INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen today announced it has reached a tentative agreement with Watco, the first such agreement since dispatchers at the short line company voted to unionize in February 2025.
The BLET also announced it has reached a tentative agreement with Virginia Railway Express contract operator Keolis.
The Watco agreement covers workers at the company’s dispatching center in Wichita, Kan. There were 23 such workers as of the time the employees voted to join the BLET. The union says the agreement, if ratified, will create a framework covering seniority, job bidding, discipline and grievances, compensation, benefits, and layoffs. Current employees will receive a $2,500 bonus upon ratification, while new hires in training will receive the bonus upon qualification. The ratification vote is in progress and runs through June 30…