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Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers June 12 passed a resolution that may renew unification talks with United Transportation Union if both unions agree to stop soliciting each others members and share current financial information.
The resolution states that BLE’s 13-member advisory board will reconsider a May 8, 1999, resolution that ended unification negotiations with UTU due to financial concerns.
Any unification agreement reached by both unions would be subject to member ratification and approval.
"We did what we thought was right for BLE on May 8, 1999, and we are doing what is right for BLE today," said BLE International President Edward Dubroski in a prepared statement. "The future of what we do will be in the hands of the members of both unions."
UTU International President Byron Boyd Jr. welcomed BLE’s merger-resuming announcement as a way to "pursue strength in unity."
"The decision of the BLE advisor board to renew unification talks with UTU will benefit the men and women in train and engine service who deserve a strong, single voice fighting for better wages, benefits, quality of life and job security," he said. "We look forward to immediate resumption of the work of the Joint Drafting Committee to produce a unification agreement and constitution for the membership of both unions to vote on as soon as possible."