BLET stands with Bragg: From left: BLET National President Eddie Hall, Labor Member of the RRB John Bragg, BLET First Vice President Mark Wallace and BLET National S-T David Estes
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In a November 13 letter to President Joe Biden, all 13 rail labor unions unanimously endorsed the re-nomination of John Bragg as Labor Member of the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB). Under the Railroad Retirement Act, the President must nominate one candidate to represent rail employees on the RRB. There is also one board member representing management and one neutral board member. “[John Bragg] has demonstrated excellent service on the Board for the last four years since his confirmation in early 2019, and we request that he be nominated for another term to serve on the Board,” the unions said, writing jointly as the Rail Labor Division (RLD) of the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD). The unions said Bragg and his RRB staff were instrumental in rolling out and implementing enhanced rail worker benefit packages during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also during his tenure, Bragg has advocated for and provided oversight of the long overdue modernization of RRB’s IT systems. “If granted a second term as the RRB’s Labor Member, Mr. Bragg will continue bringing an invaluable level of experience, knowledge, and understanding of the needs of rail workers, retirees, and their families who rely on the system,” the unions concluded. A copy of the Rail Labor Division’s November 13 letter is available on the BLET website (PDF).