Description : News Release - 05/04/2000 - BMWE Strikes Portions of Norfolk Southern

BROTHERHOOD OF MAINTENANCE OF WAY EMPLOYES
Suite 200, 26555 Evergreen Road, Southfield, MI 48076

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts: Jed Dodd: (215) 569-1285
Tom McCoy: (540) 798-1759
(215) 569-1286

BMWE Strikes Portions of Norfolk Southern
Former Norfolk and Western Targeted
Seniority Rights In Dispute

May 4, 2000, Roanoke, VA-The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes set up picket lines on the former Norfolk and Western portion of the Norfolk Southern Railroad effective 6:00 a.m. EST today with the intention of shutting down the railroad's operation. The BMWE is the labor union which represents the men and women who build, construct and maintain the railroad track, buildings and bridges for NS.

Shortly after the unprecedented layoff of 600 BMWE members on NS, management unilaterally abrogated the bulletin and assignment rules in the collective bargaining agreement between the former N&W property and BMWE. The collective bargaining agreement contains provisions which expressly state that all vacancies and positions be announced by "bulletins" containing specified information, that employees may "bid" for such positions, and that such positions must be filled in accordance with the seniority of bidders as specified in the collective bargaining agreement.

In recent months, notwithstanding these express requirements, NS has been filling positions on the former N&W territories without making the positions available for bid by bulletining the positions, and has been filling positions without regard to the seniority rights of employees who might be interested in bidding for the positions. There are hundreds of furloughed maintenance of way employees with the seniority to apply for and obtain positions that have been filled by NS under its new practice. BMWE has met repeatedly with NS management, but the railroad has refused to correct this illegal practice.

Tom McCoy, General Chairman of the Norfolk & Western System Division of the BMWE which represents the affected workers stated: "Norfolk Southern made a bad business decision when it purchased Conrail and could not properly operate the combined railroad. We have paid for this incompetence with the layoff of our members. However, when they began to fill our positions without regard for our agreement, they went too far and we had no alternative but to shut the railroad down or continue to permit them to step all over our rights."

The former N&W railroad represents approximately 30% of the NS system and is located in the seven states of Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Initial pickets were established at Columbus, Ohio; Kenova, Bluefield and Williamson, West Virginia; Roanoke, Virginia and Hagerstown, Maryland.

###