Resolution Supporting Merger Talks

With the United Steelworkers of America

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 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

January 17, 2003

Pennsylvania Federation Joint Protective Board

Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees