Fort Worth, Texas – On 10/3/2024, members of the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA) voted at a near two-thirds margin to ratify an agreement with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad that will increase wages, accelerate paid vacation accrual, and add other contractual improvements. The wage increases established by the agreement total 17.5% over 5 years, with a frontloaded raise schedule that compounds to 18.77%.
Additionally, the agreement accelerates the paid vacation accrual schedule, so Dispatchers reach each service threshold faster. The agreement also features improvements to the healthcare plan.
ATDA President Ed Dowell responded to the ratification, by saying “First of all, I’d like to thank ATDA Vice President Kevin Porter and General Chairman Kevin Ketcham for educating the members and helping to get this agreement ratified. By voting in favor of ratification, our members will enjoy wage increases and other benefits without years of delay.”
ATDA Vice President Kevin Porter, the Organization’s lead representative to BNSF, echoed these sentiments, by saying “This Agreement checked the boxes that matter most for our dedicated members. The last two Agreements equate to a 42% wage increase over 10 years, add the ability to get paid time off faster for even our newest members, and impact on members and their families becomes unprecedented. Knowing our hard fought for health and welfare benefits get even better while our cost sharing percentages remains the same, only sets this Agreement in a class of its own. However, what makes this Agreement historic is the speed in which it was reached.”
BNSF System General Chairman Kevin Ketcham went on to say, “I am excited to get this agreement ratified, as we have more work to do. Now it is time to focus on other issues that matter to our members.”