Resolution Supporting Merger Talks
With the United Steelworkers of
WHEREAS,
given the massive assault by organized management on the labor agreements,
rights, wages, benefits and working
conditions of members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees (BMWE)
which clearly indicate the need for greater power and assistance to continue to
advance the interests of the membership of the BMWE; and
WHEREAS,
the declining membership of the BMWE coupled with the rising costs of services
being provided by the BMWE to the membership have made it increasingly
difficult to continue to maintain its operations without either substantially
raising dues or cutting services; and
WHEREAS,
the delegates to the last two Grand Lodge Conventions have passed resolutions
supporting a merger of the BMWE with another labor organization; and
WHEREAS,
the recent attempts to merge the BMWE with the International Brotherhood of
Boilermakers twice failed a membership ratification; and
WHEREAS,
talks initially began with the United Steelworkers of America (USWA) and were
tabled while the IBB merger process was pursued; and
WHEREAS,
USWA President Leo Girard wrote to BMWE President Fleming on December 19, 2002
to again offer to engage in merger discussions and in his letter he initially
offered to join with us the collective power of one million active and retired
members to advance the interests of the membership of the BMWE, a framework to
accommodate the current structure of the BMWE, a separate Division with the
USWA with leadership selected by the BMWE members of the Division, and an
ability to control costs and maintain services using the substantial resources
of the USWA; and
WHEREAS,
we have a moral obligation both to the USWA to expend just as much time and
energy that we did with the IBB seeing how we have already expressed a merger
interest and began and tabled discussions earlier with them. We also have a moral obligation to our
membership to attempt to pursue these discussions to obtain the best possible
agreement that will provide representational services to the membership, self
determination and provide the power to maintain and advance the material
interests of the membership at the contract table and in the halls of
government;
THEREFORE
BE IT RESOLVED : that the Pennsylvania Federation BMWE Joint Protective Board
urge the Grand Lodge President and the Grand Lodge Officers to establish a new
merge committee which contain BMWE General Chairmen who were supporters of the
failed merger attempt with the IBB, BMWE General Chairmen who were opponents of
the failed merger attempt with the IBB, rank and file members who were
supporters and opponents of the failed merger attempt with the IBB and
sufficient staff and resources to be assigned by Grand Lodge to ensure that the
discussions are properly supported to immediately meet and begin merger
discussions with the USWA; and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED: that when it is determined that the best possible
agreement has been obtained with the USWA, that this agreement be mailed to the
membership of the BMWE for an eventual ratification vote of the membership
after a period of debate and education regarding the agreement; and
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED: that this resolution be forwarded to the BMWE Grand Lodge
President, copied to the Grand Lodge officers, General Chairmen and System
Officers and generally disseminated to the membership of the BMWE.
Adopted
Unanimously at
Brotherhood
of Maintenance of Way Employees