Amtrak Blet Union Contract 2018
These changes bring us into line with the updated timelines of the Order in Council for federal contractors. We appreciate your continued commitment to achieving a 100% vaccination rate. When asked to comment on the union lawsuit, Amtrak Railway Age said it would “review the filing and respond accordingly.” The lawsuit, filed Nov. 23 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, East Division, is similar to BLET and SMART-TD`s lawsuits against Union Pacific (UP), Norfolk Southern (NS) and BNSF, the unions said. “I think we`ve finished the contract pretty well,” said Bill Zeller, a 10-year BMWED member who works on the construction and bridge team at Union Station in Washington, D.C. In April, Amtrak contracts were ratified for members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Railway Workers (BLET) and the Brotherhood of Track Maintenance Employees (BMWED). • Employees must provide at least proof of vaccination by December. 8.”• Employees who have not provided proof of vaccination before 8 December may remain on duty until 4 January 2022. However, these employees will receive a notification letter stating that they are not complying with the vaccination mandate and the policy of proving all required vaccines by January 4, 2022. “• Employees who do not provide proof that they received their last vaccine before January 4, 2022 will be considered negligent (in violation of Amtrak`s policy) – the termination process begins immediately.” • Employees who have been properly accommodated will be transferred to January 4, 2022. • Amtrak will release a revised service plan by mid-December based on our vaccination rate then in effect. The Company continues to prepare for the possibility that a number of employees may choose not to be vaccinated and therefore leave the Company, which may require temporary reductions in Amtrak service.
• All “Red Badge” contractors must also fulfill the vaccination mandate of the Federal Decree by January 4, 2022. “This contract protects the working rules under which our Amtrak members work, while limiting their health care dues and offering actual salary increases,” said Dennis Pierce, President of the LTIP. “Throughout the pandemic, Amtrak has consistently used federal guidelines and public health expertise to shape its immunization policy. Now that Amtrak is subject to the Biden administration`s vaccination mandate in the Executive Order for Federal Contractors, we continue to adjust our policies to ensure compliance. As a result of recent changes to this Order, we continue to adjust our policy to reflect the fact that, while the deadline to obtain at least one dose remains December 8, 2021, enforcement of the Non-Compliance Act will now begin on January 4, 2022. A new member, Ray Crowder, has been part of the union and Amtrak for nine months, but he has already received much praise for the experience. “I love working here,” Crowder said. Another engineer, Stephen Johnson, said: “I am pleased that we have the services, support and rights that come with being a union. The day after the ballots were counted, several engineers talked about the contract and their union at Union Station in Washington, D.C., one of Amtrak`s busiest locations. “I think the contract is fair,” said Jerone Hodges, a 17-year-old member who originally worked for Norfolk Southern. “Job security and health care are very good.” Also in April, BMWED members ratified their new contract at Amtrak with an overwhelming 95% majority.
BMWED members build and maintain railway and related structures throughout the national network. Amtrak CEO William J. Flynn released an updated vaccination mandate to all employees on November 22 (see below). By a majority of more than 9 to 1, BLT members ratified their new collective agreement with Amtrak. The final tally was 90.5% for and 9.5% against, with nearly 65% of eligible members voting. “Our bargaining committee worked hard to reach this new agreement that resolved the dispute over wages, benefits and labour rules that began on January 2, 2015. The new agreement, which expires on December 31, 2021, ensures that our members see wage increases and that their health care is protected,” said Mr. Simpson. “Given the stalemate in our previous collective bargaining with Amtrak prior to the conclusion of the 2017 National Transportation Agreement and the exorbitant health care costs proposed by the airline at the time, it is clear that this agreement represents a significant improvement in overall wage increases and workers` health contributions over the life of the agreement.
without expiring the existing work rules,” said Mark Kenny, LTIP General President for Amtrak. “The agreement protects wages from expected inflation and preserves the health plan, but it has been particularly difficult to achieve this because the process is politically led by some of the most anti-working class forces that have ever held political office,” said Jed Dodd, chairman of the BMWED Amtrak bargaining committee and general president of the Pennsylvania Federation. “Overall, we have protected members from the vicious and ongoing attack that Amtrak management has continued for most of the round of negotiations,” said Freddie Simpson, president of BMWED`s national division and teamsters` international vice president. Their position: “that Amtrak does not have the authority to unilaterally implement and enforce a COVID vaccination mandate among its employees, and that its actions to avoid negotiating the terms of implementation violate the status quo requirement of the Railway Labour Act and thus trigger a major conflict.” “Our Amtrak team has made significant progress in vaccinating against COVID-19. To date, 88.2% of all employees and 94% of employees expected to be available for service in December have received at least one vaccine. We are grateful to everyone who took the vaccine and met our needs in a timely manner. BMWED expects the new wage rates and retro-wages to take effect by the end of June. “Thank you for your continued support in protecting yourself and everyone around us. » COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate Update – Application deadline by federal contractors extended to January 4, 2022 The agreement applies to more than 1,400 locomotive engineers who operate Amtrak`s passenger and commuter trains through its 21,000-mile, 46-state rail network. Hodges and Johnson are members of BLET Division 482 in Washington, D.C. “Union leaders put members` lives at risk,” by Frank N. Wilner, Associate Editor of Railway Age Capitol Hill In a joint statement, BLET National President Dennis Pierce and SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson said, Among other things: “Amtrak has asked all employees to provide evidence by December 8: 2021, that they have received at least one vaccine, and by 4.
January 2022, provide proof that they have received their last vaccine or that they are subject to dismissal. Amtrak must deal directly with its employees instead of negotiating with us about its unilateral mandate. “Sincerely,” “Bill Flynn,” Amtrak CEO “If you have any further questions about the vaccine or mandate, please send an email. or call the Amtrak vaccine helpline. and select Option.. In an increasingly difficult political environment for collective bargaining, this agreement protects labour rules, is not arrogant towards members in the form of sharing the costs of health insurance and provides for modest but constant wage increases. He also avoided additional mediation and/or possible emergency presidential counsel, as well as a repeat of binding arbitration that settled the last round of negotiations with Amtrak in 2014. “Therefore, we are making the following updates to our immunization mandate policy: […].