Joint BLE (UP)
General Committees of Adjustment
Public
Safety Campaign
Remote Control
Operations Chronology
- August 2000 – BLE
and UTU jointly argue against remote control locomotives at FRA’s Technical
Conference on Remote Control Locomotives held July 19, 2000. The conference was attended by over 75
representatives of the railroad industry, rail labor and industry
suppliers. The rail labor contingent was comprised of representatives of
the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE), the Brotherhood of Railroad
Signalmen (BRS) and the United Transportation Union (UTU). In opening
remarks, the UTU informed the conference of the agreement between the
operating craft unions to maintain a single position, stating:
"Because of the significance of this issue to the lives and safety of
the people working in our industry, the UTU and BLE are here today united
and speaking with one voice. We are here today as one group to actively
participate in development of a proposal on substantive provisions
designed to ensure the safety of employees represented by both unions, and
to limit the use of remote control to those operations currently existing."
For conference testimonies visit the (DOT) website at: http://dms.dot.gov/ Click on simple search
and enter Docket # 7325 (See
attached article from August 2000 Locomotive Engineer Newsletter).
- February
14, 2001 – The
Federal Railroad Administration publishes its Notice of Safety Advisory 2001-01 that establishes recommended
minimal guidelines for the operation of remote control locomotives. "FRA has limited data on which to
base an objective safety analysis and must therefore proceed
prudently" (FRA-2000-7325-37).
To view in its entirety: “Notice of Safety Advisory 2001-01”
visit the (DOT) website at: http://dms.dot.gov/
Click on simple search and enter Docket # 7325-37 (See
attached article from March 2001 Locomotive Engineer Newsletter)
- September
26, 2001 – UTU signs Letter of Intent
with class 1 railroads during the BLE 7th Quinquennial Convention. In an apparent move to pressure BLE
members to vote pro-UTU merger, Boyd signs the Letter of Intent allowing U.S.
class 1 railroads easy implementation of Remote Control Technology that
employs UTU trainmen, replacing Locomotive Engineers in yards and
terminals.
- January 23 & 24, 2002 –
BLE (UP) General Chairmen and International VP’s hold a Strategic Planning
Meeting to discuss joint safety concerns regarding Union
Pacific’s implementation of RCL technology. The BLE also meets (1-24-02)
with UP’s EVPO Dennis Duffy to discuss the BLE being omitted from the
required process of negotiations involving RCO. Discipline and other safety related
topics are also discussed. EVPO
Duffy agrees to bring the parties to Kansas
City to further discuss the BLE’s concerns.
- February 13 & 14, 2002 –
BLE (UP) General Chairmen and International VP’s meet with John Marchant Union Pacific Executive Vice President of
Labor Relations to discuss the RCO issue.
The General Chairmen’s suspicions were confirmed regarding UP’s
intentions on the use of RCO to eliminate the craft of Locomotive Engineer. EVPO Duffy does not attend meeting.
- April
19, 2002 – All 6 BLE (UP) General Committees of
Adjustment with I.D. support conduct an Informational Demonstration at the
Union Pacific Annual Shareholders Meeting in Salt
Lake City, Utah. During the demonstration, Union Pacific
President Ike Evans visits with BLE members. He also agrees to meet and discuss BLE
concerns over the implementation of RCO with the UP General Chairmen. The BLE begins the process of working
jointly with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) and receives
Teamsters support locally as well as nationally.
- April 24, 2002 – RCO
Incident – (UP) Yard – Des
Moines, IA *
- April 28, 2002 – RCO
Incident – (UP) Hinkle Yard – Hermiston, OR *
- May 15 & 16, 2002 – BLE
(UP) Joint GCA Strategic Planning Meeting.
The coalition of (UP) General Committees meet to start developing a
RCO Safety Awareness Campaign designed to inform the public, railroad
employees, (UP) shareholders and (UP) customers of the safety and the
operating inefficiencies which will be created by Union Pacific’s
irresponsible implementation of remote control yard operations.
- May
15, 2002 – All 6 BLE – General
Committees of Adjustment representing Engineers on the Union Pacific file
for injunctive relief in US 10th District Court (Denver, CO). Lawsuit seeks to
prohibit Union Pacific from operating remote controlled locomotives
because of safety
issues and training concerns for its employees and the general public (See
attached article from June 2002 Locomotive Engineer Newsletter).
- May 30, 2002 – RCO
Incident – (UP) Neff Yard – Kansas
City, MO *
- June
4, 2002 – BLE (UP) General Chairmen
along with BLE International President and VP’s meet with Ike Evans to
discuss Union Pacific’s implementation of remote control yard
operations. General Chairmen
present documentation to support that RCO reduces productivity, does not
meet customer expectations and creates safety issues. While General Chairmen met with Ike Evans
in Omaha, an
Informational Demonstration was conducted in Kansas
City, Missouri to
educate and to inform the public of the safety issues and the operating
inefficiencies associated with RCO.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters supports and inspires
the BLE with their presence.
- June 9, 2002 – RCO
Incident – (UP) Hinkle Yard – Hermiston, OR *
- June
11, 2002 – Houston, Texas –
Informational Demonstration. This
Public Safety Informational Demonstration was organized and supported by
BLE (UP) General Committees, the TX State Legislative Board, the BLE I.D.,
along with support from Teamsters and other Texas State AFL-CIO Affiliated
Unions. This event was well covered
by local media (radio, newspaper and television).
- June
25, 2002 – North
Little Rock, Arkansas –
Informational Demonstration. This
Public Safety Informational Demonstration was organized and supported by
BLE (UP) General Committees, the AR State Legislative Board and the BLE
I.D. Local and General Committee
BLE members developed and ran a “Public Safety” radio ad. Local BLE members in Pine
Bluff place an ad in the Pine Bluff COMMERCIAL displaying a
copy of our Public Safety Advisory flyer, that
warns the public of the potential dangers associated with remote control
yard operations. This BLE event
receives support from the Teamsters and other Arkansas AFL-CIO Affiliated
Unions. The informational
demonstration was well covered by local media (radio, newspaper and
television). (Radio
Spot).
- July
23, 2002 – Kennewick, WA
(IWC) – Rally & Informational Demonstration. BLE runs a “Public Safety” radio ad and
General Chairmen Dennis Pierce
(BNSF) and Tim Donnigan (UPRR) are interviewed on local morning live
radio. The BLE International,
General Committees from the UPRR & BNSF and State Legislative Boards
supported and participated in this joint effort. Teamsters’ Joint Council 28 and IBT
Local 174 in Seattle, WA
provided us with their show truck and participation. (Radio
Spot)
- August
6, 2002 – Saint
Paul, Minnesota –
Rally & Informational Demonstration.
BLE (UP) General Committees, State Legislative Boards and the BLE
I.D. organized this Rally & Public Safety Informational Demonstration
in conjunction with the annual meeting of the BLE State Legislative Board
Chairmen. The coordinated effort
paved the way to more effective measurers in response to RCO. This joint effort has been successful at
various locations, such as Baton
Rouge, Detroit, Shreveport and Marysville, by working with City Councils to pass (RCO) Safety Resolutions
designed to protect public and employees’ safety (See
attached Article from December 20, 2002 BLE News Flash). On Sunday August 4th
UP General Committees and State Legislative Boards placed an ad in the
St. Paul
“Pioneer Press” displaying a copy of our Public Safety Advisory flyer,
warning the public of the potential dangers associated with remote control
yard operations. Teamsters’ Joint Council 32 and IBT Twin City Locals
provided us with their Show Truck and participation.
- August
22, 2002 – Sacramento, CA –
Informational Demonstration. This
Public Safety Informational Demonstration was organized and supported by
BLE (UP) General Committees, CA State Legislative Board and the BLE
I.D. BLE members circulated Public
Safety Advisory flyers several days in advance of the demonstration to
commuter passengers in Northern California
warning them of the potential dangers associated with RCO. Teamsters and AFL-CIO Affiliated Unions (Northern CA)
joined the BLE. This event was well
covered by local media (radio, newspaper and television).
- September
25, 2002 – Fort
Worth, Texas
(SWCM) – Rally & Informational Demonstration. This Public Safety Informational Demonstration
was organized and supported by BLE (BNSF) (KCS) & (UP) General
Committees, TX & LA State Legislative Boards and the BLE I.D. Teamsters as well as Texas State AFL-CIO
Affiliated Unions joined the BLE.
This event was well covered by local media (radio, newspaper and
television).
- October
7, 2002 –
Labor Day Weekend – UP General Committees sponsor
a Public Safety radio ad on WHO-AM radio in Des
Moines, IA to
inform the citizens of Des Moines of
the potential dangers associated with remote control yard operations (Radio
Spot).
- October
16, 2002 –
Judge Gotschall rules remote control operators (RCOs) are not allowed to effectuate yard movements via remote control
while inside the locomotive cab. Part of the order mandated that the rail
carrier’s issue written instructions to RCOs to
that effect.
- November 18 and 19, 2002 – Chicago, Illinois - Remote Control
Arbitration Hearing held to supplement the written record before the Board
in Case No. 1 of Special Board of Adjustment (SBA) No. 1141, Chairman and
Neutral Member Gil Vernon presiding.
The Board of Arbitration included the National Carriers’ Conference
Committee (NCCC) (Robert Allen), UTU (Byron Boyd) and BLE (Don Hahs). Oral arguments were conducted by
designated legal counsel along with statements presented by industry and
BLE representatives.
- December
18, 2002 – San
Antonio, Texas –
Information Demonstration. This Public Safety Informational Demonstration
was organized and supported by BLE (UP) General Committees, TX State
Legislative Board and the BLE I.D.
The BLE runs a “Public Safety” radio ad warning the citizens of San
Antonio of Union Pacific’s plan to implement remote control yard
operations in San Antonio (Radio
Spot). BLE members handout “Public
Safety Advisory” tri-folds which inform San
Antonio residents of RCO related
safety issues and also provides them with contact information should they
wish to notify their elected representatives and inform them of their RCO
related safety concerns. Teamsters,
TX State AFL-CIO and Central Labor Council Affiliated Unions joined the
BLE. This event was well covered by
local media (radio, newspaper and television). Click Here to view
video
- January 10, 2003 – Neutral Vernon issues Award No. 1 of SBA
1141, deciding in favor of the NCCC/UTU position with respect to
implementation of RCO in yards and terminals, paving the way for an
accelerated process of eliminating locomotive engineers from yard
service.
* Known RCO related incidents. Carriers have proven to be highly secretive
about RCO accidents in and around terminals, withholding details from employees
and public alike. Pictures of RCO
related accidents described in this Chronology can be viewed at our RCO
websites.