Rail Engineers' Union Approves Merger With Teamsters

Rail Engineers' Union Approves Merger With Teamsters

Members of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Forge Partnership

December 5, 2003

(Washington, D.C.) – International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today announced that members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) have overwhelmingly voted to merge with the Teamsters.

BLE members approved the merger by an 81% to 19% margin in the United States and 63% to 37% in Canada, making the BLE members part of the largest private-sector trade union in North America.

"Today, two great unions begin a partnership to strengthen our ability to represent workers across the transportation spectrum," Hoffa said. "The Teamsters have always had a vision for a seamless transportation union giving workers real power on the job and in the political arena. This historic merger brings us closer to our union’s vision."

The BLE has about 32,000 active members in the United States, and about 4,000 in Canada. In joining the 1.4-million member Teamsters, the BLE members will become the centerpiece of the new Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Division within a Teamsters Rail Conference. In Canada, a Teamsters Canada Rail Conference will be established.

"Together, we will continue to provide the BLE members with a powerful voice at work and in the political capitals of the U.S. and Canada. At the same time, our Teamster members look forward to the support of rail labor," Hoffa said.

The merger is part of the Teamster’s broader effort to unite rail and transportation labor. Other AFL-CIO unions have contacted the Teamsters regarding possible mergers, and the Brotherhood of Maintenance Way Employees (BMWE) is currently in merger discussions with the Teamsters. The Teamsters have also forged an historic working agreement with Longshore unions.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States and Canada.

Click hereto read the Teamsters General Executive Board resolution approving the merger.