The Soo Line pact, which follows the pattern set in the national agreement, is out for member ratification.

The National Mediation Board (NMB) released the BMWE on the DM&IR. At press time, the maintenance of way workers on that line ratified an agreement largely based on the national agreement about a week prior to a May 1 strike date.

Members on Amtrak wish they were in a similar position as negotiations with the passenger carrier remain fruitless. Meetings were held in mid-April, with BMWE continuing pressure for a release.

As talks continued on the Grand Trunk and the Union Pacific/Southern Pacific (UPSP) at the end of April, an agreement based upon the national pact had been indicated by the UPSP but is being delayed as the Union Pacific--SP's new parent company--tries to muddy the contract waters with implementation plans for the merger.

Although the BMWE was willing to attempt resolving Section 6 matters simultaneously with implementation matters, UPSP's tactics were to hold the SP members' Section 6 resolution hostage to the UPSP implementation talks. Those tactics were unacceptable to BMWE.

"Holding up resolution of the Section 6 talks in order to force us to accept bad terms in an implementation agreement is unfair and unacceptable. It is just taking advantage of BMWE's good faith," said BMWE President Mac A. Fleming. "The Section 6 talks should settle independent of the implementation plan. They operate on separate time tables and under different legal requirements."

In other news, negotiations continue with rail management over proposed changes to the railroad occupational disability rules. A moratorium on the carriers attempt to unilaterally change the rules remains in effect through the end of July, or until the next Railroad Retirement Board meeting that month.