CLEVELAND, July 16 — In the wake of yesterday’s representation election victory on the Texas-Mexican Railway, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers President Don Hahs revealed portions of the BLE’s organizing strategy that made the campaign a success.
President Hahs said the BLE’s affiliation with the AFL-CIO, and its pending merger/affiliation with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, swayed many votes in favor of the BLE.
The AFL-CIO and IBT participated in the BLE’s letter writing campaign, and letters from AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Teamster President Jim Hoffa were delivered to all Tex Mex employees.
These letters explained why the Tex Mex workers should support the BLE over an organization not affiliated with the AFL-CIO, and stated that a fight against the BLE is a fight against all of labor.
“I thank Presidents Sweeney and Hoffa for their participation in our organizing drive,” President Hahs said. “Their letters had a tremendous effect.”
President Hahs also thanked AFL-CIO President Sweeney for dispatching organizer Ed Tynes to the property to assist the BLE. He spent a great deal of time in the field with Tex Mex workers explaining the benefits of belonging to a union affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
In addition to AFL-CIO and Teamster influence, the BLE was assisted by some of its own. Special Representative Tom Miller played an integral role in the BLE’s success. He worked closely with several Tex Mex employees who spent weeks campaigning on BLE’s behalf, including Xavier Villarreal, Caesar Carrera, David Snow, J.J. Vara, and George Leyendecker.
“Brother Miller and our new Tex Mex Brothers deserve congratulations for their hard fought victory,” President Hahs said. “On behalf of the men and women of the BLE, I thank them.”