ATDA ratifies 5-year agreement with BNSF Railway to increase wages

News marks third union ratification agreement in recent weeks

FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 3, 2024 - BNSF Railway announced today members of The American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA) voted to ratify a new agreement with the Class I railroad to increase wages, accelerate paid vacation accrual and add other contractual improvements.

The news comes a month ahead of the opening of the next collective bargaining round and provides a 3.5-percent average wage increase per year over the next five years. It also offers railroaders more vacation earlier in their career and makes meaningful enhancements to an already robust suite of health care benefits.

"We thank our labor leaders who collaborated on this agreement and worked to make sure our employees are taken care of on and off the railroad," said BNSF President & CEO Katie Farmer. "We are looking forward to continuing to work together in providing our customers with the high-quality service we deliver here at BNSF."

"I'd like to thank ATDA Vice President Kevin Porter and General Chairman Kevin Ketcham for educating the members and helping to get this agreement ratified," said ATDA President Ed Dowell. "By voting in favor of ratification, our members will enjoy wage increases and other benefits without years of delay."

"This agreement checked the boxes that matter most for our dedicated members," added ATDA Vice President Kevin Porter, the organization's lead representative to BNSF. "The last two agreements equate to a 42 percent wage increase over 10 years, add the ability to get paid time off faster for even our newest members, and impact on members and their families becomes unprecedented… What makes this agreement historic is the speed in which it was reached."

The announcement follows the ratification of labor agreements with two other labor unions, The Transportation and Communications Union (TCU) and Brotherhood Railway Carmen, (BRC) in late September.

Contact:
Kendall Kirkham Sloan
Director, External Communications
[email protected]