CLEVELAND, September 28 — The BLET National Division and TrueBallot, Inc., have added an online voting option to enable members to bypass the telephonic voting system in the strike authorization vote that is currently underway.
Some BLET members have experienced sporadic problems getting through via phone to cast their votes on whether to authorize a strike on certain freight railroads, which could occur as early as Friday, October 7. Problems with the telephonic voting system are likely due to high call volume.
Members eligible to participate in the strike authorization vote should already have received a notice that contains a unique 6-digit PIN code and the toll-free phone voting number, along with a letter explaining the issues. Now, eligible members who have not voted also will be able to use their PIN number to cast their ballot via the Internet by going to www.electionadmin.com/blet.htm and following the directions.
Members have until 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 3, to cast their votes.
Active BLET members having locomotive engineer seniority, except for company officers, who work for the following railroads are eligible to participate in the strike authorization vote: Belt Railway Company of Chicago; BNSF Railway; U.S. subsidiaries of Canadian National Railway; Consolidated Rail Corporation; CSX Transportation; Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad Company; Kansas City Southern Railway Company, including the following subsidiaries: Kansas City Southern Railway; Louisiana and Arkansas Railway; MidSouth Rail Corporation; Gateway Western Railway; SouthRail Corporation; and Texas Mexican Railway Company; Longview Switching Company; Norfolk Southern Company; Portland Terminal Railroad Company; Soo Line Railroad Company; Union Pacific Railroad Company; and Winston Salem Southbound Railway Company. Trainmen members who work for Texas Mexican Railway Company also are entitled to participate.
The National Mediation Board released the BLET and several other Rail Labor unions from mediation with rail carriers on September 6, triggering a 30-day cooling off period, which expires at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on October 7, 2011. At that point self-help is available to the parties, unless President Obama appoints a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) pursuant to Section 10 of the Railway Labor Act. A PEB would halt any strike or lock out by the parties, and would investigate and issue a report and recommendations concerning the dispute.
National President Pierce urged those eligible members who have not yet voted to take the time to participate. “The feedback we’ve received indicates a very significant early turnout, which has choked the system at times” Pierce said. “The Internet voting option should relieve this problem and make it even easier to participate. Let’s get out the vote so we can deliver a strong message to the carriers and to Washington,” Pierce added.