Arbitrator rules in favor of railroads in BLET, Tex Mex crew dispute

Rail News Home Labor 8/7/2020 Rail News: Labor
Following an arbitration hearing, a majority of a Special Board of Adjustment (SBA) ruled earlier this week that Kansas City Southern and its Texas Mexican Railway (Tex Mex) affiliate may replace union crews that shuttled trains between Laredo Rail Yard in Texas, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) announced yesterday. In July 2017, the BLET learned of the carriers' plan to replace the Tex Mex shuttle crews with crews supplied by Kansas City Southern de Mexico over the 9-mile route between the Laredo International Bridge and Laredo Rail Yard. The BLET objected to the crew replacement plan. After the parties were unable to resolve the dispute through discussions, the crew replacement plan was implemented July 10, 2018. The arbitration hearing was held exactly two years after the Tex Mex crews had been replaced, BLET officials said in a press release. The BLET was represented on the SBA by Vice President J. Alan Holdcraft. The railroad was represented by Vice President of Labor Relations Maqui Parkerson. The SBA chairman and neutral member was arbitrator Sidney Moreland IV.