CSX reaches labor agreement with railway worker unions

On Thursday, CSX announced it had reached a five-year tentative collective bargaining agreement with its labor partners to provide higher wages and better benefits for railway workers.

The labor agreements with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers – Mechanical Division (SMART-MD) and the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA) mirror the terms of agreements reached with other unions, officials said, and details of the agreements will be shared during the unions’ ratification process.

“We are continually listening to our valued front-line employees about what is needed to make positive and impactful improvements to our work environment. Their well-being is critical to our company’s success, and we are proud to get these deals done ahead of schedule,” said Joe Hinrichs, president and chief executive officer. “We remain committed to working with our other labor partners to secure the timely agreements that all of our employees deserve for their hard work and dedication. Together, we are moving forward and building a brighter future for everyone at CSX, where we are focused on improving safety, service, and efficiency.”

CSX and the unions said the agreements are tentative until they are ratified by the union’s membership. The agreements come more than four months before the current collective bargaining agreements become amendable under the federal Railway Labor Act, officials said.

ATDA officials said the agreement would increase wages 17.5 percent over five years – the largest received by CSX dispatchers in any round of bargaining outside of a Presidential Emergency Board in more than two decades. The agreement will also provide dispatchers with paid sick leave, ATDA officials said.

ATDA Vice President Colin Thurman, who served as ATDA’s national representative in negotiations with CSX, said the wage and benefits improvements were deserved.

“I can’t recall a time in my career when a railroad union came to an agreement on pay raises before the end of our current contract,” Thurman said. “Our members deserve to receive pay increases on time, rather than wait years for national bargaining to conclude. For our members that did not have paid sick benefits, this agreement provides much needed relief.”

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