Agreements Etc...

Brothers and Sisters,

The arbitration award deadline for Articles V-VII is this week however, the Arbitrator informed the parties that her mother just passed away and requested a few extra days so she would have time to make funeral arrangements. The arbitrator acknowledged the importance of the issue and appreciated the parties understanding. We expect to receive the award within the next week or so and the arbitrator indicated she may be remanding some items back to the property for the parties to try and resolve for a short and defined timeframe (possibly 30-60 days is my guess as is typical in these situations).

As discussed in the Committee conference calls, we knew this could be a possibility and is not unusual in cases like this. If that occurs and items are remanded back, it would most likely be done through an interim award which would give the parties instructions on what is remanded back to property and what is expected from the parties. Items not remanded back to property are typically not addressed in an interim award.  Having items remanded back to property does not place us in a bad position or at a disadvantage, it helps narrow down and clarify the items so it’s easier for the arbitrator to make the appropriate ruling in the final award. I’ll update the Committee as soon as she communicates her award, or interim award, to the parties.

Regarding Section 6 bargaining and our meeting on February 19-20, UP was still vague on what efficiencies they were seeking in their Section 6 proposal. They expressed greater flexibility with their use of yard crews and pool freight crews but was reluctant to explain each in depth. We asked that they provide specific examples at the upcoming meeting on March 19-20. We are not opposed to listening and exploring these efficiencies but reserved our right to bargain for a patterned approach that primarily addresses wage increases and increased compensated time off. Additional updates will be provided when we get a clear understanding of what UP is seeking in efficiencies.

Fraternally,

Luke Edington

General Chairman

SMART TD GO-953