The Coordinated Bargaining Coalition has rejected the offer from the Class I railroads to advance payments to union members amid an ongoing impasse at the negotiating table.
The coalition, which represents the 10 rail unions negotiating with the Class I railroads over a new labor agreement, on Monday reiterated its stance from January that arbitration would be the best step moving forward. At that time, the unions applied to the National Mediation Board (NMB) for a federal mediator because of the perceived deadlock.
The unions have been negotiating with the National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC), the group representing the Class I railroads, since January 2020. At issue are health care, the role that technology might play in modifying existing operations and train crew size.
