Reported by Railfan & Railroad Staff for Railfan & Railroad Magazine.
CSX Transportation announced this week that it had agreed to provide paid sick leave to approximately 5,000 engineering and mechanical employees represented by Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way and Brotherhood of Railway Carmen.
The move is a first for frontline railroaders at a Class I railroad and comes just months after a contentious round of labor talks where the lack of paid sick leave was a sticking point.
“CSX is committed to listening to our railroaders and working with their representatives to find solutions that improve their quality of life and experience as employees,” said CSX President and CEO Joe Hinrichs. “These agreements demonstrate that commitment and are a direct result of the collaborative relationship we are working to cultivate with all of the unions that represent CSX employees. We greatly appreciate the leadership of the BMWED and BRC in working towards these agreements.”
Earlier this week, the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO called on all railroads to provide paid sick leave to employees.
“This paid sick leave agreement with CSX is certainly welcome but long overdue,” said TTD President Greg Regan. “We look forward to other rail crafts reaching similar agreements with CSX and other railroads following suit.”
Eddie Hall, newly-elected president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said the CSX deal was a “good start” and one hoped would soon be extended to operations employees.
Read more here.