Watco Dispatch Center contract ratified by employees

Dispatch personnel in Wichita, Kansas, ratified the Watco Dispatch Center contract on June 30, making it their first agreement with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET).

The employees had ⁠chosen BLET to act as their collective bargaining representative in February 2025. BLET officials stated in a ⁠press release that the resulting agreement was the first union contract ever ratified by Watco workers.

Watco Dispatch Center contract terms

The agreement covers seniority, job bidding, disciplinary procedures, grievances, compensation, benefits and layoffs. Existing staff will receive a $2,500 signing bonus, while new hires still in training will receive the same payment once they qualify.

The agreement sets overtime at time and a half for hours beyond 40 in a workweek. It also provides holiday overtime pay and bereavement leave protections. Employees will continue participating in Watco’s health and welfare, 401(k) retirement and vacation programs.

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Watco Dispatch Center employees belong to BLET Division 16, the union’s short-line division.

BLET’s organizing process at Watco began before the contract negotiations. The union says 23 employees voted to join BLET in an election certified by the National Mediation Board on February 26, 2025. Watco describes its dispatchers as round-the-clock traffic controllers who issue track bulletins and warrants, communicate with train crews, monitor movements and coordinate responses to emergencies. According to BLET, the Wichita-based members direct train movements for Watco’s 45 regional short-line railroads across the United States.

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