BRS UNION BENEFITS
HIGHER WAGES — Union members doing the work that we do make more money than workers not in unions.
HEALTH BENEFITS — Workers that belong to the BRS have better health insurance and benefits than workers not in the BRS.
VACATION TIME — While we all want more vacation time, workers that are not in unions do not have agreement guaranteed vacation time.
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE — By being in the BRS, railroads cannot simply terminate you or deny you overtime or other benefits. The Grievance Procedures is our recourse for protecting our rights and benefits.
SENIORITY — By being a BRS member, the railroad cannot just assign who it wants to a job. This also guarantees a BRS member’s right to overtime and vacation preference.
SCOPE RULE — Being a BRS member ensures that work belonging to Signalmen is not performed by other workers, outside contractors, or management.
OVERTIME PROVISIONS — Most BRS members have overtime provisions in their agreement ensuring pay at time and one half for work outside of working hours.
A SAFER WORKPLACE — The BRS has fought hard over the years to have life-saving regulations put in place, including Roadway Worker Rules. The Railroad is a safer workplace today because of unions advocating for safety.
A SAY IN WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR WORKPLACE — Railroads cannot simply come in and impose their will, but instead must negotiate changes to the agreement with the Union.
RAILROAD RETIREMENT — The BRS actively fights to ensure our retirement system remains in place. BRS members can retire with a full pension at age 60 with 30 years of service, which includes a spousal benefit much higher than Social Security.
MISCELLANEOUS FACTS
- Union employees make an average of 30% more than non-union workers.
- 92% of union workers have job-related health coverage versus 68% of non-union workers.
- Union workers are more likely to have guaranteed pensions than non-union employees.
- Unions help protect employees from unjust dismissal through collective bargaining agreements.
