on Nov. 1 and on Wednesday announced tentative deals with the Transportation Communications Union and Brotherhood of Railway Carmen [see “Rail industry bargaining group announces …,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 13, 2024].
The latest announcement does not address specifics of the agreement with SMART-MD but says that it reflects “terms consistent with” earlier agreements reached by individual railroads, which have included an 18.8% pay raise over five years, improved health benefits with no increase in employee contributions, and provide employees with access to more paid vacation earlier in their career.
