Railroaders place to shoot the shit.

It was also asked if our office could provide some explanation about the difference in GWIs between the 2008 NS agreement and the 2009 BNSF agreement.  It is difficult to compare the agreements between these two properties because neither one has patterned itself after the other over the years.  We looked at the NS agreements dating back to 1996 and note that they received 10.5 % in GWIs in their 1996 Agreement, but also received $15 and .15 cents (frozen) for each working trip on the basic day and over miles, respectively, as a resolution to the certification and crew consist disputes.   This amounted to about an additional 10% raise (basic day was approximately $150 in 1996).  BNSF on the other hand received 10.5% in GWIs, $5.00 for certification pay, and $27.00 and $18.00 for SPD and started getting paid for territorial qualification.   It is hard to place a total GWI value on the certification pay and SPD because some of the money in the SPD was already being paid to engineers (no fireman pay and crew consist money), but was frozen and we stood to loose much of our short crew pay because part of it was going to attrite when we received personal leave days and those were a part of the 1996 deal for both NS and BNSF.  NS received 6% in GWIs in 2003, began getting paid weekend differentials worth $30 per trip (increases to $45 in 2010) and established trip rates later.  BNSF received 9.5% in 2003 and received additional compensation for post 85 engineers through trip rates (value unknown).  In 2007, BNSF received 17% in GWIs through 2009.  In 2008, NS received 18% in GWIs through 2014.  BNSF is voting to accept 11% in GWIs through 2014.    Since 1996 to the present, including the agreement being ratified, BNSF engineers will have received 48% in GWIs through 2014, established cert pay and SPD, territorial qualification money and potential for 8% profit sharing, added a employer 401K contribution and a sixth week of vacation.  NS over the same time period has received 35.5% in GWIs, plus rolled its $15/.15 into its basic day and over miles (10% more in GWIs), received shift differential, added a potential for 3% in 401K matching money and participate in a potential of 15% in profit sharing (goal sharing like on BNSF).  It should also be noted that the NS profit sharing and 401K match is tied to attendance.  To qualify for a potential 10% payout or to receive the full match, an engineer must work 220 or 235 starts each year, depending on the service.   To qualify for a potential 15% payout or to receive the full match, an engineer must work 248 or 260 starts, depending on the service.  Bottom line, it appears that both railroads have paid engineers comparably during this time period.  We have just moved the money around differently.  I am attaching the NS agreements for your review.