BLET 5-year contract ratification confirmed in union vote

BLET 5-year contract ratification was confirmed on Dec. 30, 2025, when members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen approved a new five-year collective bargaining agreement with the National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC), the bargaining arm of the National Railway Labor Conference, as reported by Progressive Railroading.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

BLET 5-year contract ratification vote and coverage

In a BLET press release, the union said the agreement applies to more than 12,000 members across 10 freight railroads, including BNSF Railway, Norfolk Southern Railway and CN. BLET also said 70% of voting members backed the deal, while it did not disclose how many members took part in the vote.

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What the collective bargaining agreement includes?

The contract follows a tentative agreement reached on Oct. 30, 2025. It includes general wage increases totaling 18.8% over five years and a one-time $500 lump sum payment. The agreement also improves vacation accrual and keeps out-of-pocket health care costs from increasing.

BLET National President Mark Wallace said the terms include no concessions and do not change work rules.

Timeline for rollout and bargaining context

BLET officials said their organization was the last of the 12 rail unions negotiating with the NCCC to reach a tentative agreement, a point also referenced in an NCCC update posted on Rail Negotiations. They added that the wage increases and other benefits will begin to roll out over the next 60 days.

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