As expected, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers is throwing all kinds of chaff into the air. But this weak flak is failing to hit any target and our "Operating Unity Initiative" is going strong.

BLE President Clarence Monin and his hallelujah choir are crying that the heavens will fall if locomotive engineers unify with the other operating crafts.

Rarely has Chicken Little done so little for his flock. Rather than thinking that the sky is falling, the BLE’s "Chicken Little" should lift his eyes and see that the creation of a single, mighty operating rail union means a better day for all.

Since 1969, when the UTU was founded, the BLE has thumbed its nose at operating unity on the railroads. Now, when unity among operating rail labor is needed more than at any other time in our proud history because of technology and mergers, the BLE thumbs its nose again at closing ranks with its natural, historical allies and crew mates, conductors, brakemen and switchmen on the nation’s railroads.

Instead, it goes running to the non-ops at the rail labor division of AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) to pass a resolution condemning the UTU for wanting you to have the right to vote. The National Mediation Board will make that decision.

Something seems out of place here. On the one hand, the BLE is now jumping behind the convenient battle cry of union solidarity, when on the other it has hamstrung operating rail solidarity for 29 years for its own self-interests. And is the BLE now taking orders from the TTD rail labor division? Is it taking orders from them regarding the Conrail sale and putting BLE members’ jobs at serious risk when the merger takes place?

The UTU is the only operating rail union that has a double guarantee to preserve historical craft autonomy. It is guaranteed under the Unification Agreement and UTU Constitution. It is a pledge we reaffirm to all locomotive engineers (including firemen and hostlers), conductors, brakemen and switchmen. The UTU also guarantees that seniority rosters for each craft – locomotive engineer (including hostlers and firemen), conductors, brakemen and switchmen – will not be commingled.

Some of the BLE chaff says we seek to eliminate the position of locomotive engineer. That’s pure bull-chaff. Many of our top International officers hold seniority as locomotive engineers. Historical craft autonomy will continue unchanged as stated in the UTU Constitution to protect existing employment and voting rights.

The BLE’s history of selling out conductors, brakemen and switchmen so that engineers will be the only operating employees left standing on the railroads in the 21st Century is legend. We are committed to ensuring that operating employees in engine, train and yard service survive and prosper well into the 21st Century.