CLEVELAND, June 10 — Rick Gibbons was reelected by acclamation as General Chairman of the BNSF (former SLSF)/MNA General Committee of Adjustment at quadrennial meetings held in Tunica, Miss., from May 20-23, 2013.
General Chairman Gibbons expressed great satisfaction, as the GCA’s officers also were all elected by acclamation in 2009.
“We had a very productive meeting, which included several guest speakers and presentations on Wednesday, as well as an Investigation and Arbitration Workshop the entire day on Thursday. I’m very proud the delegates saw fit to keep the entire committee intact,” Gibbons said. “Everyone was reelected by acclamation. We have stressed working together as a committee over the past 12 years and that again was reflected in the voting.”
Also reelected by acclamation were: 1st Vice Chairman Randy Dumey, Division 595 (Chaffee, Mo); 2nd Vice Chairman George Haskins, Division 672 (Memphis, Tenn.); 3rd Vice Chairman Jeff Thurman, Division 172 (Ft Worth, Texas); 4th Vice Chairman H.C. Rolen, Division 285 (Thayer, Mo.); and Secretary-Treasurer Tim Stipp, Division 507 (Monett, Mo.).
Also elected by acclamation were: 1st Alternate Vice Chairman Jason Wright, Division 502 (Kansas City, Mo.); 2nd Alternate Vice Chairman Robert Conrad, Division 237 (Springfield, Mo.); and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Bill Honeycutt, Division 285 (Thayer, Mo.).
Brother Gibbons is a member of BLET Division 502 (Kansas City, Mo.) He is beginning his fourth term as General Chairman. He was first elected to the office of General Chairman in 2001 and then reelected by acclamation in both 2005 and 2009. Immediately prior to winning election in 2001, he served as Local Chairman of Division 502 and 1st Vice Chairman of the BNSF SLSF/MNA GCA.
President Pierce represented the BLET National Division at the meeting along with Vice President Mike Priester who is assigned to the BNSF and MNA properties.
“I congratulate and thank these Brothers for serving the Brotherhood,” President Pierce said. “I have every confidence all officers of this General Committee of Adjustment will continue doing an excellent job of providing professional representation to the membership, as evidenced by the fact that they were unanimously reelected.”
President Pierce gave the delegates an up-to-date presentation of what is happening across the Organization and across the industry. Vice President Priester also addressed the delegates. Brother Doug Davidson, the BLET’s Assistant Director of Arbitration, also attended and gave a very informative presentation on the history of the Railway Labor Act. Also, two visiting General Chairmen from BNSF attended the meetings: Matt Wilson, BNSF-MRL, and Alan Holdcraft, BNSF (former ATSF).
The BNSF SLSF/MNA General Committee of Adjustment represents nearly 800 locomotive engineers from 16 different divisions, including engineers and trainmen for the BNSF Railway and the Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad.