TCU and the other unions in the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad (MBCR) Labor Coalition are asking the NMB to release them from mediation and proffer arbitration. MBCR has responded as expected and argued that a release would be premature at this time.
Two days of talks on November 3 and 4 failed to produce an agreement. This comes after two years of fruitless negotiations. The NMB assigned its Senior Mediator to these talks in an effort to get an agreement. But MBCR would not come up with an acceptable wage and health insurance proposal.
The NMB now has to decide whether to release the parties by proffering arbitration. If it does, the Coalition unions have decided not to accept binding arbitration. At that point, the NMB will most likely recommend to the White House the establishment of a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB). Under Section 9A of the Railway Labor Act, which governs commuter bargaining, there will be two PEB’s in a process that can last as much as 240 days.
“Given how long bargaining has already dragged on, and the almost interminable provisions of 9A, we strongly hope that the NMB will act and move the process forward,” said TCU President Scardelletti. “Our members deserve no less.”
In other MBCR news, the UTU has decided to drop out of the MBCR Labor Coalition. The UTU had been a member of the coalition for health and welfare issues on
Click here to view the MBCR letter.
Click here to view the TCU letter.
Click here to view the TCU Carmen letter.
Click here to view the TCU ARASA letter.
