The locomotive engineers of CN Illinois Central are officially operating under a new contract that will see their wages and benefits improve from now through Dec. 31, 2019.
A bargaining agreement was reached between CN and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) earlier this week that will cover 475 engineers at the property. CN itself spreads throughout North America, reaching across approximately 20,000 miles throughout Canada and the United States.
“This renewed collective bargaining agreement once more demonstrates CN’s desire and commitment to work together with our employees and their representatives, in this case, the BLET, to address workplace issues, in a respectful and mutually beneficial manner,” Mike Cory, CN executive vice-president and COO, said. “CN is very pleased to have renewed the collective agreement with the locomotive engineers who work on the Illinois Central, which ensures uninterrupted service to our customers and the overall North American economy.”
Clay Craddock, general chairman of the BLET for the IC, also praised the agreement.
“This deal represents the collective efforts of the officers of the Brotherhood and of the Company,” Craddock said. “The engineers that voted ratified this agreement overwhelmingly.”