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Editor's Note: This list of questions will help explain the joint BLE-UTU Statement of Principles listed on page 3 of this issue.
What will be the name of the New Organization?
The Oversight Committee felt that the membership of both current organizations needed to focus on a new identity in order to help eliminate any existing ill feelings and to begin the healing process for the betterment of all operating employees.
While the name "North American Rail & Transportation Union" (NARTU) is just a working name, it does reflect the overall vision of the Oversight Committee. They want a name that will encompass all workers in North America and not exclude any current crafts working in the rail or transportation industries.
What about the ATDD and the RCTC?
The question of the American Train Dispatchers Department of the BLE (ATDD) and the Rail Canada Traffic Controllers (RCTC) is explained in Exhibit C. Basically, these two crafts will be autonomous, allowing them the right to ratify the proposed Unification Agreement and new Constitution separately to determine if they choose to be part of the new organization.
What about our publications?
An Editorial Board will be established and will oversee all publications in both printed and electronic formats. The new organization will publish a newspaper two times per month, combining the best of the UTU News and the Locomotive Engineer Newsletter.
The Locomotive Engineers Journal will be maintained and converted to a for-profit publication with up to 12 issues printed annually.
What about the legislative boards?
In states and provinces where there is more than one legislative board from each of the current unions, the boards will continue to exist and will be consolidated the same as local divisions (on or before 30 months).
In states/provinces where two boards exist, the members will pay dues to the board for the craft in which they are working on the first day of the month. Where there is only one state or provincial board, the divisions in that state will be subordinate to that board. If a dispute arises while there are two boards, the general president will determine (with the advice and consent of the international president) the resolution of the dispute.
What about our BLE Divisions?
BLE Divisions will be called "local divisions." After a transition period of 30 months, a minimum of 25 members will be required to maintain an existing charter and 50 members will be required to apply for a new charter, except under special circumstances. Local divisions may have multiple local committees of adjustment; one representing each craft of its membership. Local chairmen will not be considered officers of the local division, but instead, will be responsible and report to the general committee of adjustment.
The dues structure of the new organization (Exhibit DD) was too complicated to adequately address in the timeframe allotted for the Statement of Principles. A subcommittee will meet commencing Jan. 1, 1999, with a reporting date of May 1, 1999, for recommendations of a new dues structure for the new organization.
Funds of all subordinate units of the new organization (Point 8, Exhibit DD) shall be held by the international union of the new organization in trust for the subordinate bodies (general committees of adjustment and state legislative boards). Canadian funds will be held in Canada in a similar fashion for administrative purposes.
What about International conventions?
It was determined by the Oversight Committee that in order to maintain some cost control over future conventions of the new organization, that delegates would be paid in accordance with a set formula, i.e. there will be one delegate per division, delegates will be paid at the vice-president rate for the five days of the convention and allowed two travel days.
Delegates also will be provided seven days per diem at the maximum allowable IRS rate for the convention location as well as a mileage allowance at the maximum rate allowable by the IRS for travel to and from the convention site.
Finally, in keeping with the BLE's current constitution and bylaws, delegates may be instructed by their local divisions as to all issues coming before the conventions.
What about the UTU's Insurance Association?
The BLE representatives on the Oversight Committee recognize that the relationship of the UTUIA is a separate entity, and therefore, falls under the provisions of Exhibit R and will not be part of the new organization, the exception being that all members of the new organization will be eligible to purchase products of the UTUIA.
What about future mergers?
The new organization's constitution will include a provision which would allow the new union to affiliate, merge, or unify with another labor union subject to ratification by the membership of the new organization.
What about current pensions plans?
The current supplemental pension plans of the two organizations will be modified to meet all ERISA requirements. The pension plan will now be available to general committees of adjustment and state/provincial boards in accordance with Point 28.
During the course of the next nine months, three joint BLE-UTU committees will work on drafting a constitution and unification agreement, and developing a new dues structure for the new organization. BLE President Clarence Monin and First Vice-President Ed Dubroski have made the following appointments to those two committees:
Joint Drafting Committee
Charged with drafting Unification Agreement and Constitution
Canadian Director Gilles Hallé
Vice-President Joseph A. Cassidy Jr.
Vice President Paul Sorrow
Vice President & U.S. National Legislative Rep. Leroy Jones
Vice President Rick Radek
The BLE Support Staff for this group is BLE General Counsel Harold Ross, George Cohen of the Bredhoff & Kaiser law firm, Assistant General Sec.-Treas. Dennis Simmerman, ID Staff Member Chuck Anderson and Div. 11 Member Tom Pontolilo.
(Their UTU counterparts are UTU Vice-President Paul Thompson; General Chairperson Carl M. Vahldick; Canadian Legislative Director Timothy S. Secord; Colorado State Legislative Director Jack V. Shaver; and Robert A. McHenry, Executive Assistant to UTU International President.)
Finance Committee
Charged with creating a dues structure for new organization.
Vice-President Ed Rodzwicz
BLE Controller Harry Volpe
(The BLE's external auditing firm, KPMG Peat Marwick, will assist this committee.)
The work put into drafting the Statement of Principles was not done by one person alone it was the result of weeks of meetings and negotiations conducted by the BLE's five exploratory committees. They met regularly with their UTU counterparts throughout the summer. The result of their work can be found in the Exhibits published on pages 3-6 of this issue. The following is a list of those committees and the people who served on them.
Structure Committee
Canadian Director Gilles Hallé
ATDD Secretary-Treasurer Leo McCann
CSX General Chairman Cleatus Roy
Union Pacific General Chairman Mike Young
Canadian National General Chairman Mike Simpson
SEPTA General Chairman Steve Bruno
Finance & Membership Committee
General Secretary-Treasurer Russell Bennett
VIce-President Ed Rodzwicz
Controller Harry Volpe
Director of Records Robert D. Broka
Legislative Operation Committee
Vice-President & U.S. National Legislative Rep. Leroy Jones
Canadian National Legislative Rep. George Hucker
Arkansas State Legislative Board Chairman Tim Young
Texas State Legislative Board Chairman Raymond Holmes
Alberta Provincial Legislative Board Chair Don Anderson
Media & Public Affairs Committee
Vice-President William C. Walpert
Associate Editor John Bentley Jr.
Editorial Assistant Allyson LaGanke
Constitution/Unity Committee
Vice-President Don M. Hahs
Texas State Legislative Board Chairman Raymond Holmes
International Division Staff Member Chuck Anderson
BLE Legal Counsel Harold Ross and George Cohen
The BLE's Dennis Simmerman acted as Coordinator for all committees listed above.
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