W&LE workers reaffirm UTU
BREWSTER, Ohio ­ Workers on the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway have reaffirmed the UTU as their bargaining representative in a close representation vote, according to the National Mediation Board.

The members of Local 693 at Brewster, Ohio, chose the UTU over a group identifying itself as the Customer Service/Crew Dispatcher Steering Committee that sought UTU decertification.

UTU International President Byron A. Boyd, Jr., congratulated and recognized the efforts of General Chairperson Jerry Fortune (GO-WLE), who played a key role in the representation election.

"Without Jerry's dedication to the UTU and its membership on the W&LE, a victory would have been harder to come by," Boyd said. "The workers there know that they come first in Jerry's heart, and they take solace in knowing that both he and the UTU stand behind them in all issues regarding their employment."

According to UTU Director of Strategic Planning John Nadalin, a combination of factors led to the representation election.

"We believe the movement to decertify was precipitated by both the length of time it took to negotiate an agreement with the carrier and by certain clerks having a close relationship with company officers," Nadalin said.

The W&LE, a Class II railroad, includes 800 miles of track running from Bellevue, Ohio, to Hagerstown, Maryland, and connects with CSXT, Norfolk Southern and a number of short-line railroads. The carrier manages a $11.2-million intermodal facility near Canton, Ohio.

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