1. I feel that every effort should be made to do away with lump-sum payments and replace them with actual wage increases. Every contract we've had with lump-sum payments attached has put us a little farther behind in buying power and standard of living.

2. As our membership grows older and a little more susceptible to aches and pains, I feel now is the time to get some form of sick leave in place. A "buy-back" clause for unused days at the end of the year should be attached. Some of the other crafts have had this benefit for years so it shouldn't be too hard to draw up some sort of program.

3. Every year we seem to work short-handed a little more often. I propose some sort of bonus pay program in which a gang or section would receive at least $1.00 an hour pay increase whenever they are forced to work short-handed by the company. This would not kick in by employees simply taking vacation or time off, but whenever a position on the gang/section goes past a bid cycle without being filled. Not only would this give the company some incentive to fill vacancies when we have members laid off, it would insure the safety of our members by keeping sufficient manpower working.

I have asked many members in the Alliance area what they thought of these three issues and everyone feels they are worth having on our next contract. I think I can speak for all our brothers on the former Burlington Northern though when I say the fight against the contracting out of our work should be the number one issue of the upcoming contract negotiations. For without a job to work--all else is pretty trivial. Overall I thought the survey was excellent, I hope our membership takes the time to fill them out! Regardless, we are behind you 100 percent. Thanks for all your hard work and efforts.

Terry L. Eck
Alliance, Nebraska

"A note to let you (M. A. Fleming) know we at local 616 thank you and the Grand Lodge for your efforts in getting better working conditions.

"Thanks for the Journal which keeps us informed about what's happening through the system. I can relate to the articles on working on the railroad, having worked on system gangs. It's hard to leave the family and spend time on campcars or motels. I hope there can be progress in getting the workers as close to home as possible.

"The bargaining survey was emphasized at our lodge meeting. It makes us feel we can have some input in the bargaining. We hope for some good gains. The men who were working in 84-85 making as much or more than we are earning today...."

Billy W. Black
Weir, Missouri

In an effort to convey to you what we feel is most important concerning the upcoming negotiations, we would like to list three concerns that we feel must be bargained for above all other issues. These concerns, listed in order of their importance are:

1. Revamping of our retirement system to allow us some options for early retirement.

2. Changes in the work rules that would mandate that all BMWE members that are required to work away from their homes (i.e. all traveling teams and jobs with floating headquarters) be allowed to work four ten-hour days under ALL circumstances, regardless of any objections that the carriers may have.

3. Mandate that all employees that are housed in motels be allowed to have their own rooms.

Lee Abernathy, Ken Nowiski, and Steve Foutch
Local Lodge 25

I wish the unions would do something to make it easier for us to use our railroad passes. My husband worked 33 years on New York Central, Penn Central and Conrail. Now he's retired and we would like to use the rails, but we can't make any plans ahead. At our age we need to know that someone can make plans to meet us, and children need advance notice to take off time from their jobs for our visits. We can't make hotel reservations as we may not get where we are going.

We don't see or hear well anymore and we do everyone a favor by staying off the highways, yet rules force us to drive.

Mrs. Peter White
Dunkirk, New York

Truly A Sad Event

The following was taken from the BMWE members' April Forum on the Internet:

I am writing this to say goodbye to the biggest career screw up of my life. As of today, I have taken a job elsewhere, and I'm never coming back. Some of you will classify me as a spoiled new hire who didn't do his research before taking this job, and some of you will say that new hires don't have what it takes to make it. I have been with the BNSF for two years now, and my father has been here for 30. I would just like to say that since being hired, I have worked a total of six months in my home terminal, have a new son that I've hardly seen, and seen the quality of my home life go down the drain. This company is hiring us at an ungodly rate, I'm not sure why because there is no work for new hires unless they are willing to travel constantly from terminal to terminal, waiting to get cut off again so they can move on to the next terminal. I have had enough of this for one lifetime. For all of you old heads who helped me and encouraged me along the way, I would like to express my gratitude. This railroad will never be the same when you are gone, and I don't think it will change for the better. I know that I have been encouraged by many old heads to move on because this is not the job that it once was, and I am heeding your advice. Never again will I have to deal with crew callers calling me at all hours just to tell me that I have been laid off again, and never again will I have to live hundreds and hundreds of miles away from my family. I hope that other new hires will follow me because I see the future for us here, and it ain't pretty unless you are single with nothing tying you down in your hometown. This company lied to me and many others. They never said we would only work in our home territory three months out of the year (if at all). A special note for ***: You and your crew management *** have seen the last of me. I really mean it from the heart when I say that you can kiss my ***, and I hope that somehow your life remains even half as miserable as you have made mine for two years. I can only guess that the drastic board cuts that you make must in some way go straight into your pocket. I hope you choke on all of the money I have saved you in your quest for board cuts. I have never in my life worked for a company that was trying to keep me from working from the day I was hired. (Really, what are you thinking?)