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Newsroom

Welcome to the NRLC newsroom. Here you’ll find the latest updates and media resources. Sign up for our newsletter to receive these updates via email.

NCCC Announces Tentative National Agreement with SMART-MD

Arlington, Va. (Nov. 14, 2024) – Today, the National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC) reached its third tentative national collective bargaining agreement this week. The latest agreement, with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail [...]

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NCCC Announces Tentative National Agreements with TCU, BRC

Arlington, Va. (Nov. 13, 2024) – Today, the National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC) reached tentative national collective bargaining agreements with the Transportation Communications Union (TCU) and the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen (BRC). These agreements, reached [...]

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Freight Railroads Open National Collective Bargaining Process

Arlington, Va. (Nov. 1, 2024) – The National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC), which represents the freight rail industry in national collective bargaining, announced today it delivered its bargaining notice to the 12 major rail labor [...]

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Freight Railroads Name Jeff Rodgers as NRLC Chairman

Arlington, Va. (Oct. 29, 2024) – The National Railway Labor Conference today announced the appointment of Jeffrey F. Rodgers as Chairman, effective Friday, Nov. 1. Rodgers has served as Vice Chairman of the NRLC since [...]

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Railroad Employees to Pay Less for Health Care in 2025

As Many Americans Face Rising Health Care Costs, Freight Rail Employees Will See Their Premiums Decrease by More Than 10% in 2025 Effective Jan. 1, 2025, unionized freight rail employees’ monthly health care premiums will [...]

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Freight Rail Employees Reach New Pay, Compensation Milestones

The average employee tenure at America’s largest freight railroads is more than double that of comparable industries and occupations, a reflection of the long, rewarding careers that are commonplace at railroads. And with another annual [...]

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Media Facts

Get the latest facts and figures about jobs, employment, and bargaining in the freight rail industry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about the freight rail industry or our collective bargaining process?

Who are the parties involved in national railroad bargaining?

The current national collective bargaining agreements between freight rail carriers and rail unions can reopen for negotiation starting in November 2024. At that time, “Section 6 notices” will be exchanged and bargaining will begin.

National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC) members maintain open lines of communication with their freight rail union counterparts. As recent events have demonstrated, these discussions can provide opportunities to resolve priority issues on mutually agreeable terms. We’re encouraged by the early progress to reach agreements, some of which have been ratified, and support our members’ efforts to invest in good freight rail jobs while maintaining the industry’s ability to compete in the future.

Carriers and unions that have reached ratified agreements will not need to participate in the upcoming bargaining round. The early agreements also do not change the timeline for national bargaining.

The most recent round of bargaining included more than 30 railroads represented by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee and 12 rail unions:

  • International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers – Transportation Div. (SMART-TD & SMART-TD-YDM)
  • Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees (BMWE)
  • Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen (BLET)
  • Brotherhood Railway Carmen (BRC)
  • Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS)
  • International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM)
  • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
  • Transportation Communications International Union (TCU)
  • National Conference of Firemen and Oilers (NCFO)
  • American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA)
  • International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART)
  • International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Blacksmiths, Iron Ship Builders, Forgers and Helpers (IBB)

The timing of the process can vary. Sometimes agreements are reached quickly, and at other times, negotiations have proceeded through each part of the RLA process. In the next round of negotiations, we want to reach timely, voluntary agreements that are beneficial for all stakeholders.