Michigan City, Indiana – On 7/18/2024, ATDA Train Dispatchers from the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) ratified a new agreement that includes substantial pay increases. Between wage increases and eventual certification pay, members covered by the agreement will see their pay rise by 30% over the next 7 years. Additionally, their current five-year rate progression system will be replaced with one that only lasts a single year. This will provide far better wage equality across the roster and help ATDA members at the property to earn considerably more money during their initial years in the craft. Increased pay, however, is not the only improvement that NICTD Dispatchers will enjoy. Under the terms of the new agreement, five of the NICTD members’ fourteen sick days will be converted to personal leave days, providing them with more flexibility in taking time off from work. On top of that, the Agreement provides a one-time allotment of three additional personal leave days to each Dispatcher, and compensation at the overtime rate plus 8 hours (time and one half plus 8 hours) for working on holidays.
ATDA’s bargaining team consisted of NICTD System Committee General Chairman Ryan Chavez, ATDA Director of Research Paul Arden, and ATDA Vice President Kevin Porter. General Chairman Chavez, who was instrumental in amplifying the members’ concerns, had the following to say after the ratification became official: “I just wanted to thank Kevin Porter and Paul Arden for the hard work they put in on getting the contract settled. Without them and the members of the ATDA, it wouldn’t have been possible. I also wanted to thank President Dowell for assigning Kevin and Paul to me this go around of negotiations. Also, to my members that gave all their input on what they wanted to see in the contract. I’ve always been a quiet guy when it comes to these types of meetings, but Mr. Porter got me out of my shell and made me speak. So just wanted to say thanks to ALL of you at the Cleveland office, for all your hard work…. Proud to be part of the ATDA.”
In addition to recognizing the efforts of this bargaining team, the ATDA would also like to acknowledge the willingness of NICTD to negotiate an Agreement prior to the expiration of the one that was already in place.