Keolis Commuter Services (KCS) announced June 23 that it has reached agreement with all 14 of the labor unions representing its employees for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Commuter Rail service, which Keolis begins operating on July 1.
The agreements negotiated between KCS and the unions, representing about 1,800 employees, mark another important milestone in the upcoming transition to Keolis for the operation and maintenance of the MBTA commuter rail system.
The unions include:
- The American Railway and Airway Supervisor’s Association, Maintenance of Equipment Div.; Maintenance of Way Div.
- The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees
- The Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen
- The International Association of Machinists
- The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
- The National Conference of Firemen and Oilers
- The Joint Council of Carmen & Coach Cleaners
- The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers - Mechanical Dept.
- The Transportation Communications International Union
- The American Train Dispatchers Association
- The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
- UTU – SMART – Transportation Division
- The Sheet Metal Air and Rail Transportation Workers
"These agreements symbolize the value we place on a smooth and seamless commuter rail transition for our customers. Key to a successful transition are the skills and talents of the men and women who operate and maintain our commuter rail service and I commend both Keolis and the unions for working so cooperatively to ensure the contracts are in place in a timely fashion,” MBTA General Manager Beverly Scott said.
“Negotiating such a large number of agreements is obviously not a simple task,” said KCS Deputy General Manager Gerald Francis. “So we very much appreciate the professional and cooperative manner in which all participants approached these negotiations. We look forward to a strong and positive relationship with the organizations representing our unionized workers going forward.”
The MBTA is the fifth-busiest rail system in the U.S., serving 127,000 passengers daily with 14 lines, 671 track miles, 134 stations, and 500 trains each day. KCS, which is part of Maryland-based Keolis North America, won the $2.6 billion, eight-year contract to manage, operate and maintain MBTA’s commuter rail service in January following a highly competitive bid and review process.
“Our pledge to the MBTA and the people of Greater Boston is to improve on-time performance and provide a better overall experience on the commuter rail system. And our employees are integral to making that pledge a reality,” Francis said. “We are very pleased to be launching service on July 1 knowing that we have a solid partnership with the unions representing the workers who will play such a critical role in our success in Boston.”
