SMART-TD Union Pacific five-year agreement ratified by members

The SMART-TD Union Pacific five-year agreement has been overwhelmingly endorsed by SMART-TD members working on UP properties, following a decisive ratification vote described in SMART-TD’s release “SMART-TD Members on UP Properties Ratify Five-Year Agreement.”

Independence, OH — On November 28, 2025, SMART-TD members on Union Pacific (UP) properties voted by a wide margin to approve the 2025 Tentative Agreement (TA). More than 80 percent of ballots were cast in favor, clearly indicating that the membership backs the new five-year contract and the package of wage increases, enhanced benefits and quality-of-life measures it provides.

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

The agreement crowns nearly a year of focused negotiations between SMART-TD and Union Pacific. The 2025 Tentative Agreement follows the structure of the recently ratified national pattern agreement, while adding critical protections tailored specifically to UP members and long-standing issues on that property. Those national terms, including the 18.77 percent compounded wage increase and the strengthened benefits, are laid out in SMART Union’s announcement “SMART-TD Members Ratify New Five-Year National Agreement With 18.77% Wage Increases & Enhanced Benefits.”

SMART-TD Union Pacific five-year agreement: wages and benefits

At the center of the deal is a substantial 18.77 percent compounded wage increase over the five-year life of the agreement. The wage schedule matches the national SMART-TD agreement ratified on October 30, 2025, so UP-employed members remain aligned with the broader national pattern on pay — a point also highlighted in industry coverage such as Trains.com.

Alongside wages, the agreement strengthens benefits and addresses quality-of-life concerns. SMART-TD members on UP properties receive improved health coverage across medical, dental and vision plans, together with better vacation accrual and related quality-of-life enhancements that mirror the national agreement.

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Taken together, these adjustments are intended to improve day-to-day working conditions while supporting longer-term financial security for members and their families.

Critical protections for UP members

The 2025 Tentative Agreement also introduces critical protections designed to resolve issues unique to Union Pacific. One of the most notable changes is the end of the carrier’s two-decade-long practice of deducting “outside earnings” from back pay awards in wrongful termination cases. Removing this policy is presented as a major win for fairness, ensuring that employees who successfully challenge a dismissal receive the full back pay owed to them.

Another key element is the way fully reinstated members are treated after arbitration. Under the new terms, those workers are to be made whole, including reimbursement for medical premiums and out-of-pocket medical expenses they incurred while awaiting an arbitration decision. This closes gaps that previously left some families covering extra costs during that period.

The TA also expands meal allowances for UP-based SMART-TD members. In recognition of the changing costs rail workers face while on duty, the revised allowances are intended to better match current expenses and support more realistic day-to-day working conditions on Union Pacific property.

What SMART-TD members on UP properties can expect next?

The strong “yes” vote is widely viewed as a vote of confidence in SMART-TD’s bargaining team and in the overall package of wage increases, benefit enhancements and UP-specific protections they secured. It shows that many members believe the agreement moves the union and its people forward on wages, benefits and job security.

SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson stressed that the ratification reflects members’ unified voice and their confidence in “what was negotiated.” He pointed to a shared commitment to preserving good jobs, strong benefits and fairness for all SMART-TD members working on Union Pacific, and he thanked the General Chairpersons and their General Committees across UP properties, whose work at the bargaining table helped secure these protections for members and their families over the next five years.

With ratification confirmed, the 2025 Tentative Agreement now becomes binding. UP-employed SMART-TD members will begin to see the 18.77 percent compounded wage increase rolled out over the contract term, along with the enhanced health and vacation benefits and the UP-specific protections on outside earnings, wrongful termination back pay and expanded meal allowances. Union leadership is urging all affected members to review the full text of the agreement — including the wage schedule, benefit provisions and protective language — so they fully understand what has been achieved.

SMART-TD emphasizes that, while this SMART-TD Union Pacific five-year agreement applies specifically to members on UP properties, the union’s broader work continues across all railroads. The organization remains committed to securing strong contracts, improved benefits and reliable protections so that every member can benefit from robust agreements now and in the years ahead.

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