Arlington, Va. (March 26, 2025) – The National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC) today announced it has reached a national tentative agreement with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB). The agreement, which is subject to member ratification, is the latest in a growing list of national agreements reached as part of the 2025 bargaining round, including a national agreement ratified yesterday with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).
“We’re proud to reach an agreement with the IBB that is the product of good-faith bargaining and constructive dialogue,” said Jeff Rodgers, chairman of the NRLC and the NCCC. “We appreciate IBB’s partnership and shared commitment to providing employees with increased pay and enhanced benefits.”
The tentative agreement with IBB is consistent with the terms set by dozens of local and national agreements that have been ratified as part of the 2025 bargaining round.
The terms of these pattern agreements provide:
- Wage increases of 18.8% over five years. Based on current inflation projections, this will translate to real wage growth for covered railroaders along with pay certainty for the life of the contract.
- Enhancements to world-class health and welfare benefits with no increase to the employee contribution rate. Employees’ 2025 health care premiums have decreased to about $277/month, well below the national average of more than $500/month for employer-provided family coverage.
- Access to more paid vacation time for employees earlier in their careers.
Continued Progress in the National Bargaining Round
The IBB tentative agreement follows a wave of recent progress—including yesterday’s IBEW ratification—bringing the total number of ratified national contracts to seven.
The 2025 bargaining round has seen robust collaboration between freight rail carriers and unions—setting a clear pattern for agreements that prioritize employee priorities and long-term industry stability.
The 18.8% wage increase in these pattern agreements build on the historic 24% wage increase from the 2022 bargaining round, which, taken together, are projected to increase wages for covered employees by nearly 50% (compounded) between 2020 and 2029.
Additional information about the bargaining round is available at RailNegotiations.com.
About the National Railway Labor Conference
The National Railway Labor Conference (NRLC) is an association representing all U.S. Class I freight railroads — and many smaller freight and passenger lines. Through its NCCC, the NRLC leads national negotiations with the 12 major rail labor organizations.
