'War chest' being raised to battle BLE

'War chest' being raised to battle BLE
Funds also designated for local education & training, convention
Griffeth resigns as GS&T effective Sept. 1

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (August 27) - The delegates attending the 8th Quadrennial UTU Convention here voted to raise funds for local education and training -- and to raise a special "war chest" to take on the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) in representation elections on North America's railroads.

On Thursday morning, International President Charles L. Little urged the delegates to send a strong message to the BLE by voting in favor of a $5 dues increase. The measure passed by a two-thirds vote after Little's speech and a spirited debate. The UTU's International dues are still 20 percent less than those of the BLE.

Little and Assistant President Byron A. Boyd, Jr., both pledged that there would not be another dues increase during the next four years. Three dollars will be used in the BLE representation campaign, $1 will be used for new education-and-training programs at the local level, and $1 will go to the convention fund, which is the first time since 1969 that funds are being raised for this purpose.

Roger D. Griffeth, UTU General Secretary & Treasurer resigned from office effective September 1. In his speech to delegates announcing his decision, Griffeth said he wanted to promote unity within the UTU so the union can take on the BLE in a united front. Paul W. Thompson, GS&T-elect, will take over those duties on September 1.

In his speech to the delegates, Little stressed UTU unity and commitment to representing all historical operating crafts.

"Brothers and Sisters, on Monday you sent the strongest message possible to the BLE by re-electing Byron and me, and electing Paul Thompson in landslide numbers," Little said. "Now, I ask you to complete that message by voting for this dues increase so we can beat the BLE on the Union Pacific and every other railroad in North America."

Little told the delegates that "I would not ask for this dues increase unless we absolutely needed it. Well, we need it, and let me tell you why. Our union is financially strong and stable, and I intend to keep it that way. To do that we need to make sure our funds are not depleted during our fight-to-the-finish with the BLE. We need to build a special war chest that we can use after we win the representation vote on the Union Pacific for votes on other carriers."

Little continued: "The BLE only has about $12 million today, and their worst fear is that we will raise more money at this convention to beat them. I say let the BLE's worst fears be realized. I can assure you that by voting for this dues increase, the BLE will hear how loudly the UTU's money talks."

Little also pointed out that the UTU may have to battle some carriers when representation elections are held who would like no union whatsoever.

"There's one more very important thing you need to know," Little said. "Don't just think that we will be fighting the BLE in a representation election. We will probably be fighting some of the railroads who see this as an opportunity to get rid of both the UTU and BLE. They could spend millions in an anti-union campaign to make sure union members don't vote and don't have representation.

"We need to get 50 percent of the vote -- plus one -- in every representation vote on every carrier or there will be no union. That's the law as set forth by the National Mediation Board."

When asked if the UTU would re-enter "friendly" merger talks with the BLE, Little said, "As far as a friendly merger with the BLE, who the hell over there can you trust?"

Little said that if the National Mediation Board (NMB) action is not successful that the UTU intends to begin an "A" card campaign.

"If we are not successful at the NMB," Little said, "we will take on the BLE on the Union Pacific Railroad anyway. We have more engineers on the UP than they do. That's going to be our first target. After that we'll do a few carriers at a time."

The convention concludes today.