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Dutchrailnut

Conductor
Joined
Jul 4, 2006
Messages
1,335
Location
Brookfield, Connecticut, USA
January 18, 2008

Train Unions in Accord

By THE NEW YORK TIMES

WASHINGTON — Amtrak and nine of its unions have reached a tentative contract agreement, according to industry experts, and plan to announce the settlement on Friday. A strike would have shut down Pennsylvania Station as well as cross-country trains and commuter service in California and the Chicago area.

Contracts covering 18,650 workers, about 58 percent of Amtrak employees, expired over several years beginning in the late 1990s. Amtrak and the unions followed steps laid out by railroad labor law, for negotiations, mediation and fact-finding, and the unions would have been free to strike on Jan. 30.

The settlement will be based on the findings of the three-member Presidential Emergency Board, issued late last year, according to people close to the negotiations, who declined to be named in advance of the official announcement.
 
Dutchrailnut said:
January 18, 2008Train Unions in Accord

By THE NEW YORK TIMES

WASHINGTON — Amtrak and nine of its unions have reached a tentative contract agreement, according to industry experts, and plan to announce the settlement on Friday. A strike would have shut down Pennsylvania Station as well as cross-country trains and commuter service in California and the Chicago area.

Contracts covering 18,650 workers, about 58 percent of Amtrak employees, expired over several years beginning in the late 1990s. Amtrak and the unions followed steps laid out by railroad labor law, for negotiations, mediation and fact-finding, and the unions would have been free to strike on Jan. 30.

The settlement will be based on the findings of the three-member Presidential Emergency Board, issued late last year, according to people close to the negotiations, who declined to be named in advance of the official announcement.
Click to expand...
Sure sounds better than the Philadelphia Weekly headline today: Amtrak to Screw Up Entire East Coast :angry:

I can't find your article at the NYTimes online; can you post the URL so I can share it with others? Thanks!
 
So tentative is what it is now...when does it become permanent? How long you suspect for ratification?

Hmmm... Now I wonder how much money can be saved annually in negotiation costs!

Way to Go, Amtrak! Git 'er Done!
 
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VentureForth said:
So tentative is what it is now...when does it become permanent? How long you suspect for ratification?
Hmmm... Now I wonder how much money can be saved annually in negotiation costs!

Way to Go, Amtrak! Git 'er Done!
Click to expand...
They have to have Members vote on agreement to make it a valid contract.

I doubt any union member will vote against the deal, unless there is something they did not tell media on this deal.
 
I'm sure that if it comes close to meeting their wants and puts this whole mess behind them, they'd all be happy about it. Might not be everything they want, but all the stress and tension leaves.
 
Notice how the BLET and UTU aren't on that list. The BLET supposedly has a tenative agreement, and the UTU doesn't. Those are two huge groups that aren't on that list though!
 
battalion51 said:
Notice how the BLET and UTU aren't on that list. The BLET supposedly has a tenative agreement, and the UTU doesn't. Those are two huge groups that aren't on that list though!
Click to expand...

No the BLE definitely does not have a tentative agreement. I am pretty sure UTU doesn't also.
 
Rumor has it that alot of employees are not going to sign, especially in the NE.

They want to deduct medical from 2002, cap is set at $200 a month by 2009 and there is no gaurentee that the 60% will be funded for 2009!!!!!!!

Contract sucks!!!!!!!!!!

B)
 
In the know said:
Rumor has it that alot of employees are not going to sign, especially in the NE.
They want to deduct medical from 2002, cap is set at $200 a month by 2009 and there is no gaurentee that the 60% will be funded for 2009!!!!!!!

Contract sucks!!!!!!!!!!

B)
Click to expand...
I wonder when these Union workers will realize that if they keep wanting more and more out of Amtrak, that there won't be an Amtrak to work for?
 
In the know said:
Rumor has it that alot of employees are not going to sign, especially in the NE.
They want to deduct medical from 2002, cap is set at $200 a month by 2009 and there is no gaurentee that the 60% will be funded for 2009!!!!!!!

Contract sucks!!!!!!!!!!

B)
Click to expand...
Well if that is indeed true :( , then IMHO I have to say that the employees are being very foolish. It is very unlikely that they will be able to negotiate a better deal than what they got right now, since it would appear that they got everything in the report issued by the Presidential board. I'm reminded of the last strike here in NYC by the MTA workers, who after rejecting a decent deal and going on strike, eventually settled for a worse deal than they had before they went on strike.

And if the employees do reject the deal and decide to strike, I'm betting that Congress will impose a deal based upon the recommendation of the Presidential board, but I'm betting that they will punish the workers in some fashion by altering at least one or two of the recommendations in Amtrak's favor.

I don't work for Amtrak in any capacity and I'm not trying to be harsh here, but at this point in time and based upon past precedence, I would bet that the workers will end up with a worse deal if they reject this contract, than they are getting by ratifying it.
 
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Instead of speculating on rumors, specialy from uninformed sources, why don't we wait and see.

I have heard no negative feed back on this contract yet, and even the Medical was not a line item in the original negotiations, so the PEB would not entertain any last minute demands.
 
MrFSS said:
When will they vote on this?
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I don't know personally but it is defined in the law/contracts. considering the number of potential voters, I would bet that is has started as a mail ballot, and will take 30 days before counting.

Aloha

Eric
 
Green Maned Lion said:
If they don't like it, is there a possibility there will be a strike before March 10th?
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No, if the ballets aren't due back until the 10th, they won't know if the membership accepted the contract or not until sometime after the 10th when all the vote are tallied. Until that happens, they can't strike. And then only if the contract is rejected.
 
AlanB said:
Green Maned Lion said:
If they don't like it, is there a possibility there will be a strike before March 10th?
Click to expand...
No, if the ballets aren't due back until the 10th, they won't know if the membership accepted the contract or not until sometime after the 10th when all the vote are tallied. Until that happens, they can't strike. And then only if the contract is rejected.
Click to expand...
I'm going on the Autotrain mid-march..

Do I need to make alternate plans..Honest opinion!

I'm taking Autotrain to a cruise so I do not have too much flexibility.
 
MDRailfan said:
AlanB said:
Green Maned Lion said:
If they don't like it, is there a possibility there will be a strike before March 10th?
Click to expand...
No, if the ballets aren't due back until the 10th, they won't know if the membership accepted the contract or not until sometime after the 10th when all the vote are tallied. Until that happens, they can't strike. And then only if the contract is rejected.
Click to expand...
I'm going on the Autotrain mid-march..

Do I need to make alternate plans..Honest opinion!

I'm taking Autotrain to a cruise so I do not have too much flexibility.
Click to expand...
Well one should never say never when dealing with Amtrak, but I for one would think that you are safe. I really don't expect that membership will reject the contract.
 

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