The Union Pacific railroad has reached a tentative deal with a major union regarding paid sick-leave.
The railroad and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers say the deal reached over the weekend provides up to 8 paid sick-leave days a year to around 5,900 railroad employees.
While all Union Pacific employees receive some form of paid leave, the proposed agreement will provide the union members with an additional 5 paid sick days annually, prorated for this year.
Starting next year, they will also have the ability to convert up to 3 paid leave days for use as paid sick time.
If ratified by workers, the Omaha-based U-P will have paid sick leave agreements in place with all 13 of its labor unions, making it the second railroad in the industry to do so.
Norfolk Southern last month became the first major North American freight railroad to reach deals for paid sick time to all of its workers.
The other major railroads – the CSX, BNSF, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City – are still negotiating similar deals with a number of their unions.