From left: Jordan Wheeler, Div. 234 and Ross County (Ohio) Clerk of Courts; John Esterly, Ohio SLB Chairman; and Jason Stephens, Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives.
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Members of the BLET’s National Association of State Legislative Board Chairmen (NASLBC) held their 49th annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio, on May 28 and 29. The meeting provides an opportunity for each State Chairman to share information and forge strategies related to railroad safety and health issues as well as each state’s political climate.
Two new State Legislative Board Chairmen were seated for their first NASLBC meeting: Cory Martin (Illinois) and Adam Hausman (Nebraska).
NASLBC Chairman Shane Hubbard (Indiana State Legislative Board Chairman) chaired the meeting. The in-person guest speakers were Jason Stephens, Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, Tim Burga, President of the Ohio AFL-CIO, and Ohio House Representative Justin Pizzulli (District 90), who is a conductor with Norfolk Southern and a member of BLET Division 511. Ohio House Representative Dr. Michele Grim (District 43) addressed the group via Zoom. She is the Ranking Member of the House Transportation Committee.
Among the union’s national officers and staff who addressed the meeting were Eddie Hall, National President; David Estes, National Secretary-Treasurer; Vince Verna, Vice President and National Legislative Representative; Christy Smith, BLET Director of Regulatory Affairs; Brendan Sullivan, BLET Director of Political Affairs; and Natalie Miller, BLET Auxiliary 2nd Vice President and National Legislative Representative.
See some photo highlights of the NASLBC annual meeting in the BLET photo gallery.