Kyle J. Bagby is a National Division Trustee of the 51,500-member Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), a Division of the Rail Conference, International Brotherhood of Teamsters. He was elected by acclamation at the BLET’s Fifth National Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 12, 2022.
Brother Bagby is currently serving the BLET as First Vice General Chairman for the Union Pacific-Central Region General Committee of Adjustment (GCA), which represents 19 Divisions and more than 1,200 members.
Brother Bagby began his railroad carrier on April 15, 1993, as a maintenance of way trackman between Kansas City and St. Louis during the worst flooding in Missouri history. He transferred to engine service on May 11, 1994, with Zone 100 seniority as a trainman and became an FIT in June of 1994. Brother Bagby joined the BLET on October 1, 1994, and he became a locomotive engineer February 7, 1995, with seniority from Kansas City to Marysville, Kansas.
Brother Bagby began his service to the union in 2004 when he was elected Local Chairman for Division 81 in Kansas City, Kansas, where he served until 2012. He was elected in 2004 as UP-Central Region GCA Alternate Secretary/Treasurer. In 2008, he was elected to the position of 4th Vice General Chairman for UP-CR GCA and was elevated to 3rd Vice General Chairman in 2011 with the retirement of General Chairman Rightnowar. In 2012, Brother Bagby began serving in the position of Administrative Assistant at the request of General Chairman Rhodes which he continues to hold. In 2012, 2015 and in 2019 Brother Bagby was elected by acclamation to the position of First Vice General Chairman.
During his tenure in the BLET he was instrumental in negotiating the $11 million settlement between the UP-CR GCA and the Union Pacific Railroad for claims filed regarding guaranteed extra board regulation and drop turns violations. Brother Bagby also assisted in the settlement of claims for targeting of crews resulting in an additional $1.25 million for the members of the Central Region GCA.
Brother Bagby has been instrumental in other negotiations and settlements that have benefitted BLET members, including Vacation Agreement Settlement negotiations, a New Standing Bid Agreement, Rules Exam Arbitration, a new Field Vision Test agreement, and a Voluntary Rest-Reset agreement. Other key negotiations he was involved in include the 2004-2006 Alternative Forms of Compensation, 2008-2010 RSIA issues, 2010-2012 UP On-Property, 2009 BLET vs Union Pacific Railroad argued before the United States Supreme Court (docket 08-604) case which resulted in a 9-0 ruling in favor of the BLET.
Brother Bagby is a second-generation railroader and is proud of his strong union heritage. His Father, Larry, worked 39 years as an engineer on the MKT and Union Pacific Railroad and served as Local Chairman for BLET Division 556 (1st District) from 1976-1989. Some of his earliest memories are traveling with his father to GCA meetings in Denison, Texas and National Conventions in Cleveland, Ohio.