February 20, 2026 – The Transportation Communications Union/IAM (TCU) has reached a tentative agreement with BNSF covering members at the BNSF Cicero, Corwith, Seattle, and Memphis Intermodal facilities.
The agreement delivers the wage increases achieved on the National Freights, totaling 17.5% in GWIs over five years (18.8% compounded) with retroactive pay beginning July 1, 2025. In addition to strong wage growth, the agreement includes accelerated vacation improvements, preservation of zero health care cost sharing for current employees, and a five-year term providing stability through December 31, 2029.
A previous tentative Agreement was rejected by the members in July 2025. The parties have been back at the table for several months. This Agreement eliminates all of the undesirable language proposals around vacation qualification ad holiday protection, meal period and training that previously rejected by the membership.
TCU/IAM National President Matt Hollis praised the bargaining committee’s work, stating, “This agreement delivers what our members demanded: strong wages, improved vacations, and no concessions. I want to commend our bargaining committee for their efforts to secure real gains, and I’m confident that this agreement moves our members forward. I also recognize the cooperation of BNSF CEO Katie Farmer and her Labor Relations team. Reaching agreements for such a large number of employees isn’t always the easiest task but I appreciate the effort of both groups who worked diligently to reach a fair agreement.”
Chuck Soukup, TCU National Representative, emphasized, “When our members spoke, we listened. We went back to the bargaining table, determined to deliver a stronger tentative agreement with virtually no concessions. I’m proud of the hard work by our bargaining committee to get this done.”
The tentative agreement, further details and voting information will be sent via mail to the membership for ratification March 2, 2026.
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For TCU Webpage only
To view the tentative agreement, click here.