United Transportation Union officials believe it’s better to embrace new technologies than resist them. Hence the union’s recent push to implement locomotive remote-control (LRC) technology on U.S. Class Is.
"Either we learn from history or we repeat past failures. When labor unions fought elimination of the firemen and cabooses, firemen and cabooses were eliminated anyway," union officials said in a statement posted to UTU’s Web site Jan. 23.
UTU officials believe they’ve achieved the union’s goal, placing LRC responsibility in the hands of UTU-represented employees.
"There will be no reduction in UTU-represented jobs or compensation, UTU-represented employees will receive adequate training, and remote controls will not be introduced until its safety is assured," officials said.
But Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers plans to continue fighting against LRC use by the U.S. Class Is despite a recent injunction placed on the union by a federal district court, preventing BLE from striking on the railroads.
"It's been our position all along that locomotive engineers should run locomotives, regardless of whether they're in the cab or on the ground," BLE International President Don Hahs said in a prepared statement.
For now, UTU is banking on pilot projects with Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Conrail, CSX Transportation, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern Railway and Union Pacific Railroad to help determine how LRC technology will affect workers and identify any necessary permanent safeguards.
"Not until we are assured of the protections we demand will the UTU send out for ratification a permanent agreement," UTU officials said. "Our leadership position means we are managing the result, not reacting to it."
Permanent union agreement or not, KCS — along with CSXT, which recently purchased 100 LRCs from Cattron-Theimeg Inc. — are among the first U.S. Class Is to formulate a LRC implementation plan. KCS last week purchased 50 BELTPACK® units from CANAC Inc.
KCS plans to begin training employees immediately and fully implement LRCs by September, KCS officials said.
Although the use of remote controls would eliminate some KCS jobs, railroad officials plan to reduce the Class I’s workforce through attrition instead of layoffs.
Source: Progressive Railroading Daily News
