BNSF train engineers offered paid sick time and better schedules in new deal

By JOSH FUNK
AP Business Writer

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Roughly 7,500 BNSF train engineers may get up to eight days of paid sick time and more predictable schedules if they approve a deal with the railroad announced Tuesday. BNSF and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union said engineers will be better able to predict when they will be off after this and they’ll be able to take sick time without being penalized under the railroad’s strict attendance policy. The major freight railroads have made great strides on the sick time issue since workers’ quality of life concerns pushed the industry to the brink of a strike last fall. More than 77% of all rail workers have now been promised sick time.