CHICAGO - Include Alternate Vice President and General Chairperson John Babler among UTU officers who neither promoted nor wanted remote control locomotives, but recognized that new technology cannot be stopped.
Now celebrate Babler for proving that UTU's bold vision to accept ownership, control and operation of remote control technology will prevent railroads from contracting out the work. In fact, Babler has negotiated a new remote control technology agreement with Union Pacific that will create more than two dozen new UTU jobs at a new UP intermodal terminal near Chicago.
Five years ago, when UP began planning a new massive Global III intermodal terminal at Rochelle, Ill., some 50 miles from Chicago, the carrier intended to sub-contract the road switching work to a non-union short line as it may do for a new facility. UP designed the new terminal, which will handle some 750,000 container and trailer lifts annually, around remote control yard operations.
After UP and other carriers signed a letter of intent last year offering remote control work to the UTU, Babler recognized an opportunity and began negotiating with UP to give the work to the UTU rather than a non-union shortline. UTU's ratification of the new contract sealed the deal.
"We didn't give any wage concessions to get the work," said Babler. "There is no race to the bottom in this agreement. In fact, the new jobs will pay around $235 a day just for showing up. There are no rules concessions and we won scheduled days off, protected by a guaranteed extra board," Babler said. Jobs shall be advertised and awarded to the senior Eastern 1 seniority district applicants. Successful applicants will be trained on remote control operations and assigned pending certification.
The UTU remote control agreement "gave us the competitive edge over a non-union short line," Babler said. Three new jobs will be created in early September and a total of 10 new jobs should be created for UTU members at Rochelle by October and the number should grow to 25 new positions within three years, he said.
"Contrary to statements coming from other organizations, remote control operations can and will produce new work opportunities for our members," Babler said.
"John Babler has shown what real leadership is about," said UTU International President Byron A. Boyd Jr. "He has taken new technology and made it an ally of the members he represents. He has protected and created new jobs. I salute him for a job well done."
