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CLEVELAND and WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters today announced the appointment of BLE and Teamster members to four joint committees charged with the task of drafting a Merger Agreement for the two organizations. Staff from both Unions will assist in the process as necessary.

As previously announced, BLE International President Don M. Hahs and Teamsters President James P. Hoffa will serve as co-chairmen of the Merger Committee, which has oversight of four subcommittees covering constitution and bylaws, legislative, finance, and Canada.

The work of the joint committees will be completed in six months. At that time, a Merger Agreement will go to each organization for approval according to each organization’s Constitutional requirements.

The subcommittee members are as follows:

Constitution and Bylaws

BLE co-chairman: Ed Rodzwicz, First Vice-President & Alternate President

  • Leo McCann, President, American Train Dispatchers Department, BLE
  • Paul T. Sorrow, Vice President
  • Dale McPherson, Vice President
  • Larry Sykes, General Chairman, Norfolk Southern
  • Tony Smith, General Chairman, CSXT
  • Gil Gore, General Chairman, Union Pacific
  • Rick Gibbons, General Chairman, BNSF
  • Mark Kenny, General Chairman, Amtrak
  • Bob Evers, General Chairman, Long Island Rail Road

    IBT co-chairman: C. Thomas Keegel, General Secretary-Treasurer

  • Fred Gegare, International Vice President
  • Patrick Flynn, International Vice President
  • John Murphy, International Vice President
  • Carlow Scalf, Executive Assistant to the General President
  • Charlie Byrnes, Principal Officer, Teamsters Local 926
  • Stuart B. Mundy, Principal Officer, teamsters Local 251
  • Steve Vairma, Principal Officer, Teamsters Local 435

    Legislative

    BLE co-chairman: Raymond Holmes, BLE Vice-President & U.S. National Legislative Representative

  • Jim Keele, Kansas State Legislative Board Chairman
  • George Newman, Massachusetts State Legislative Board Chairman
  • Tim Smith, California State Legislative Board Chairman

    IBT co-chairman: Mike Mathis, Director, Government Affairs

  • Chuck Mack, International Vice President
  • Fred McLuckie, Legislative Coordinator
  • Carl DiPietro, State Legislative Coordinator, East Region

    Finance

    BLE co-chairman: Bill Walpert, General Secretary-Treasurer

  • Joe Cassidy, International Vice-President
  • Jim Nelson, Secretary-Treasurer BNSF-Northern Lines General Committee of Adjustment
  • Steve L. Christian, Secretary-Treasurer, Arkansas State Legislative Board

    IBT Co-Chariman: C. Thomas Keegel, General Secretary-Treasurer

  • Richard C. Bell, Executive Assistant to the General Secretary-Treasurer
  • John Steger, International Trustee
  • Mitzi Montemore, Director of Accounting

    Canada

    BLE co-chairmen: Gilles Hallé, BLE Vice-President & Canadian Director,
    and George Hucker, BLE Vice-President & National Legislative
    Representative-Canada

    IBT Co-chairman: Robert Bouvier, President of Teamsters Canada

  • Francois LaPorte, Recording Secretary, Teamsters Local 1998