It is essential, therefore, that your leadership get as large a return as possible. The larger the return the more accurately the results will reflect the true desires of the membership -- what members really want.

A large return also sends a clear message to the railroad companies that the membership is involved in the bargaining and is serious (and committed) about the issues.

The return can be done in three ways -- You can simply mail the survey back (postage is pre-paid). Or, if your local lodge has set up a special survey completion meeting, you can attend and turn in your survey to your local lodge officer. Or you may be contacted by another member who has volunteered to serve on a one-on-one communication committee and he will answer any questions you may have and collect the survey from you.

As we mentioned last month, the one-on-one method has proven to be the most effective method in the past and individual mail return the least effective. The last round's survey return rate hit nearly 90 percent in some cases while mail return was just over 10 percent.

Most of the questions on the survey ask you to rank which is most important to you, which is second most important and so on. Question 5 regarding contracting out is a little different -- you are asked to indicate whether you strongly agree, agree, are neutral, disagree or strongly disagree with six sub-questions. Question 9 regarding costs to working away from home is simply answered yes, no or unsure. Question 11 gives you the opportunity to write in any work rules or issues that may have been overlooked.

And all members are strongly encouraged to further express their opinions by writing them on a separate piece of paper and sending them with the survey. It cannot be said often enough how critical it is that members' make their opinions known -- make their voices heard!