Norfolk Southern is proud to announce that members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) have voted to ratify a new agreement with Norfolk Southern Corporation well in advance of the start of the next collective bargaining round.

The ratification by BMWED follows successful ratification votes by the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA), the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers - Mechanical Department (SMART-MD), the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen Division/TCU (BRC), and the Transportation Communications Union (TCU) last month. To date, Norfolk Southern has reached tentative agreements with nine of its 13 unions, covering nearly 65% of its craft workforce. Covered employees will enjoy significant improvements to pay, health care, and vacation in the upcoming year.

“Norfolk Southern is pleased to be making substantial progress with our labor partners on reaching early agreements that offer highly competitive wages and benefits that recognize our employees’ contributions to our customers and our communities,” said Mark R. George, Norfolk Southern President and CEO. “We would like to congratulate the leadership of BMWED for their support in reaching this critical milestone well ahead of the next round of bargaining.”  

The newly ratified agreement provides a 3.5-percent average wage increase per year over the next five years. It also offers Norfolk Southern railroaders more vacation earlier in their career and makes significant improvements to an already robust suite of health care benefits.

In addition to BMWED, ATDA, BRC, SMART-MD, and TCU, Norfolk Southern has reached similar tentative agreements, which are still subject to ratification, with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers - Transportation Division (SMART-TD), the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers – Transportation Division Yardmasters (SMART-TD Yardmasters), the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers and Blacksmiths (IBBB), and the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers (NCFO).