On July 7, Grupo Mexico S.A.B. de C.V. announced that its Grupo Mexico Transportes S.A. de C.V. unit (GMXT) completed its procurement of Florida East Coast Holdings Corp., parent company of Florida East Coast Railway (FECR).
The acquisition had approvals from the Committee on Foreign Investment, Surface Transportation Board and the Federal Communications Commission.
SMART TD represents approximately 200 conductors, engineers, trainmen and yardmasters employed by FECR. The railway operates 351 miles of track between Jacksonville, Fla., and Miami.
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FEC LogoCSX Transportation General Committee of Adjustment GO 851 has reached two new collective bargaining agreements with Florida East Coast Railway (FECR). One agreement covering conductors, engineers, and trainmen; a second covering yardmasters. Both five-year agreements were signed June 18, 2015, and are retroactive to 2013. Local 903 of Jacksonville, Fla., and Local 1138 of Miami are affected by the agreements.
The agreements were a long-time coming with the bargaining process having begun 2.5 years ago. The National Mediation Board (NMB) was invoked and NMB Mediator Victoria Gray stepped in to guide the mediation.
Both agreements protect work rules, wages, and healthcare for both train and engine members and yardmasters. The agreements include retroactive pay to 2013 with wage increases totaling 13 percent each.
“This was a team effort involving former Vice President Robert Kerley, Vice President John Lesniewski, Vice General Chairperson Joe Bennett, FECR Assistant General Chairperson Jim Bush (Local 903), Local Chairperson Jim McCorkle (Local 1138) and Local Chairperson Eddie Guillen (Local 1138),” GO 851 General Chairperson John Whitaker said.
FECR operates between Jacksonville, Fla., and Miami. GO 851 represents approximately 200 employees on the property.

MIAMI — Florida East Coast Railway reportedly is in talks with the State of Florida to take over South Florida Tri-Rail management and operations, reports the Palm Beach Post.

South Florida Tri-Rail now operates over 71 miles of former CSX track linking West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, and is owned by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority.

The UTU represents both sides of the cab and operations center employees on South Florida Tri-Rail, where Veolia Transportation holds the operating contract and Bombardier Transportation provides maintenance under contract. The Palm Beach Post says FEC “has never bid on those contracts.”

The state currently subsidizes the commuter rail operation with some $30 million annually, with another $13 million subsidy coming from local communities and additional funds from the federal government, reports the newspaper.

The Palm Beach Post says FEC wants to run the passenger trains on its own track, shifting the operations from CSX.

Reportedly, the talks with FEC were initiated by the Florida Department of Transportation. The state legislature would have to approve any transfer of operation.

The newspaper says Florida Gov. Rick Scott is anxious to transfer management and operation of South Florida Tri-Rail to the private sector.

UTU members employed by Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) have ratified two new four-year agreements affecting wages, benefits and working conditions.

Conductors, engineers, trainmen and yardmen ratified their tentative agreement by a 75 percent plurality, while Florida East Coast yardmasters represented by the UTU were unanimous in ratifying their new agreement.

Both agreements are retroactive to Jan. 1, 2009, extend through Dec. 31, 2012, and include retroactive pay.

UTU negotiators included General Chairperson John Hancock and Vice General Chairperson John Whitaker (both, GO 851), Local 903 Chairperson Jim Bush, and Local 1138 Chairperson Jim McCorkle. The UTU negotiating team was assisted by UTU International Vice President Robert Kerley.

Florida East Coast is a Class II, or regional, railroad, operating more than 350 miles of mainline track along Florida’s east coast. During 2010, the railroad completed 2,000 consecutive days of on-time service to UPS — a record for any transportation company serving the logistics giant. During that almost 5 1/2 year period, FEC delivered 125,000 on-time intermodal trailers and containers.