As reported in the March Journal, the day after UTU filed its petition, the Rail Division (except for UTU) of the Transportation Trades Department (TTD) passed a resolution condemning the UTU for its "clear attempt to use 'back door' tactics" to raid the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE).

In a joint brief filed with the NMB, the BMWE and the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS) stated that "mergers between labor organizations should occur on a voluntary basis" and although "referenda are sometimes used to place a democratic sheen on the power-grabs of the most authoritarian leaders," the "use of administrative means to accomplish those goals is inevitably doomed to failure."

The BMWE and all rail labor organizations have an interest in the outcome of this matter because in making the decision whether to aid and abet UTU's ambitions, the NMB will also be deciding whether to sacrifice its credibility by overstepping the bounds of its limited jurisdiction. A NMB decision would affect the entire representation structure of the industry.