A GE AC4400CW diesel-electric locomotive in Union Pacific livery is seen near Union Station in Los Angeles on September 15, 2022.
Bing Guan | Reuters
Locomotive engineers at Union Pacific voted to ratify a new five-year contract with the rail operator, the Blet-Teamsters Union announced Friday.
Under the new contract, nearly 6,000 members represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, a division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) railroad conference, will earn raises of 18.8 percent over the life of the agreement.
The contract also includes enhanced health and wellness benefits, the union said.
Last week, the largest US Railroad Union, Smart-TD, approved Union Pacific 85 billion dollars The acquisition of Norfolk Southern, helping advance a deal that faced resistance from unions and regulators.
The deal will create the first coast-to-coast freight rail operator and reshape the flow of goods from grains to cars across the country.
The two companies are expected to file a formal merger application with the Surface Transportation Board, which oversees rail competition and service, in late October or by January 2026.
