UTU Local 426 Archived News.
6/29/07
united transportation union
GENERAL COMMITTEE of ADJUSTMENT
GO-386
Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Railroad and Montana Western Railroad
|
Of Counsel M. M. WINTER G.O. HARTSOCK |
June 29, 2007 |
|
Open Letter |
Re: Securing Trains, Engines and Cars |
Operating Members:
IN recent weeks a number of incidents have been brought to the
attention of this office involving rules violations and resulting
investigations or discipline concerning the above reference.
The most notable involved a C&S yard crew involved in the Rennix
yard incident. In that incident operating employees narrowly escaped
serious injury or death.
Regardless of the personal knowledge an employee may have of the
terrain in which they operate, there are specific requirements to
secure trains, engines and cars by hand brake application.
I earnestly request and encourage all operating members of this
Committee to review and comply with the requirements. If in any
doubt, inquire of a supervisor and request written instructions to
be issued if none now exist for your respective assignments or if
the existing instructions are not clear.
If in doubt secure such equipment using more brakes than you believe
necessary. That is not to imply, apply all available brakes.
Confirm with your respective engineers that brakes have been set on
the engine consist.
This request is first and foremost for your benefit as well as
trying to minimize incidents, injuries and potential disciplinary
actions.
With best wishes, I am,
Yours truly,
/s/J.D. Fitzgerald
General Chairman
JDF/aas
cc: GO-386 Local Chairperson (Please Post)
6/27/07
united transportation union
GENERAL COMMITTEE of ADJUSTMENT
GO-386
Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Railroad and Montana Western Railroad
|
Of Counsel M. M. WINTER G.O. HARTSOCK |
June 27, 2007 |
|
J.J. Fleps |
Re: Fleps Letter of June 25, 2007 |
Dear Mr. Fleps:
In reviewing your response, it is evident you missed the major point
of my correspondence.
BNSF’s action of lobbying operating employees and UTU officers has
caused disruption of rest and is otherwise generating antagonism for
employees going on duty or coming off duty.
You further premise, my actions would make “things” worse for my
members. On the contrary, without correction to the issues included
in HR2095, the members “things” can’t get much worse. BNSF has been
the moving party in all “ID” operations under this jurisdiction, not
the operating employees or their representatives. The employees and
representatives have merely attempted to make the best of a poor
situation.
Lastly, while I stated I support the legislation (HR2095), I did not
express what my comments may or may not have included, so I fail to
see how you could express confusion with regard to my position, you
don’t know my whole position on HR2905. While you and BNSF may be
satisfied with some improvement, I am not.
With best wishes, I am,
Yours truly,
/s/J.D. Fitzgerald
General Chairman
cc: GO-386 Local Chairmen
J.M. Brunkenhoefer
J.A. Stem Jr
P.C. Thompson
M.K. Rose
C.R. Ice
G.C. Fox
|
John J. Fleps |
BNSF Railway Company |
|
J. D. Fitzgerald |
Dear John,
Thanks for your letter of June 22, 2007 regarding the House rail
safety bill.
As you know, John, the focus of our efforts to inform our people of
what’s at stake here is on the limbo times provision. As with you,
we fully respect your right to hold a different point of view.
However, knowing your general inclination to think independently,
I’m a little surprised you’d so fully tow the party tine in this
Instance since it means supporting measures which have no real
safety benefit and which would plainly make things worse for our
employees — your members — who now work ID runs or mereLy wish to
deadhead home in shorter order. And, as reflected by the dearth of
complaints we’ve had from you on this, the actual limbo time
situation at BNSF has improved a whole lot.
Anyway, John, for our part, we will continue to put out the truth.
Yours truly,
/s/John Fleps
cc: Mall Rose
Carl Ice
Greg Fox
Amy Hawkins
Milton Siegele
united transportation union
GENERAL COMMITTEE of ADJUSTMENT
GO-386
Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Railroad and Montana Western Railroad
|
Of Counsel M. M. WINTER G.O. HARTSOCK |
June 22, 2007 |
|
J.J. Fleps |
Re: HR2095 |
Dear Mr. Fleps:
In regard to the above referenced legislative action, I have been
advised by a number of this Committee’s officers that they have
received calls at home from BSNF officials seeking their opposition
to HR2095. In addition, you have placed an open letter to all BNSF
employees at on duty locations and on your dubious web site.
While any person is entitled to First Amendment rights of freedom of
speech and expression, I question the propriety of bringing this
issue to employees either going on or off duty as well as
interrupting their rest at home.
I can further understand your concern as well as that of other BNSF
officers of your status or above with regard to that legislation.
The easiest solution is not to try and disrupt legislative action
directed at public and worker safety, but instead directing your
energies and monies to correcting the problems that exist which
dictate the need for legislative action such as HR2095, among other
issues.
The evident lobbying on the property merely demonstrates BNSF’s lack
of ability to address necessary issues.
No response is necessary since I already support HR2095 and have so
advised my House and Senate representatives.
Sincerely,
/s/J.D. Fitzgerald
General Chairman
cc: All GO-386 Local Chairpersons
J.M. Brunkenhoefer
J.A. Stem Jr
P.C. Thompson
M.K. Rose
C.R. Ice
6/25/07
GENERAL COMMITFEE of
ADJUSTMENT GO-386
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, Montana Western Railroad,
Colorado and Southern Railroad and Portland and Puget Sound Railroad
Of Counsel
M. M. WINTER
G.O. HARTSOCK
June 21, 2007
All Local Chairmen
UTU General Committee 386
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway
Re: “Fair Warning” to Operating Ground Crews –
Open Letter
Gentlemen:
In regard to the above reference, the “fair warning” concerns ground
service employees and their responsibilities during hours of
service.
I am fully aware of problems concerning line-ups and attendance. I
have also been made equally aware of the potential problems facing
operating ground crews. Problems mean more than one, but they are
associated.
When an operating Conductor, Brakeman or Yardman, under this
Committees jurisdiction, is called for service as a groundman, that
employee should not, except in extreme emergency, operate any
locomotive. This applies whether that employee is certified or not.
An extreme emergency would be a situation where the engineer is
incapacitated or it is necessary to get medical or other assistance
and to do so would require moving to another location.
Hand in hand with the above, I have been made aware of employees, on
both sides of the locomotive cab, not maintaining levels of
alertness necessary to ensure a safe work environment. I can
certainly relate to banging my head against the window due to long
hours and short calls, however, purposeful lack of alertness cannot
be condoned.
We cannot defend a situation wherein an operating employee purposely
goes to sleep or otherwise diverts his/her attention from the
responsible duties. I do not believe the above issues are wide
spread and this missive should not be considered as a criticism.
My sole purpose is to provide the members of this Committee with
concerns that can potentially lead to disciplinary actions by
management, or worse, potential operating incidents that could lead
to injury or fatalities.
I ask that this message be given to each and every operating
employee who is a member of this Committee. It is important that all
perform their duties in a responsible manner.
With best wishes, I am,
Yours truly,
/s/J.D. Fitzgerald
General Chairman
6/1/07
PASCO RAILROAD DEDICATION CEREMONY
PASCO, WA -- For the past few
weeks two brothers have been working hard towards their Eagle Scout
Project. They have built a railroad memorial monument at the City
View Cemetery located off Oregon Avenue in Pasco. Organizers said
that many of the people who are buried in this cemetery worked on
the railroad. There was a dedication ceremony on Monday afternoon
for Todd and Caleb Shannon, both high school students from
Kennewick. The two teens have been working on the dedication for
over a month. Caleb Shannon said, "When people come over and they
know people that have worked on the railroad and they are buried
here they can realize that we remember what they've done."
The project was a team effort from
their troop, the community, their parents and the city of Pasco.
Many of the material and supplies involved in the monument were
donated from a number of local businesses. The brothers said they
divided the project in half. Todd worked on cleaning up this area
and planting the flowers and shrubs, while Caleb worked on the
pathway. - KNDO-TV, Yakima, WA