LA-Long Beach port rail service and union reach agreement

The Pacific Harbor Line Inc. (PHL) business unit of Anacostia Rail Holdings has signed a contract with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) Division 214 Local on a three-year contract extension to their collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

The PHL short line serves the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which, combined, handle the most container shipping traffic in the United States, including recyclable discarded aluminum, copper, steel and old corrugated containers (OCC).

“This is a great win for the organization and our members,” BLET negotiator Brian Carr says. “The contract contains no changes to our health and medical plan and provides 13 percent wage increases over two years. PHL and the organization have worked well together through this process to ensure no disruptions to the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, and we look forward to working together in the future.”

The extension took effect May 1 and runs through Sept. 20, 2027. It covers 145 of PHL’s 180 employees, according to the railroad. It was ratified July 12 by a "record number" of eligible BLET members who participated in the ratification vote, with more than 91 percent voting in favor of the agreement.

According to the railway, the CBA extension sets competitive wage structures while maintaining the same lower-than-rail-industry employee contributions for health benefits, so that the PHL workforce receives fair compensation for their critical role in the nation’s supply chain at the busiest port complex in North America.

“Our employees are the backbone of our operations," PHL President Otis Cliatt II says. This CBA extension ensures that they are fairly compensated and that we maintain a safe and reliable rail network. It also prevents any potential disruption to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach operations, which are critical links to our economy.”

The BLET negotiating team consisted of Carr, Division 214 Local Board Chair Jose Covarrubias and BLET National Vice President Gary Best.

Division 214 of BLET has represented PHL’s employees since that railroad was formed in 1998, and union employment has grown from 27 employees to more than 145.

PHL provides transportation, maintenance and dispatching services to the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, including the dispatching of all BNSF Railway and Union Pacific trains within the ports.

The rail operator is a subsidiary of Chicago-based Anacostia Rail Holdings, which operates six local and regional freight railroads active in seven states.