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Freight Railroads Welcome Opportunity to Continue Negotiations

While NMB Weighs Releasing Carriers from Mediation with Teamsters’ Coalition
WASHINGTON – January 6, 2006 – The National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC) said today it welcomed the opportunity to continue negotiations with the seven-member union coalition led by the Teamsters after the National Mediation Board (NMB) scheduled additional meetings between the two sides.

Last month, the NCCC asked the Mediation Board to release the freight railroads from mediation with the Teamsters’ Rail Labor Bargaining Coalition, citing “no discernible progress” toward reaching voluntary agreements. The NMB has not yet taken formal action on the railroads’ applications for release, while the mediator assigned to the parties on Wednesday scheduled additional sessions in January and February.

“We welcome the opportunity to continue negotiations while the NMB considers our request for release,” Robert F. Allen, chairman of the NCCC, said. “Though vast differences remain between us on virtually every major issue, the railroads remain committed to reaching voluntary agreements with all the unions.”

“We hope that these additional sessions and our pending request for release will motivate the unions to take a more serious look at these important issues,” Allen said.

The NCCC had filed applications with the NMB on June 10 for mediation with the Teamsters’ Rail Labor Bargaining Coalition, whose seven members include the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes.

The railroads are continuing negotiations with the United Transportation Union under the auspices of the NMB and are also bargaining with four other rail unions.

The National Carriers’ Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference, headquartered in Washington, DC, is the national bargaining agent for 32 railroads, including all of the nation’s major freight carriers, involved in the current round of bargaining with 13 major rail unions. Employees covered in the current round include more than 90 percent of unionized freight rail employees.

Ken Gradia
National Railway Labor Conference
(202) 862-7218