CLEVELAND — On-line and in-person meetings last week did not result in an agreement between railroads and unions over a new contract, the heads of two unions said in a joint statement issued Saturday.
Jeremy Ferguson, president of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD), and Dennis Pierce, president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said members of the United Rail Unions met with the railroads’ bargaining group via Zoom on Monday, Aug. 22, then held in-person meetings in Chicago on Thursday and Friday.
“Unfortunately, the meetings did not result in any tentative agreement language that operating crafts would accept, or that could be presented to our members for ratification,” they wrote. “Although no tentative agreement was reached this week, SMART TD and BLET remain committed to negotiating over issues that are most important to our members, including wages, quality of life, and attendance as well as voluntary time off issues. In addition to those issues, we are seeking clarification on certain aspects of [the Presidential Emergency Board’s] recommendations concerning health and welfare.”
The statement did not indicate if further meetings were scheduled.
The 30-day cooling off period triggered by the board’s recommendations ends at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Sept. 16. The union leaders said their goal remains “to reach a voluntary agreement that is worthy of our membership’s consideration.”
