Union Pacific, engineers union reach tentative deal over time off

(Reuters) - Union Pacific Corp and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen on Wednesday reached a tentative deal for the U.S. railroad operator's locomotive engineers.

Union Pacific, which employs around 5,600 locomotive engineers represented by BLET, said that the tentative agreement provides locomotive engineers to work for 11 days and take off for four days.

The deal comes about a week after its peer Norfolk Southern also reached an agreement, offering additional five days of paid sick leave per year for its engineer.

U.S. rail unions representing conductors and engineers have been in a tussle with the railroad operators demanding better sick leave and attendance policies.

"This significant change in scheduling not only will make life better for locomotive engineers and their families, it also should help Union Pacific retain and recruit employees," BLET National President Eddie Hall said in the joint statement.

(Reporting by Amna Karimi in Bengaluru; Editing by Rashmi Aich)