Negotiations continued with a target towards a new collective bargaining agreement for UTU members on the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad.  The UTU Negotiating Team met in Jacksonville, Florida, with officers and representatives of the Buffalo and Pittsburgh for another round of negotiations on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 19^th and 20^th.  Members of the UTU Negotiating Team are General Chairperson John Lesniewski, Vice General Chairperson Steve Mavity and Local Chairperson (377) Harry Mahaffey.  Representing the Buffalo and Pittsburgh are Raymond A. Goss, Senior VP, Jason C. Fuller, Manager, and G. J. Allard of Railway Labor Associates.

Rule 40.2 of the current agreement with B&P stipulated that neither party could progress prior to January 1, 2010 (not to become effective prior to July 1, 2010) any notice or proposal for changing the existing provisions of the Agreement.  On January 4, 2010 the UTU served notice upon the Carrier under Section 6 of the Railway Labor Act seeking a wage increase and modifications to the Agreement; and the Carrier responded with a counter proposal shortly thereafter.   Since that time the parties have been meeting and another negotiating session is currently scheduled for September 1^st and 2^nd, 2010, in Rochester, New York (Genesee & Wyoming headquarters).  As in all negotiations, the parties have mutually agreed not to divulge the details of negotiations until a tentative pact has been reached.  The purpose for this secrecy is not to be evasive, but rather because proposals on the table today are not definite until a full tentative agreement has been reached, and those proposals may be withdrawn tomorrow.  Such is the process of negotiations.