INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Members of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division have ratified their tentative agreement with Union Pacific, the union announced Friday (Nov. 28).
More than 80% of SMART-TD members voted in favor of the five-year agreement, which includes a compounded wage increase of 18.77% over the life of the contract; improved medical benefits and vacation accrual rules; and other quality-of-life issues reflecting the national-pattern agreement ratified by other unions.
It also addresses three work-rule issues specific to Union Pacific: an end to the deduction of “outside earnings” from back-pay awards in wrongful termination cases, reimbursement of medical premiums and expenses incurred while awaiting arbitration decisions, and increased meal allowances.
“The decisive support underscores a shared commitment to preserving good jobs, strong benefits, and fairness for all members working on Union Pacific,” SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson said in a press release. “I want to thank all of the General Chairpersons and their General Committees from our Union Pacific properties for their hard work negotiating this agreement. Their leadership in this process will protect our people and their families’ interests over the next five years.”
The two sides had announced the tentative agreement on Oct. 31 [see “SMART-TD reaches tentative agreement …,” Trains.com, Nov. 1, 2025]. The SMART-TD vote means Union Pacific now has ratified deals all major labor organizations, including both major operating unions. In all, those agreements are with 14 unions covering 13 crafts.
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