Membership input key as BLET ramps up Mobilization Network
CLEVELAND, May 3 — The BLET is re-energizing its mobilization network to increase membership involvement on key issues of importance to the Brotherhood.
Originally, the term “mobilization” was used in a military sense to describe the act of assembling troops and supplies and making them ready for war. In today’s union terminology, mobilization is a communications network to disseminate information as quickly as possible throughout the organization. It is a grassroots effort to involve the membership in ongoing campaigns.
The types of campaigns may differ but the goal always remains the same: To get the membership involved.
“The mobilization process strengthens unity among the membership and is a powerful communication and information sharing tool,” BLET National President Paul Sorrow said. “The National Division stands behind Mobilization.
Communication is the cornerstone of my administration. With the strong support of First Vice President Dennis Pierce and National Secretary-Treasurer Bill Walpert, we are re-energizing the BLET’s mobilization network to improve the flow of communication throughout our Brotherhood.”
NST Walpert heads the BLET’s Department of Internal Mobilizing, Organizing and Strategic Planning.
“Whether it’s a campaign to lobby Congress or a get out the vote drive, mobilization makes a remarkable difference,” he said. “Mobilization makes a measurable difference and is proven effective.”
Dusting off the network
In December of 2009, President Sorrow decided to re-energize the Mobilization Network and test its effectiveness with a get out the vote campaign on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe.
Approximately 6,000 BLET engineers on the property were getting ready to cast their votes on a new contract. Instead of a widespread launch, the Mobilization Network was tested on a few select BNSF Divisions.
“The results were very plain to see,” National President Sorrow said. “We did not attempt to sway the vote one way or the other. We just wanted to make sure members exercised their right to cast their vote on the contract. The rate of return for Divisions where the Mobilization Network was in place was much higher than Divisions where the Network was not in place.”
More than 3,500 members cast ballots in the election with 75 percent voting in favor. In announcing the election results, BLET Vice President Steve Speagle said, “I am very proud of the high level of participation by the BNSF engineers.”
Mobilization’s second test
In January, the mobilization network was given another test — this time on a larger scale.
Congress was considering health care legislation that would be harmful to BLET members. Instead of targeting a few divisions on a single property, the Mobilization Network was activated system-wide on the entire BNSF and CSXT properties.
Though the Network was not yet fully operational, the results were successful. The BLET was part of a large union coalition that successfully convinced the congressional leaders to rework the harmful proposal.
Network structure
The BLET’s Mobilization Network is broken into two regions — one National Mobilization Coordinator will be in charge of the territory east of the Mississippi and a second will direct the territory west of the Mississippi.
Reporting to the two National Mobilization Coordinators will be the system mobilization coordinators and the respective General Chairmen from each property (or his designee, where applicable).
Reporting to each General Chairman (or his designee) will be several Regional Mobilization Coordinators (where applicable).
Each BLET Division will then appoint one Division Mobilization Contact, who will report to his/her Regional Mobilization Coordinator. Each Division will be broken down into 10 member teams, and will appoint one Team Captain for each 10 Team Members.
The Team Members will report to the Team Captain, and the Team Captain will report to the Division Contact.
The Network will create a chain of command and communication. In the event of breaking news or an emergency situation, the Mobilization Network will be able to spread the news throughout the entire Brotherhood in just a matter of minutes.
Your help is needed
In the coming weeks and months, the BLET National Division will be expanding the Mobilization Network to include other properties (such as Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, and Kansas City Southern, just to name a few).
“When the time comes, it will be extremely important that we receive the cooperation of all members to help gather contact information for the Mobilization Network,” NST Walpert said. “We need current contact information from our members for the network to function, and I ask for your cooperation in helping to make our Mobilization Network the strongest communication tool in the House of Labor.”
Additional updates will be provided periodically as the National Division works to expand the Mobilization Network.