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Following Burlington Northern Santa Fe's recent agreement with United Transportation Union on new safety rules and policies aimed at preventing workplace injuries through alternative means, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers March 21 announced that the union is voting on its own similar agreement with BNSF.
The proposed agreement — stemming from an April 2001 safety summit between BLE, BNSF and UTU — would give BLE's general and local committees more involvement in the safety process, providing employees remedial training instead of punitive-discipline procedures.
Four BLE general chairmen worked in concert with UTU general chairmen and BNSF officials to secure the proposed agreement.
BLE officials expect the ratification process to conclude at the end of April.