Passenger Trains > Amtrak, MofW workers go to arbitration

Amtrak, BMWED agree to arbitration process for contract dispute
Progressive Railroading
September 16, 2013

> The Passenger Rail Labor Bargaining Coalition (PRLBC) has finalized
> an agreement with Amtrak to arbitrate and settle a contract dispute
> with the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED)
> of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
>
> The agreement calls for a three-member board to hear testimony and
> review the parties' arguments, then decide how the BMWED's Northeast
> Corridor agreement and Off-Corridor agreement, and the Brotherhood of
> Railroad Signalmen's agreements with Amtrak will be resolved,
> according to a statement issued by the Teamsters.
>
> The agreement resulted from a mediation session led by National
> Mediation Board Chair Linda Puchala on July 16 and 17.
>
> A decision and contract is expected to be in place by Jan. 1, 2014,
> at the latest, union officials said.

Story:

Amtrak, BMWED agree to arbitration process

How long have the maintenance of way employees been without a contract?

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How long have the maintenance of way employees
> been without a contract?


2009 when the rail coalition of 8 unions sans the clerks union went to binding arbitration after 7 years without a contract and Amtrak lost that one having to pay retroactive monies starting the previous contract plus incremental and COLA raises with few work rule changes

Out_Of_Service Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > How long have the maintenance of way employees
> > been without a contract?
>
>
> 2009 when the rail coalition of 8 unions sans the
> clerks union went to binding arbitration after 7
> years without a contract and Amtrak lost that one
> having to pay retroactive monies starting the
> previous contract plus incremental and COLA raises
> with few work rule changes


Has Amtrak tried to get work rule changes?
What are some examples?

The freight railroads have obtained many work rule changes,
driven by the realities of change and modernization and
the necessity of making a profit to stay in business.

Not quite true! Everyone settled in 2009 including BMWE (after 9 years without a contract) following arbitration. That contract expired in 2010 or 2011. Everyone but BMWE had settled on a new contract 18 months ago or so.

CB

Out_Of_Service Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Lackawanna484 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > How long have the maintenance of way employees
> > been without a contract?
>
>
> 2009 when the rail coalition of 8 unions sans the
> clerks union went to binding arbitration after 7
> years without a contract and Amtrak lost that one
> having to pay retroactive monies starting the
> previous contract plus incremental and COLA raises
> with few work rule changes

>2009 when the rail coalition of 8 unions sans the clerks union went to binding arbitration after 7 years . . .

Nor was the BLE party to this arbitration, which wasn't binding, and ISTR that the U-Took-Us wasn't either.

Although the article in the link tries to imply "binding", it doesn't explicitly use the word. Parties can agree to arbitration, but unless they agree specifically to /binding/ arbitration, which they rarely do in RR contract negotiations, the findings can be ignored at will by either party.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/13 21:47 by EtoinShrdlu.