(The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division issued the following on April 28, 2009.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED), Midwest System Federation membership finalized ratification of its Tentative Agreement with the Soo Line Railroad. On April 24, 2009, at the close of the business day, the vote was counted and the Agreement was ratified by an overwhelming margin. Of the members affected 72 percent responded with 84 percent returning ballots in favor of accepting the Agreement.
The tentative Agreement was reached on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 after a framework for a settlement had been reached on February 20, 2009.
“I am very gratified with the fact that we had such a positive response from our members,” said Midwest System Federation General Chairman Mark Wimmer. “It has been a long hard road for us to get to this point. Our members have been very patient and at least 84% of our members think we got it right.”
Approximately 500 Soo Line employees are represented by the Midwest System Federation, BMWED.