From: Thomas Kirby &lt;tkirby@bmwe.org&gt;<br />Date: September 28, 2017 at 8:03:16 PM CDT<br />To: &quot;devarthompson@gmail.com&quot; &lt;devarthompson@gmail.com&gt;<br />Subject: BMWED Negotiations Update!<br /><br />(Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees) <br /><br />Dear Brothers and Sisters,<br /><br />Yesterday, our BMWED negotiating committee met for Mediation with the Railroads. For a quick summary of what took place, please watch this YouTube video: <br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12JKpMR0oeM<br /><br />Yet again, the Railroads refused to negotiate in good faith. They showed no willingness to work on common sense solutions to keep our health benefits affordable, and continue to demand that we take small wage increases.<br /><br />The Railroads&#039; conduct at the table is as greedy as it is unacceptable. As Brother Griffin states in the video, we will continue our fight for fair wage increases and quality healthcare benefits to the very end.<br /><br />Please note that the time table for when we will go to a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) is uncertain - that step only happens when the National Mediation Board (NMB) releases us. That NMB release is solely at the discretion of the NMB itself. As information becomes available, we will get it to you immediately.<br /><br />[b][color=red]In the meantime, other unions represented by the Coordinated Bargaining Group - including the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLET) and the Conductors (SMART-TD, or UTU) - negotiate next week.[/color][/b] Please reach out to friends, family, and coworkers in these crafts and share the video and the thought: &quot;Let&#039;s fight for the Healthcare we have!&quot;<br /><br /><br />Thank you.<br /> <br />There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves.&nbsp;  L.B.J.<br /> <br />In solidarity, <br /> <br />Thomas Kirby<br />Assistant to the President <br />Internal Organizer At Large<br />(P): 765.760.8220 (E): tkirby@bmwe.org <br />