In response to an invitation from UTU International President Byron Boyd, top BNSF officers attended a meeting in Kansas City on April 30, 2001 to address the alarming increase in injuries and fatalities on the railroad. Along with President Boyd and BLE President Ed Dubroski, there were more than 40 other UTU and BLE International, General Committee and Legislative representatives present. BNSF was represented by President and CEO Matt Rose, accompanied by Executive Vice President Carl Ice, Vice President Transportation Dave Dealy, Vice President Safety Greg Stengem and Vice President Labor Relations John Fleps. At the meeting BNSF officers defended the Carrier's safety record, while acknowledging that there was room for improvement and that greater employee involvement is essential to any such improvement. The outcome of the meeting was that a high level executive committee was formed and given the task of formulating recommendations for a safety plan.

I applaud the spirit of mutual cooperation that was spoken of repeatedly during this meeting. However, I saw nothing that changes my opinion that cooperative safety efforts on this Carrier must be carried out within the parameters of a collective bargaining agreement. Carrier policy is simply too inconsistent and too one-sided to provide any stable long-term basis for something as important as safety. It is my intent to continue to press for implementation of the Safety Agreement that is currently one element of our Local Issues negotiations.