EL PASO, Texas, September 21 — The BLET’s 76th annual Southwestern Convention Meeting (SWCM) opened yesterday with nearly 200 BLET members and officers in attendance.
BLET National President Dennis Pierce delivered the keynote address, giving members a brief update regarding the national strike authorization vote currently underway as a result of the impasse reached during the latest round of collective bargaining.
“The railroads’ demands that our membership give concessions on health and welfare benefits when railroads are making record profits is just one more example of the war being waged against the working men and women of this country. Our members can count on one thing throughout this process,” President Pierce said. “We will fight with every tool we have to protect the compensation and benefits that we have fought for decades to win.”
Larry and Becky Schneider are serving as arrangements chairs for the meeting with support from the members of BLET Division 192 (El Paso) and El Paso Area Auxiliary 591. Brother Schneider, President and Legislative Representative of Division 192, opened the convention and welcomed everyone to El Paso.
He also introduced guest speakers State Representative Joe Pickett, District 79; and Karl McElhaney, Congressional aide to U.S. Representative Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas).
Additional speakers included Anita Caruso, National President of the BLET Auxiliary; and Tim Smith, Chairman of the California State Legislative Board. Brother Smith led the assembled group in prayer to open the meeting, and later introduced a video about the history of the BLET and its importance to the livelihood of all members throughout the United States.
Tuesday’s afternoon session concluded with a closed meeting for BLET members, who heard detailed reports from National President Pierce; First Vice President Lee Pruitt; National Secretary-Treasurer Bill Walpert; National Vice President & National Legislative Representative John Tolman; National Vice President Mike Twombly; National Vice President Gil Gore; and National Vice President Cole Davis.
Members are taking advantage of numerous educational today. There is a Secretary-Treasurer workshop; Local Chairman workshop; Legislative Representative workshop; and Health & Welfare workshop. Representatives from the Railroad Retirement Board and Federal Railroad Administration are scheduled to make presentations, and there will also be a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder presentation. On Monday, September 19, numerous members participated in an event recorder/electronic evidence reading workshop and a mobilization workshop.
The 77th annual SWCM will be held in Galveston, Texas, September 9-13, 2012.
Photos from this week’s events are available here:
www.flickr.com/photos/bletunion/sets