BLE votes to strike.

[Ed Fury]

http://www.ble-t.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=5188

This means all trains stop running on the 7th if the strike goes in to effect? Can someone elaborate some more on this as I am sort of ignorant in labor and union disputes and strikes.

[lwjabo]

I will try to tackle this. Now I was in the UTU not the BLE. Still all this does is give the power for a strike. My guess the President may let some of them strike but the economy is very week so I'm doubting it. More than likely he will wait till the last few days and stop it. In 34 years I lost no more than 10 days to strikes and none were UTU. The clerks got me once and the BLE got me once. If they go out I will try to take them coffee or drinks.

[lwjabo]

It was always a mess after a strike. The scabs ran through switches left cars with no hand brakes and even left a few off the end of tracks. Nope no one was warned. The bosses at times tried to blame the crew but in many cases there was rust on the track and such to prove no one had coupled to it in days. It took a few days to get things back to normal. They called ever Trainmaster and Road Forman back from retirement. One was so old he had to be helped on the engine. I'm sure there were more cases than that. I was called when the BLE was on strike and they threatened to fire me if I did not come to work. I did not go and never heard anything more about it. Anyone drawing a company pension can be forced back to work is what the ones crossing the pickets told us. Anyone who did not come to work had to see a doctor and bring them a letter why. I took some coffee to East Point and found my self walking picket for the engineers. As the song says. Those were the days my friend and we thought they would never end.

[E.M. Bell]

IF they do strike, you can bet your bottom dollar it wont last long at all. The President can (and will) sign an emergency order forcing them back to work, and that will be that. It has happened the last few times any of the RR unions have walked out. Even with that being the case, a walkout will send a strong message (we would hope) to the carriers, and perhaps get the unions (and the labor) what they want, or atleast a compromise.

[NSMoWandS]

It will amount to nothing... An emergency order WILL BE made and we will all be working. And then, w will be forced into another contract. It's almost just like the debt ceiling debates. Just a bunch of grand standing to show investors and employees that management and the unions are looking out for their interests. But, that's about it... just a show. Just my two cents.

[rrman70]

The BLET international has said NS engineers can not strike even if the PEB can not resolve the disagreement by the 12-07-11 deadline. NS and CSX have on property agreements with the BLET.