BNSF cancels Availability Policy

After months of intense protest from members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway announced on February 4 that it has decided to outright cancel its "Availability Policy."

BNSF had been allowed to proceed with the draconian policy by an arbitration board's decision in October 1999. The BLE, however, successfully fought for a 60-day delay of the policy on November 17, 1999.

The Availability Policy would have severely affected the safety, heath, well-being and family life of BNSF employees. Some employees would have been forced to work up to 360 hours per month, or 30 twelve-hour days. The policy also would have allowed these employees only one day off per month, which could have been denied if the BNSF decided to do so, for any reason. Employees would have been subject to discipline had they taken time off due to fatigue.

BNSF made the announcement in a press release issued February 4.

"During December and January, BNSF met with BLE and UTU representatives to discuss better ways to work together to ensure that BNSF operating employees are in place to meet our customers' requirements," said Matt Rose, BNSF's president and chief operating officer. "Later this month, we expect to announce a new approach that reflects what we have learned from those discussions."

The BLE protested the Availability Policy from the outset. In September, BLE members and their families organized a rally outside of BNSF's headquarters in Ft. Worth, Texas, as part of the BLE's system-wide mobilization effort to combat the policy. Other prongs in the attack included letter writing campaigns to FRA administrator Jolene Molitoris and Congressman James Oberstar (D-MN). There was another rally in Alliance, Neb.

The BLE also spearheaded legislative efforts to fight the Availability Policy. House Resolution 3091, an amendment to the Hours of Service Act, would give railroad workers three consecutive (but optional) days of after working, or being on call for work, for seven consecutive days.

H.R. 3091 currently has 180 co-sponsors in the House and has been the target of BLE mobilization efforts since December. (See related article on page 10.)

© 2000 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers