July 17, 20007 - The IAM opened contract negotiations with Amtrak in December, 1999. After eight years, more than 15,000 IAM and other unionized workers have not received a new contract or a general wage increase. In fact, Amtrak has refused to make a single change to the initial proposals it made eight years ago. While our members continue to keep Amtrak running, the rail carrier has shown absolutely no willingness to bargain in good faith. The National Mediation Board (NMB), which is supposed to be a neutral government agency whose obligation is to help foster an agreement, has shown no interest in resolving the dispute.
All IAM members are asked to contact Congress and urge their intervention in the dispute by forcing the National Mediation Board to acknowledging negotiations are at an obvious impasse. When the NMB declares an impasse, mediated negotiations would end and the negotiations process under the Railway Labor Act would move forward. Click here for a sample letter that can be sent to your Congressional Representative and Senators, or you can send your own comments.
