BLET Reaches Tentative Agreement With CF&E
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
Photo Courtesy of Cory Rusch, BLET Division 659.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) announced May 17 that it has reached a tentative agreement with Genesee & Wyoming (G&W) subsidiary Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern Railroad (CFE), a 323-mile short line railroad that operates from Tolleston, Ind., to Crestline, Ohio, interchanging with Class I railroads BNSF, CN and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC).
Ballots were mailed last week to members to vote on a tentative on-property agreement governing rates of pay, benefits and work rules for approximately 45 operating employees. Ballots are due on Thursday, June 13, 2024.
According to BLET, the five-year tentative deal would run through 2029 and provide general wage increases of 29.5% (33% compounded) over the life of the contract (5% in 2023, 4% in 2024, 4% in 2025, 4% in 2026, 4% in 2027, 4% in 2028 and 4% in 2029).
Other proposed contractual improvements would include:
- A $2,000 signing bonus.
- Training pay increased to $15 a day.
- Probationary period decreased to 120 days.
- Meal allowance increased to $40 per each 24 hours on layover assignments.
- Extra Board employees can now hold down week-long temporary vacancies.
- Boot allowance increased to $300 per year.
The CF&E members belong to BLET Division 537 (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and are a part of the BLET’s Norfolk Southern-Northern Lines General Committee of Adjustment. The negotiating team consisted of National Vice President Rick Gibbons, General Chairman Dewayne Dehart, 1st Vice Chairman Bob Peters, 2nd Vice Chairman Anthony Cerimele, and Local Chairman Joe Vasquez.
