News Clips

Spring 2000
Volume 107 - No. 1

News Clips

"I am both relieved and pleased that the panel saw through the UTU's smoke and mirrors... " - BLE International President Edward Dubroski on the BLE victory at the National Mediation Board to preserve distinct and separate operating craft lines. Traffic World, March 6, circ. 16,169.

"The BLE is supporting the CN/BNSF combination after obtaining important job-protection commitments from the railroads that will ensure the interests of BLE members are well served after the combination is effective. Our decision shows that good-faith bargaining can advance the objectives of management and labor." - President Dubroski, in a joint press release announcing the BLE's support of the BNSF-CN merger. March 6, 2000.

"For locomotive engineers, grade crossing collisions are difficult, traumatic, and devastating. One of the most stressful moments on the job is when a tanker truck stops on the tracks in front of a train. An engineer can only hope its carrying milk and not gasoline. Nothing can compare to a loaded school bus. Given a choice, engineers would much rather hit a gasoline tanker than a school bus." - BLE Special Representative John Tolman, on the problem of grade crossing safety. Eastern Railroad News, December 1999, circ. 1,000.

"The facts are that someone is going to get killed or injured. To say nothing of the traumatizing of the train crews who in their work, have to watch helplessly as near misses unfold before them on a daily basis. When you have a whistle ban and you are in a locomotive, there is nothing you can do to protect traffic. You are at the mercy of whatever the driver decides to do." - BLE Wisconsin State Legislative Board Chairman Keith Luebke, on whistle bans in Fond du Lac, Wisc. (Appleton, Wisc.) Post-Crescent, November 26, 1999, circ. 56,218.

"The Availability Policy is just one example of the carriers' unwillingness to adhere to agreements made in good faith." - President Dubroski, on the now canceled BNSF Availability Policy. Traffic World, Nov. 8, circ. 16,169.

"If they put up their picket lines, we will offer our support to the Teamsters. There have been times where we've had our members go out and walk with Teamsters on the picket line. We can provide support in several different manners - emotional, physical or even economic support." - BLE General Secretary-Treasurer Russell Bennett, on the Teamsters strike against Overnite. Transportation Topics, October 4, circ. 30,567.

"Fatalities happen every day. Every time a train crosses a highway, there's a potential for death." - BLE Editor John Bentley, on the danger BLE members face at highway-rail grade crossings. MetroWest Daily News, January 15, 2000, world wide web circulation.

"There is no evidence that the distinctions in the work performed by conductors and engineers have changed sufficiently to justify considering these two long-separate classes of employees to now be members of the same craft. The Board should follow the cautious path and allow long-settled craft boundaries to stay in place." - Congressman James Oberstar (D-Minn.), on the distinct craft lines separating locomotive engineers and conductors. Traffic World, February 21, 2000, circ. 16,169.

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