Ballots were mailed last week to approximately 500 BLET members for voting on the BLET’s tentative agreement with the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). The tentative deal comes after three years of bargaining, two Presidential Emergency Boards, and a three-day strike that shut down the nation’s busiest commuter railroad in May.
The BLET bargained as part of a coalition with four other unions, and each union is conducting its own ratification process. BLET ballots will be tabulated on Thursday, June 18. It is expected that BLET will be the last of the coalition members to announce balloting results, due to procedures established in the BLET’s bylaws.
Negotiations on behalf of BLET were led by Vice President Kevin Sexton and LIRR General Chairman Gil Lang, as well as Vice President Jim Louis. On Wednesday, May 27, Sexton and Lang participated in all-day meetings with the LIRR membership to discuss the tentative agreement and respond to member feedback.
Note to LIRR members: Ballots are due by Thursday, June 18. Members who are eligible to vote and have not received a ratification packet by Wednesday, June 10, should call the National Division’s dedicated voicemail line at (216) 241-2630, ext. 222. When connected with the voicemail, please leave the following information:
- Your name, address and phone number;
- The division to which you belong;
- The railroad you work for;
- Your date of birth;
- The last four digits of your Social Security number; and
- Your email address.
All replacement ballots will be distributed by email. Any member who requires a replacement ballot must include their email address in the voicemail; otherwise, they will not be able to participate in the ratification vote.
Photo by Dave Levene, Division 269