NS-Northern Lines General Chairman applauds Tentative National Agreement

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, November 14 — The following is a letter from Norfolk Southern-Northern Lines/W&LE/CF&E General Chairman Dewayne Dehart in support of the Tentative National Agreement.

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November 13, 2017

Brother Dennis:

I would like to take a moment to applaud you and your team on the proposed Tentative Agreement. Being involved in several negotiations in the recent years, I know the struggles we all face in this current economy. As you are aware, my committee is covered under the Health and Welfare section of this agreement. I am proud to say my members and I are very pleased with the agreement and the National’s efforts to speak on our behalf. The rising cost of health care is alarming to us all. Freezing the amount of employee contributions for the life of the contract is, in itself, a major victory. Not to mention, no change in work rules!

I know some of the unions involved are not as concerned with the above as we are, simply because the work rules do not apply to them. While the work rules do not immediately affect my committee (due to on-property agreements) we all know it would become the expectations in the next rounds of negotiations. This agreement removes some of the burdens we would have to face in our next bargaining session.

Thank you again for all your efforts and please pass along to your team my committee’s appreciation for all their hard work and time.

Sincerely yours,

General Chairman Dewayne L. DeHart,
Norfolk Southern-Northern Lines/Wheeling & Lake Erie/Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern GCA

Tuesday, November 14, 2017
bentley@ble-t.org