The UTU and Amtrak continue negotiations to amend the current agreement, which became open for amendment Jan. 1 under provisions of the Railway Labor Act. Some 2,300 Amtrak conductors and assistant conductors are affected.
Contracts negotiated under the Railway Labor Act remain in force until amended.
In February 2009, the UTU and Amtrak reached agreement retroactive to January 1, 2000 -- after eight years of negotiations.The difficulty of that agreement was reaching a settlement protecting the jobs of 400 Amtrak assistant conductors that Amtrak sought to eliminate as a cost-saving measure. In January 2010, the parties were back at the negotiating table.
As for the current round of negotiations, in its seventh month, General Chairperson Roger Lenfest (GO 769) said he is optimistic a favorable agreement will be reached in the near term. Lenfest and General Chairperson Bill Beebe (GO 663) are leading the negotiations with Amtrak. Lenfest recently succeeded the late Al Suzzo as chairperson of GO 769.
