Government Suspends Amtrak Strike

Thanks to Paul for bringing to my attention President Bush's move to suspend an impending strike at Amtrak.  The ALF-CIO Weblog reports:

Just a few days before Amtrak workers could strike for a fair contract, President Bush intervened and issued an executive order establishing a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) to investigate failed contract talks between the nation’s passenger railroad and eight unions. The order prevents any potential strikes by Amtrak’s 7,500 union employees for 60 days. Several of the unions had taken strike votes.  

The PEB becomes effective 12:01 a.m. Dec. 1. The railroad’s union employees have been working without a new contract since negotiations began in January 2000. Under the Railway Labor Act, contracts do not expire. The unions rejected arbitration by the National Mediation Board (NMB) in October. On Oct. 31, the NMB released the parties from mediation, beginning a 30-day cooling-off period that was set to expire Dec. 1.

The PEB has 30 days to investigate the dispute and issue nonbinding recommendations for settlement. After the PEB reports to Bush, both sides have a 30-day cooling-off period to consider its recommendations. If no agreement is reached, the parties will be free to engage in “self-help” at the end of the second cooling-off period—that is, the company can then lock out workers or impose employment terms, and the union is free to strike unless Congress takes action to impose its own contract settlement on the parties.  

At least one union official expressed hope that the PEB will lead to a settlement of the dispute, but that will depend on what the PEB finds.  Stay tuned.

-JH