During the past two months, the staff of the Locomotive Engineer Newsletter has monitored the concerns of BLE members over the BLE's Statement of Principles and proposed unification with the United Transportation Union.
Those questions have been combined and narrowed to eight basic items, which we shared with BLE President Clarence Monin during an interview this month.
The following is a transcript of our interview with the BLE President and his responses to our questions.
Newsletter: First question: Members are aware that the BLE and UTU currently have two committees meeting jointly. What is the time frame of the Drafting and Finance Committees in coming up with a Unification Agreement, a new Constitution and Bylaws, and a new dues structure?
Monin: "The Drafting Committee met with the UTU on January 20 and 21. They discussed a working agenda for the next nine months. Further meetings of the BLE/UTU Drafting Committee are scheduled for March 10, 11 and 12 and April 21, 22 and 23. Further dates have yet to be scheduled.
"The Finance Committee held meetings on January 19 and February 18."
Newsletter: Who are the members of the BLE Drafting and Finance Committee?
Monin: The members of the BLE Finance Committee are Vice-President Ed Rodzwicz, BLE Controller Harry Volpe, representatives from the Bredhoff and Kaiser Law Firm, and the Peat Marwick Accounting Firm.
"The members of the BLE Drafting Committee are Vice-President and Canadian Director Gilles Hallé, Vice-President Joe Cassidy, Vice-President and National Legislative Representative Leroy Jones, Vice-President Rick Radek and Vice-President and Chief of Staff Paul Sorrow. Support staff members are General Counsel Harold Ross, Special Counsel George Cohen, Legal Investigator T.A. Pontolillo, Director of Research/Coordinator Dennis Simmerman, and Executive Staff Member Chuck Anderson."
Newsletter: Here's our third question: Some members have complained that the International Division has not issued enough information on this subject. What are some milestones in the negotiations that members can look for? When do the reports of the Drafting and Finance Committee need to be made?
Monin: "Under the Agreed Upon Principles, the Finance Committee is charged with making their recommendations by May 1.
"The BLE Drafting Committee is charged with having a draft Unification Agreement and new Constitution and Bylaws prepared no later than October 1. However, the Joint Drafting Committee has determined that a Unification Agreement should be completed by March 31 and a new Constitution and Bylaws should be completed on or before September 1. This will allow adequate time to print the proposed Unification Agreement, Constitution and Bylaws and ballot for distribution to the membership by October 1."
Newsletter: What is the proposed dues structure going to look like for the new organization?
Monin: "As we said in a previous question and aswer, the Finance Committee is charged with reviewing the finances and the dues structure of the current organizations. On May 1, 1999, the committee will make the recommendations on what would be necessary to maintain adequate finances for a new organization. Currently, International dues are $25 per month for the BLE and $17.50 per month for the UTU.
"If the members vote to create a new organization, then dues for current BLE members will probably decrease."
Newsletter: What are the anticipated savings to be achieved by the creation of a new organization?
Monin: "While the actual savings of a new organization will have to be analyzed after the proposed Constitution and Bylaws and Unification Agreements are completed, it is anticipated that sufficient consolidation of positions could take place to achieve savings in officer salaries.
"However, the immediate savings will come in the coordination of the Legislative Departments, Arbitration Departments, Legal Departments, Public Relations Departments, publications, and associated support staff of the current organizations."
Newsletter: Question six has been on the minds of many members. What would happen if the rank-and-file of either organization -- or both -- failed to ratify the new Unification Agreement and Constitution and Bylaws?
Monin: "We haven't really discussed that with the UTU. However, it would be my position and opinion that if we could isolate one or two specific issues which caused the membership to vote against the creation of the new organization, then those issues could be scrutinized to see if an accommodation could be made which would be acceptable to the membership and then a re-vote would take place.
"However, it should also be noted that if this new organization proposal is ultimately rejected by the membership, both former organizations would be able to take the positions they took on January 12, 1998."
Newsletter: Have there been any benefits to the BLE since entering into the Agreed Upon Principles with the UTU?
Monin: "Yes. Without question there have been immediate benefits to the members. First and foremost, it has allowed the two unions to continue a peaceful coexistence as set forth in the March 26, 1998 letter from AFL-CIO President John Sweeney.
"Another immediate benefit for BLE members is the creation of a Joint Negotiating Committee with the National Railway Labor Conference regarding the Wage/Rules Panel issues under the provisions of Article XI of the May 31, 1996 Agreement. Since a similar provision appeared in the UTU National Agreement, this allows -- for the first time -- the organizations to jointly negotiate and reach agreements with the carrier on issues that affect all operating craft employees.
"Another issue that has developed is that joint negotiations are taking place on the fatigue issue. A work/rest agreement is being negotiated to allow proper work/rest opportunities for all operating craft employees. This goes back to the BLE's Strategic Plan. The members told us they wanted improved working conditions, and we're working to reduce and eventually elimiate the fatigue factor that so reduces their quality of life, and also is the cause of a majority of on-the-job accidents and fatalities."
Newsletter: OK, last question: The Agreed Upon Principles contained a provision which addressed the proffer of arbitration and the International President's "unreviewable discretion in accepting such proffer." You indicated in your meetings before various groups in December of 1998 that this provision needed to be changed to bring it closer to the democratic provisions of the BLE Constitution and Bylaws. What, if anything, has been done regarding this provision?
Monin: "In reaching a clarification with UTU President Little, the following language replaces the old section. It reads like this:
"'We, therefore, have agreed that in advance of exercising his 'unreviewable discretion' the International President, as in the case of authorizing a strike, may not accept any proffer of arbitration unless he has received 'approval of two-thirds of the general chairpersons involved in the movement, who shall poll their Local Committees prior to voting.'"
"So based on this agreed upon interpretation, it is clear that there is a democratic process to go through prior to the International President's acceptance of a proffer of arbitration."
Newsletter Summary: As additional questions are posed, answers will appear in this publication to keep the membership aware of the status and progress of the BLE Drafting and Finance Committees.
END OF PAGE 1