Opinion ID: 500031
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The United Transportation Union Constitution

Text: 23 Article 85 of the United Transportation Union (UTU) Constitution 7 provides that the General Chairman empowered to make a systems agreement, such as the implementing agreements involved in the present dispute, must poll the affected Local Chairmen, i.e. the Chairmen for the CNW employees and the Rock Island employees, prior to signing such an agreement and be governed by the majority of votes cast. Moreover, in negotiating such agreements, the seniority of employees of acquired railroads is to be preserved to the extent possible. 8 In addition, Article 90 mandates that all intra-union disputes surrounding an acquisition or merger be resolved internally by the union. This ensures that a unified position can be established with respect to these disputed issues and preserves internal union authority over the interpretation of its constitution. 9 24