[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 139 (Thursday, September 29, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 29, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
   RELATIVE TO THE SOO LINE/UNITED TRANSPORTATION UNION LABOR DISPUTE

  Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I stand to introduce a joint resolution 
which I will send to the desk and ask my colleagues to take prompt 
action on it.
  Today, I am introducing a resolution to temporarily extend the 
cooling-off period currently underway in the Soo Line/United 
Transportation Union labor dispute. I am pleased to be joined in 
introducing the resolution by Senator Simon of Illinois.
  On August 29 of this year, President Clinton used his authority under 
the Railway Labor Act to provide a cooling-off period and established a 
three-member Presidential emergency board to recommend a settlement in 
the dispute that had led UTU members to strike the railroad.
  Unfortunately, that cooling-off period is scheduled to expire on 
November 11, after which a work stoppage could resume. At that point, 
Congress will not be in session and the work stoppage could wreak havoc 
on grain shipments. The problem we confront is one of timing. Harvest 
season is upon us, and major shipments will continue through the end of 
the year and beyond.
  Mr. President, it is for that reason that Senator Simon and I 
introduce this resolution to extend the cooling-off period.
  Mr. President, I have always had reservations about involving the 
Federal Government in labor disputes. I have, for example, opposed 
imposing the recommendations of Presidential Emergency Board 219 on the 
parties for the last major national rail dispute a few years ago. 
However, the situation we confront today is different. The 
recommendations of the board have yet to be issued. Congress is facing 
adjournment which would potentially leave a work stoppage unaddressed 
for as long as 3 months; 3 months that are among the most critical of 
the year for moving grain.
  I have already been approached about the uncertainty in the 
marketplace regarding a grain elevator buying, selling and shipping of 
grain after November 11. Unless Congress extends the cooling-off 
period, elevators will bid less for grain depressing incomes for 
hundreds of thousands of farmers who depend on the harvest for their 
livelihood. Enactment of this resolution could help prevent that by 
increasing certainty for elevators at least during the time when 
Congress would be out of session.
  Mr. President, an identical resolution, House Resolution 417, was 
introduced yesterday in the House by Representatives Dingell, Swift, 
and others. Both the railroads and the unions have signed off on the 
resolution.
  I urge my colleagues to support prompt action on this important 
issue.
  I want to thank my colleague from Illinois, Senator Simon, who has 
joined me in this effort. We believe it is important for the economies 
of our part of the country and we think this is a reasonable solution.
  As I said earlier, we have talked to both sides in this dispute and 
both have agreed that this is an appropriate remedy.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. SIMON addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois [Mr. Simon] is 
recognized.
  Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, I want to commend our colleague from North 
Dakota, Senator Conrad, for his leadership on this.
  This really is important. We treat transportation matters in labor-
management differently than any other type of labor-management 
relationship because it is so vital. It is the grain in North Dakota 
and Illinois. It is commuters in the greater Chicago area. And because 
of high capital costs today, automobile plants and other plants have a 
very low inventory. They depend on that transportation coming through. 
It is vital that we move ahead.
  Five years ago or so I ended up mediating a strike between the United 
Transportation Union and the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad and 
become much more familiar with this area of the law than I ever 
intended to become. But Senator Conrad's leadership on this is 
absolutely needed.
  The American railroads support this. The American railroad unions 
support this. The Sioux Line is owned by Canadian Pacific, and they 
have no objection to it. It is clearly essential that we move ahead 
immediately on this. And I cannot think of any reason why anyone would 
object to moving ahead on this.

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