Michael D. Priester
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen
1400 East Pugh Dr.
Terra Haute IN 47802
RE: BLE Tentative agreement discussion (VFW Cottage Grove Minn
3/27/04)
Dear Sir and Brother;
As a trainman in the newly formed BLET member of the rail conference
under the umbrella of the Teamsters I came to this meeting to observe what
was being offered to the Engineers. I came with an eye as to how I could go
about recruiting new trainmen with the hopes that someday BLET would be
handling the trainman's contract on this property. After years of fighting
with the UTU the BLE finally took a step towards STRENGTH & POWER by merging
with the TEAMSTERS-creating "a seamless transportation union" as stated by
IBT president James Hoffa. This was not only done on the CPRS property, but
across the whole country & Canada as well.
I'm quite sure CPRS saw this movement towards growing strenth & is now
out to "nip it in the bud" before large numbers of UTU members jumped ship &
joined the BLET in the hopes of bettering their lives also.
One didn't have to look very far into this new proposal to see that it
was written on TOILET PAPER & that CPRS is not going to offer this newly
formed organization anything but CRAP. Mr Priester-for you & V.P. McPherson
to bring this contract to a vote & state that this is the best offer after
20 meetings with the company reveals pure and total INCOMPETANCE on your
parts.
We merged with the Teamsters to gain strength and to use Teamster
resources so as to negotiate and secure stronger contracts-DID YOU GO TO THE
IBT and state "hey we just merged with you and now the railroad is handing
us crap and WE NEED YOUR HELP!"? Apparently no-this was only presented to
the membership and most feel that you two were actually promoting it! And
when a question was brought up concerning a certain issue you tended to
argue with the member until the other members would create an uproar. Then
you guys would change colors like chamelions and seem to side with the
member in some manner and assure him that he could always vote "no". To be
explaining the the many issues with this contract is one thing but to be
promoting this crap is unconsciounalbe for union officers.
If you really don't want to hear the objections of your membership read
no further; but here is the long and short of what I heard in the room that
day. "NO to copays...NO on side letter 18 {editor's note; making it
possible for the carrier to annull extra men's whole one day off a
week}...NO on 'trick rates' {editor's note; CPRS supplied NO hard and fast
numbers on these and wants the engineers to buy that horse sight
unseen!}...NO on this...NO on that..." And even "NO!" from stockholding
engineers who do everything they can out there to get the trains over the
road in a safe and fuel efficient manner.
Hopefully this "April Fool's Day joke four days early" of contract will
get voted DOWN! Before you go back to the drawing board you could GO TO THE
TEAMSTERS & get SOME EDUCATION AND TRAINING and maybe even some Teamster
experts. Otherwise we might as well pull out of the IBT-what with all their
expertise and resources sitting there unutilized anyhow- and JOIN THE GIRL
SCOUTS! CPRS has not wanted to be in national handling for over two decades
now except to where national agreements benefit them. Then they scream
"pattern" and demand that because Johnny Jones in the national jumped off a
cliff then we must do so also. BS! This is a BLET/CPRS contract and maybe
a good place to start to STOP the destruction of the rail worker in this
country! We cannot do it alone, and unless you and Mr. McPherson are
willing to do what must be done you should either resign or figure on being
replaced at the earliest opportunity.
Fraternally,
D.A. Heath
BLET # 357
CC:Mcpherson, LC Kepka, Hahs, Hoffa, members
PS. And as far as "pattern bargaining" goes; isn't that union that started
the pattern (UTU) under RICO indictment? Haven't some of UTU's top leaders
already been convicted with more indictments said to be coming? And aren't
once good railroad jobs across the country being devalued to the point where
almost nobody will do them... all on account of this never relenting
CORPORATE GREED? Time to take a stand and this is the time and this is the
place!
1:27:12 PM 
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