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Comp time dispute cause for walkout
(The following article by Sean Wood was posted on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram website on March 4.)
FORT WORTH, Texas -- The union that represents Burlington Northern Santa Fe dispatchers said 200 workers walked off the job Wednesday to protest changes to comp time that BNSF enacted "unilaterally" this year.
"Although the BNSF was given ample opportunity to correct its illegal actions, the railroad refused to do so," Leo McCann, president of the American Train Dispatchers Association, said in a statement.
BNSF spokesman Dick Russack said Thursday that the company did nothing inconsistent with its agreement with the dispatchers union and filed a federal lawsuit against the union Wednesday afternoon.
"Disputes over the implementation or application of the contract may never be the reason for a work stoppage," Russack said.
The walkout tangled commuter rail service in Chicago and rail operations in the Pacific Northwest and Midwest.
Judy Pardonnet, spokeswoman for the Metra commuter train service in Chicago, said the rail lines they use are owned by BNSF, so the Metra engineers have to stay in contact with BNSF dispatchers. The trains had to stop when contact was lost with the dispatchers in Fort Worth.
"Once the first trains are stopped and they don't leave on time, it begins backing up the rest of the trains," Pardonnet said.
She said Metra's executive director wrote a letter to the union and may try to seek some reimbursement for the service disruption.
BNSF shares (ticker: BNI) closed up 68 cents Thursday, to $51.80.
Friday, March 04, 2005
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