Maintenance of way department employees on the New England Central Railroad, who voted to join the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Division earlier this year, today ratified their first contract and are now officially part of the BMWED's Northeastern System Federation.

By a vote of 14-1, the 20-person NECR MOW department has its first-ever Union contract. The conditions include 18 percent gross wage increases over the term of the five and a half year agreement (from retroactive July 1, 2017 to 2022), overtime pay over 40 hours per week (after eight and 10 hours per day), and a minimum three hours OT on calls outside regularly assigned hours.

In addition this agreement provides for schedule stabilization, hours of work, seniority, and preference for overtime work and improvements in away-from-home expenses.

The NECR is owned by the Gennesee and Wyoming, its territory covers from St. Albans Vt. to New London, Conn. (former Central Vermont Lines) with 20 MOW employees currently manning the property. It interchanges with the Canadian National, CSX, and Pan Am railroads, along with five other shortlines.

"This is good news and I am proud to share it with the entire BMWED membership," NESF General Chairman Dale Bogart said. "Brother Tim McCall (BMWED Director of Organizing) should be given proper compliments, as he was responsible for organizing this property and securing BMWED representation there. I am grateful that the NESF is a part of this hard work and we are ready and honored to stand with our new members on the New England Central Railroad, who finally have a voice and an agreement on their property."