| WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A legislative provision to shift remote control jobs from ground service employees to locomotive engineers -- and cause those ground-service employees to become unemployed -- is expected to be introduced in Congress Wednesday, March 24, at the request of the BLE.
The legislation, in the form of an amendment, is expected to be offered before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The amendment is to H.R. 3550, a highway construction bill. The amendment is expected to be offered by Rep. Mike Capuano (D-Mass.)
"This carefully crafted amendment would require "operators of remotely controlled locomotives to receive the same type and level of training and oversight as operators of locomotives not operated remotely," said UTU National Legislative Director James Brunkenhoefer.
"This means all remote control operators would be locomotive engineers," Brunkenhoefer said. "Previous efforts by the BLE to encourage resolutions at local government levels to ban remote control operations had no more effect than shooting blanks, because only the Federal Railroad Administration has authority to regulate remote control operations. But this legislation to limit remote control operations to certified locomotive engineers is a real bullet aimed at UTU members and their families," Brunkenhoefer said.
UTU President Paul Thompson said, "The impact of this legislation, if it were passed by Congress, would be to put ground-service employees in the unemployment line without health-care benefits. When the UTU negotiated its remote control agreement with the carriers, a key element was to protect all members of all crafts. The history of the UTU is one of protecting all crafts and it is painful to see the other organization supporting legislation that would benefit one craft at the exclusion of the other."
Brunkenhoefer said the UTU would oppose this amendment with every ounce of its strength and urged UTU members, their families and retirees to telephone Rep. Capuano and urge him, in a polite fashion, to withdraw it.
Rep. Mike Capuano of Massachusetts may be reached by calling (202) 225-5111. | 
