Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes and Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen members on AMTRAK have reached a tentative agreement with the nation’s largest passenger railroad on a 7-year contract that calls for a 28.5 percent general wage increase retroactive to 2022.

BMWED and BRS negotiated as a coalition for 15 months before reaching the T.A. The deal will proceed to membership over the next three weeks for ratification with a vote tally count scheduled for April 12.

“This Tentative Agreement is a monumental victory for the BMWED and BRS members employed with Amtrak. Without the immense amount of membership support and solidarity, I do not believe we could have achieved this unprecedented Tentative Agreement,” BMWED United Passenger Rail Federation General Chairman Anthony Sessa said. “I would personally like to thank the members and officers of the BMWED and BRS for their unwavering support throughout the negotiations process. This solidarity has shown us that by sticking together we can win.”

In addition to the GWI of 28.5 percent (not compounded), other details of the T.A. include:

- No monthly increase in cost sharing for health and welfare benefits with the addition of coverage for hearing aids.
- Accidental Death and Dismembership insurance coverage increased from $25,000 to $50,000.
- Martin Luther King Jr. added as a contractual holiday.
- Bereavement improvements to include the addition of half siblings, step siblings, step parents and step children.
- Paid parental leave up to 10 weeks.
- Paid time off improvements that allow for the accumulation of additional PTO and permit a portion to be carried over to the following year.

Ratification ballots will be mailed to all BMWED Amtrak members starting March 27 with a deadline return of April 11. The count will follow on April 12.