INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, August 11 — The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative agreement with the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) governing rates of pay, benefits and work rules for nearly 500 locomotive engineers.
On August 11, 2017, ballots, instructions, and a synopsis of the agreement were mailed to active members working for the LIRR. Voting will conclude on Tuesday, September 12. Members who have not received a ballot by Friday, August 25, should request a replacement by calling the BLET National Division at (216) 241-2630, ext. 222. When connected with the extension, please leave the following information:
• your name, address and phone number;
• the division to which you belong;
• your date of birth; and
• the last four digits of your Social Security number.
E-mail requests for ballots will not be accepted because personal information is required to verify eligibility before a ballot can be issued.
The MTA Long Island Rail Road, founded in 1834, is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, carrying about 265,000 customers each weekday on 735 daily trains. The LIRR system is comprised of over 700 miles of track on 11 different branches, stretching 120 miles from Montauk — on the eastern tip of Long Island — to Penn Station in the heart of Manhattan, and Atlantic Terminal in Brooklyn.
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce encouraged all LIRR members to closely review the August 11 ratification packet and to make sure they attend a Division meeting or contact the General Committee of Adjustment office with any questions they might have on the issues. “Union membership is not a spectator sport,” President Pierce said. “Voting on your union contract is one of the core democratic principles of our Union. I encourage all LIRR members to become educated on the issues and to participate in this most important process of union democracy.”