National Agreement Reached for CWA New Flyer Members

In a historic new agreement, CWA and IUE-CWA members across six shops have ratified a national agreement with New Flyer. New Flyer is the largest transit bus manufacturer in North America, and our members are leading the manufacturing of zero-emission hydrogen and electric-powered buses. Workers in the shops include the newly organized warehouse in Louisville, Ky. (IUE-CWA Local 83600); parts fabrication shops in Jamestown, N.Y. (IUE-CWA Local 81500) and Shepherdsville, Ky. (IUE-CWA Local 83600); as well as bus assembly and manufacturing shops in Anniston, Ala. (IUE-CWA Local 83700); St. Cloud, Minn. (CWA Local 7304); and Crookston, Minn. (CWA Local 7304). Members ratified the agreement by an overwhelming 77.20% of voting members across all six shops. Approximately 1,360 employees represented by IUE-CWA and 1,000 represented by CWA District 7 will now be part of the New Flyer national agreement.

This national agreement comes after a burst of organizing at New Flyer from 2022 to 2025. This organizing wave included IUE-CWA winning recognition at four new shops and CWA District 7/Local 7304 adding several previously unorganized classifications to its existing bargaining units.

“Our IUE-CWA and CWA District 7 members at New Flyer have set an example of what is truly possible with organizing,” said IUE-CWA Industrial Division President Carl Kennebrew. “Not only have they built strong unions at each of their own shops, but they also demonstrated what solidarity truly means by reaching out to one another and building power across shops and states. This historic national agreement demonstrates what is possible when we are united!”

Workers at four of the newly organized shops recently ratified stand-alone contracts. However, it was clear that some shops had made stronger gains than others. Members soon realized that by banding together, they could raise standards across all shops, not just a select few.

President Erica Ericson at IUE-CWA Local 81500 in Jamestown, N.Y., said, “For years we felt like we were left behind in Jamestown, but we’re excited for the future! One of the biggest wins for our members in this agreement is the free generic preventative care drugs for chronic conditions. This benefit gives our members the peace of mind under tough economic conditions to not have to worry about affording their medicine or putting gas in their car. This agreement sets us on a path to raise the standards for all employees at our Local, and we’re all excited to fight for what we deserve!”

In November 2025, workers at a warehouse operated by a New Flyer subsidiary in Louisville, Ky., became the latest shop to organize their union with IUE-CWA Local 83600. Adrian Garcia, one of the warehouse workers involved in organizing, celebrated the national agreement victory with his co-workers. “Since we became a union last November,” said Garcia, “the national agreement means the world to me. It guarantees we're treated equally and protects us from being forced into tasks that don't feel safe—finally, our voices matter.”

Winning a national agreement wasn’t a straightforward contract fight—it took years of building power, securing organizing wins at New Flyer, and an overall positive shift in the union-company relationship. This also took vision, as well as buy-in from members who might have already secured a strong contract and were understandably leery of potential setbacks they might take if they were to bargain together with the other Locals.

Having won a strong union contract back in 2024, and being one of the biggest union shops at New Flyer, members at IUE-CWA Local 83700 found huge benefits in joining with their union siblings at other shops across the country to win a national agreement. Chief Steward Stevie Joe Thornton at IUE-CWA Local 83700 in Anniston, Ala., expressed both gratitude and excitement to have won such a strong national contract with his colleagues. “While there are many things I appreciate,” stated Thornton, “one of our biggest wins, perfect attendance bonuses, now has an exact payment date. Management can no longer delay. Workers can finally plan with certainty.”

Despite the challenges and years of building, workers successfully ratified the national agreement in early April 2026. "The national agreement is a breakthrough for New Flyer workers and sets a new standard for all of our industries,” said CWA District 7 Vice President Susie McAllister.

Significant gains were made at all shops, including additional holidays, locked-in healthcare costs, stronger contract language on seniority and transfers, stronger union lost-time language, expanded attendance policies, better training and safety rights, and much more.

The national agreement also brought another opportunity to have strong member-organizing conversations, especially for our three shops in “right-to-work” states. Member organizers committed to having conversations with their non-member colleagues about the wins, and all three shops in right-to-work states grew to supermajority membership as a result.

All Locals will retain the right to bargain wages, overtime, and hours of work in local agreements, while knowing that their broader contract rights will be enshrined and strengthened through the national agreement.

Members from CWA Local 7304 have a lot to celebrate in Crookston, Minn., having ratified their local agreement approximately two weeks after ratifying the national agreement. “The national agreement unites us even more,” said Misty Fuglseth, CWA Local 7304 Executive Vice President from Crookston. “It shows the company that we may be states apart, but we are not divided. We are one union, standing together, and together we win.”

From the North to the South, workers at New Flyer are celebrating their win and looking to build on the momentum in the future. They know much more is possible now that they are united!

The Organizing Committee from the newly organized NFI parts warehouse in Louisville, Ky. (IUE-CWA Local 83600). They are the newest New Flyer shop to organize.