BLET representatives included, from left: Eric Sroik, Chuck Schulz, Pete Baldwin, Ross Grooters, Vince Verna, and Brendan Sullivan.
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Last week, representatives from BLET and BMWED were among 200 Teamsters who gathered in Washington, D.C. for the annual Political Coordinators Meeting.
In his remarks, Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien discussed the Faster Labor Contracts Act, which would require employers to collectively bargain with newly organized workers within 10 days of voting to form their union. O’Brien said the measure has strong bipartisan support. Also announced was a new initiative — the Teamsters Candidate Recruitment Project — which seeks to encourage Teamsters to run for political office and provides assistance for members interested in doing so.
Prior to heading out on The Hill for lobby day where meeting participants educated members of Congress on key legislative priorities for the union, Rail Conference attendees engaged in a roundtable discussion led by BLET Vice President & National Legislative Vince Verna, BMWED National Legislative Director Jeff Joines, and Teamsters Rail Conference Legislative Director Alex Beckmann.
BLET and BMWED members educated members of Congress about the risks of automation in the rail industry, such as remote control locomotives, automated track inspection (ATI) technology, and CSX’s “zero-to-zero” locomotive control system that was recently green-lighted by the Federal Railroad Administration. BLET members also emphasized BLET’s firm opposition to allowing locomotive engineers coming out of Mexico to operate trains into the United States.
In addition to Brother Verna, BLET participants included: Brendan Sullivan, BLET Director of Political Affairs; Herbert Harris, District of Columbia Legislative Board Chairman; Ray Vigil, New Jersey SLBC; Chuck Schulz, Wisconsin SLBC; Ross Grooters, Iowa SLBC; Pete Baldwin, Wisconsin SLB First Vice Chairman; Eric Stroik, Wisconsin SLB Secretary-Treasurer; and Melvin Caban, New Jersey SLB First Vice Chairman.