Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) announced today that it has reached a five-year collective bargaining agreement with the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS). With this agreement, Norfolk Southern has reached ratified agreements with 12 of its 13 unions, and a tentative agreement is pending ratification by the final remaining union.

Today's agreement covers nearly 970 dedicated and highly skilled BRS team members across the company's network, providing them with significant improvements to their pay, health care and vacation benefits.

"Our railroaders are the backbone of Norfolk Southern, and I appreciate the collaboration with BRS on behalf of our signal employees," said Mark George, Norfolk Southern President and CEO. "Their expertise and dedication ensure our operations remain safe, fluid and efficient — day in and day out. This agreement brings us closer to completing our full slate of ratified union contracts, a milestone that underscores our deep commitment to our people and their future."

"BRS and NS have established a positive working relationship through the collective efforts of our safety collaboration programs," said Michael Baldwin, Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen President. "We've built on this relationship to drive progress at the bargaining table, allowing the parties to reach wage, health care, and work-rule changes that address the items most important to our members."

The agreement provides for an 18.8-percent compounded wage increase over the next five years. It also offers railroaders more paid vacation earlier in their career and makes impactful enhancements to an already robust suite of health and welfare benefits. Finally, the agreement offers several local work-rule enhancements, providing improved travel-expense reimbursement and more flexible scheduling for signal construction.