Norfolk Southern reaches agreements with four labor unions

(Reuters) -Norfolk Southern, in partnership with BNSF Railway, said on Friday it has reached tentative, five-year collective bargaining agreements with four labor unions.

The agreements provide a 3.5% average wage increase per year over the next five years, more vacation and some enhancements to healthcare benefits.

Subject to ratification, the agreements cover about 30% of Norfolk Southern's union workforce and come four months before the opening of the next collective bargaining round, the company said.

The unions that the company reached agreements with are the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen Division/TCU, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers - Mechanical Department (SMART-MD) and the Transportation Communications Union/IAM.

Norfolk Southern also has reached tentative agreements with multiple general committees of the transportation division of SMART.

(Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Arun Koyyur)