Rail Negotiations Stalled

Negotiations between Union Coalition partners the Machinists and Sheet Metal Workers Unions and the National Rail Labor Coalition (NLRC) continued briefly last week in Washington, D.C. with the assistance of a federal mediator. No progress was made in resolving open issues for the more than 8,000 IAM members employed at Class I Freight Rail Carriers.

The Transportation Communications Union (TCU) and the NLRC have scheduled arbitration for late January to settle outstanding health & welfare and wage issues in their negotiations. In light of the fact the outcome of that arbitration could have implications in the IAM's discussions with the NLRC, negotiations will not reconvene until February 26-27, 2003 in Washington, D.C.