SMART's Railroad, Mechanical and Engineering Department (Mechanical Department or MD) reached a tentative agreement with the National Carriers' Conference Committee (NCCC), which includes the highest wage increases ever achieved in national freight rail bargaining. The tentative agreement provides our members with a 24 percent general compounded wage increase over five years. In addition, members would receive five annual service recognition payments of $1,000. Upon ratification, our members, including our retired and deceased members, will receive full retroactive pay consisting of the wage increases and service recognition payments.

Furthermore, the tentative agreement will provide an additional paid day off that can be used as either a personal leave day, a vacation day, or on the employee's birthday. Our healthcare benefits were enhanced to provide coverage for autism spectrum disorder and an increase in hearing aid benefits. There are no work rule changes or cuts to our healthcare benefits. The tentative agreement also includes a "Me Too" provision, where if another union reaches an agreement that provides more economic value, we can receive that same value in our agreement. The tentative agreement was reached based on the recommendations of Presidential Emergency Board 250.

General President Joseph Sellers, Jr. states, "After nearly three years of difficult and protracted negotiations with the carriers, I'm very pleased that our Mechanical Department members are receiving the highest wage increases we have ever seen in national bargaining. Contrary to what the carriers may say, our highly skilled members' contributions are the reason for the carriers' extremely high profits, and it's about time that our members receive the fair contract that we have been fighting for, and that the carriers have been fighting against, for the past several years."

Ratification ballots will be mailed to SMART MD freight rail members soon.

While SMART MD was able to reach a tentative agreement, the Transportation Division is still negotiating with the NCCC. General President Sellers calls on the NCCC to resolve the attendance policies and working conditions impacting operating employees in order to provide a better quality of life for our brothers and sisters in the Transportation Division.

SMART, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, is one of North America's most dynamic and diverse unions with 203,000 members.

Members ensure the quality of the air we breathe, promote energy efficiency and produce and provide the vital services that move products to market and passengers to their destinations. We are sheet metal workers, service technicians, bus operators, railroad engineers, conductors, sign workers, welders, production employees and more.

With members in scores of different occupations, we advocate for fairness in the workplace, excellence at work and opportunity for all working families.

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