BLE-IBT Town Hall Meetings underway
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers is conducting a nationwide series of Town Hall Meetings to explain details of the proposed merger with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Delegates to the BLE's Seventh Quinquennial International Convention in Miami changed Section 1 (e) of the BLE's Constitution & Bylaws in September of 2001. The changes established a 135-day timeline or "ratification schedule" that the International President must adhere to when considering a merger or affiliation with another organization. The change came about after delegates felt a "quickie" or cram-down merger was being forced upon the organization.
The ratification schedule provides time for BLE leadership to review the documents, to submit questions and to ask for clarifications, and for parties to distribute advocacy documents and/or partisan materials. The ratification schedule for the current IBT proposal began on July 22, the day the merger documents were mailed to BLE leaders, after winning the unanimous approval of the BLE Advisory Board. The BLE-IBT merger ratification schedule, per Section 1(e) of the BLE Constitution & Bylaws, is as follows:
- July 22, Day 1: "Mailing Date" - documents mailed to leadership;
- September 5, Day 45: Request for clarifications and/or interpretations due;
- September 20, Day 60: Agreed-upon answers mailed and notice provided of right to distribute advocacy documents and/or partisan materials;
- September 30, Day 70: Deadline for notice from those desiring to distribute materials per above;
- October 5, Day 75: Deadline for Canadians to request separate vote;
- October 20, Day 90: Deadline for mailing documents and ballot to each active member; and
- December 4, Day 135: Deadline for receipt and counting of all ballots.
The office of BLE First Vice-President Ed Rodzwicz is coordinating the Town Hall meetings. The First Vice-President and other BLE International officers are expected to participate in approximately 16 Town Hall meetings in centralized locations throughout the United States. The Town Hall Meetings provide a chance for BLE members to participate in a question and answer session with BLE leaders regarding the proposed IBT merger.
As the schedule for these events remains fluid, dates and locations of all meetings were not available for publication in the Newsletter. Confirmed Town Hall meetings are as follows:
- October 22, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
- Holiday Inn Airport
- 5000 Tenth Ave. North
- Birmingham, Ala.
- October 23, 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
- Holiday Inn Airport
- 5000 Tenth Ave. North
- Birmingham, Ala.
- October 23, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
- IBT Local 667 Meeting Hall
- 796 East Brooks Road
- Memphis, Tenn.
- (901) 396-5331
- October 24, 9 a.m.-11 p.m.
- IBT Local 667 Meeting Hall
- 796 East Brooks Road
- Memphis, Tenn.
- (901) 396-5331
- October 24, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
- IBT Local 480 Meeting Hall
- 1050 Cornelia St.
- Nashville, Tenn. 37217
- (615) 361-4900
- October 25, 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
- IBT Local 480 Meeting Hall
- 1050 Cornelia St.
- Nashville, Tenn. 37217
- (615) 361-4900
- Holiday Inn Airport
BLE members can look for the dates and locations of Town Hall Meetings to be published on the BLE website when meetings are formally scheduled for a particular area.
© 2003 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers