July 27, 2009

The ballots have been cast, the votes have been counted, the membership has decided....

The Proposal Passes

Following are the official results certified by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) in connection with votes cast on the recent tentative special agreement. This proposal was negotiated to raise the foreman rate of pay, provide more money to members who are required to obtain a Commercial Drivers License (CDL), improve the 65-cent incentive allowance and increase the travel money for members in production gangs.

BALLOTS MAILED
BALLOTS RETURNED
PERCENT RETURNED
VOTES FOR
VOTES AGAINST
VOIDED or SPOILED*
1736
694
39.9%
442
252
11

* In voting, a ballot is considered to be spoilt, void, or null if it is regarded by the election authorities to be invalid and thus not included in the tally during vote counting.

Effective August 1st, 2009, the proposal will be implemented on both the Amtrak Corridor and Off-Corridor properties.


The foundation of a democratic union is its membership, the cornerstone being rank and file voting. Union members ought to have the right to cast ballots on issues that impact their lives and livelihoods. Unfortunately not all labor unions support this fundamental right. In fact, many of the BMWED-IBT Systems, Divisions, and Federations throughout the nation do not provide their members an opportunity to participate in the process.

The Pennsylvania Federation insists on always having the voice of the membership heard. Whether you supported or opposed the proposal, the Pennsylvania Federation protects our core democratic principles bringing this important question to be decided by those who will work under its proposed terms.


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© 2009 Pennsylvania Federation BMWED-IBT