Amtrak employees -- including UTU represented conductors, assistant conductors and yardmasters -- will receive 100 percent of their back pay on May 1, which Amtrak President Joe Boardman has designated to be "Employee Appreciation Day." That day is also Amtrak's 38th birthday.
Boardman told UTU International President Mike Futhey on March 19 that he has the full support of the Amtrak board of directors to fulfill Amtrak's obligation to pay all back wages to Amtrak agreement employees.
The money will come from a combination of congressional appropriations and Amtrak general funds.
The current contract covering Amtrak agreement employees provided for a wage-increase and lump sum retroactive payment package totaling $573 million.
Because Amtrak did not have the funds to pay the entire amount in a single fiscal year, Amtrak agreed to pay it out over two fiscal years.
Amtrak, so far, has funded some $428 million of the $573 million contract settlement, leaving a balance of $145 million. The remaining amount will be paid May 1.
UTU National Legislative Director James Stem has been working with Amtrak lobbyists to convince Congress to provide the necessary funding.
In a Feb. 17 letter to Congress, Boardman wrote:
"Amtrak is committed to meeting our agreements, and holds the skills of its employees and the dedication they bring to their job in high esteem. To that end, we are meeting and intend to continue to meet, on a quarterly basis, with the unions' leadership to ensure that we are communicating frankly and clearly with them. We hope that this will improve an already open and productive relationship."
In 2005, as federal railroad administrator, Boardman told Railway Age magazine, "Railroads must invest in human resources by hiring talented people and training and motivating them, as well as measuring the quality of that training and motivation to ensure incremental and continual involvement."
Boardman told Futhey: "On May 1, everyone will be paid their remaining back wages -- even if they retired or retire before May 1."
In a "Special Employee Advisory" announcing payment of the back wages, Boardman said, "It is critical that we all work together as we begin to invest an unprecedented $2 billion in stimulus and FY2009 funding for capital programs, and I look forward to seeing us live up to our collective potential."
(The Associated Press circulated the following on March 25, 2009.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. Amtrak says thousands of employees who worked for years under an outdated contract will soon receive a remaining $145 million in back pay.
Amtrak agreed to pay the unionized workers over two years. So far, the national passenger railroad has paid out $428 million. The rest of the money will be awarded May 1.
Amtrak spokeswoman Tracy Connell said Tuesday the money will come from a combination of congressional appropriations and Amtrak general funds.
A deal with Amtraks workers was reached in January 2008 after they came close to striking following years of unsuccessful mediation. The railroad has about 16,000 union-covered employees. Some workers had been without an updated contract for eight years.
