Union Pacific Railroad (UP) will provide paid sick leave to the approximately 5,600 locomotive engineers employed by the railroad, marking the latest move by Class 1 rail companies to meet contract demands that nearly led to a nationwide strike seven months ago.
The lack of paid sick was the main sticking point that led some unions to reject a White House-negotiated contract deal in December 2022, bringing the nation’s freight rail network to the brink of a freeze until Congress voted to impose the previous deal.
Since that time, negotiations have continued, last month leading UP to an agreement with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) to provide more predictable schedules for workers.
As promised at that time, the two sides also continued to work out a deal on paid sick leave, which they announced today. Under the new terms, BLET members will have up to seven paid days to use in the event of illness. Five days will be considered paid sick days with the ability to convert two additional paid leave days for use as paid sick time. The new agreement is effective Aug. 1.
“This agreement is really about health and safety,” BLET National President Eddie Hall said in a release. “It’s not in our members’, the public’s or the railroad’s best interest for engineers to be operating trains when they’re sick. Congratulations to our BLET General Chairmen and Union Pacific’s management who reached this agreement at the bargaining table.”
Union Pacific now has sick leave agreements in place with 12 of its 13 labor unions, covering approximately 68% of Union Pacific’s craft employees. "The well-being and quality of life for all employees are critically important to us," UP’s chairman, president, and CEO Lance Fritz said in a release. "We want to thank BLET union leadership for their valuable collaboration. This agreement marks another step forward in Union Pacific's ongoing commitment to fostering a supportive work environment that prioritizes the health and well-being of all employees.”
