Today, there are five major carriers, giving rail companies as much leverage as they've ever had, according to Thompson, UTU president who attended a union regional meeting in Kansas City last week.

That is one reason why Thompson urged the union's membership to ratify an agreement announced last week to merge with the Sheet Metal Workers International Union.

The merger, if approved, would form a 230,000-member organization called the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, or SMART.

Based in Cleveland, the UTU has about 80,000 members, with about 46,000 in the rail industry.

"I ask you to support this merger," Thompson said to a few hundred UTU representatives during an address at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center hotel. "It is in the best interest of yourself and your membership."

Thompson said a merger with the Sheet Metal Workers would give the country's biggest rail union more bargaining strength. The UTU's contract talks with the major railroads remain at a standstill.

Thompson said he expected it to remain that way until a coalition of rail unions completes voting on whether to accept a tentative agreement reached in March.

One of the unions voting on the tentative pact is the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, which has had an acrimonious relationship with the UTU for many years. Mail-in ballots for the BLET were due Saturday, and the union said results will be announced shortly.

Thompson said it was possible that the big railroads will seek a pattern bargaining agreement with the UTU if the rail unions in the coalition approve their contracts. If the union declares an impasse with the National Mediation Board, that could lead to the formation of a presidential emergency board that would recommend provisions for a new contract.

"We may force this thing to a PEB," said Thompson, who is from the Kansas City area. "This thing has been dragging on for too long."

In addition to more bargaining leverage, a merger with the Sheet Metal Workers would create a stronger labor group financially, said Thompson, who said he plans to retire at the end of the year before any merger takes effect in January. UTU members would gain access to the Sheet Metal Workers union's training facilities around the country as well as its union halls.

The merged union would have a transportation division that would elect its own officers.

"They did not take us over, but gave us equal rights," Thompson said.