BY SAM MANUEL
WASHINGTON, DC - President William Clinton invoked the Railway Labor Act on August 21, blocking a walkout by 2,300 members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees (BMWE) against Amtrak. The union is prevented from striking for 60 days. A presidential panel has 30 days to make recommendations on settling the dispute. The union and Amtrak management will then have another month to try to reach an agreement. At that time Congress could also pass legislation imposing a settlement.

It is the 12th time Clinton has used the measure to intervene against workers' right to strike since he first took office in January 1993.

Clinton's action followed the BMWE's rejection of the National Mediation Board's binding arbitration. The union organizes workers who build, construct, and maintain Amtrak's railroad tracks, buildings, bridges, and electrical power systems that powers trains. The principle issues in the dispute involve wages, benefits, and work rules. The union is demanding that wages for its members at Amtrak be the same as those employed by class-I freight railroads. BMWE members at Amtrak have worked without a general wage increase for more than two years.

Amtrak chairman Thomas Downs welcomed Clinton's action. In a statement released by the union, BMWE general chairman Jed Dodd said the action is "effectively coming to the aid of Amtrak management and putting our right to strike on hold. Whether we strike or not on October 21 will not depend upon the recommendations of this Emergency Board but will depend upon whether or not we are able to negotiate a just and equitable agreement."

Sam Manuel is a member of the United Transportation Union in Washington, D.C.  
 
 
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