CLEVELAND, October 19 — BLET General Chairman Tom Roberts today clarified the reason behind his General Committee’s recent action to begin a seniority maintenance fee program at Conrail.
“UTU Exclusive Representation is my target, not UTU Members,” said the Conrail SAA/CSXT Northern District General Chairman. “On Conrail, seniority accumulation fees are dependent upon UTU exclusive right to represent trainmen.”
In 1996, the UTU General Committee on Conrail served notice that, pursuant to its 1996 agreement, it would begin a seniority maintenance fee program, requiring BLE engineers to pay a monthly fee to UTU to continue accumulating trainman seniority. Within 30 days, the BLE General Chairman at the time, Bob Godwin, polled the BLE Conrail General Committee and, as a result, withdrew the BLE’s exclusive right to represent engineers.
About a week ago, the BLET General Committee on Conrail served notice that, pursuant to its 1996 agreement, it would begin a seniority maintenance fee program, requiring UTU engineers to pay a seniority maintenance fee to continue accumulating engine service seniority, unless the UTU withdraws its exclusive right to represent trainmen. It is hoped that the UTU will give up that exclusive right as the BLE did in 1996, Roberts said.
“Only if the UTU fails to withdraw exclusive representation will any UTU member pay ‘double dues,’” Roberts said. “We are only doing what the UTU did in 1996. Clearly, UTU exclusive representation is my target, not UTU members.”