CLEVELAND, May 7 — Leaders of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen gathered in Reno, Nevada, the week of April 28 for the annual meeting of the National Association of State Legislative Board Chairman (NASLBC).
They discussed the upcoming Presidential election, the BLET PAC fund and safety throughout two days of meetings. The Brotherhood itself was also a topic of discussion, and in spite of recent changes on the Advisory Board, the union itself remains financially sound as membership continues to grow on a month-by-month basis.
NASLBC Chairman Tim Smith (Chairman of the California State legislative Board) called the meeting to order and introduced six new State Legislative Board Chairmen: Vince Verna, Arizona; J.T. Little, Tennessee; Don Douglass, Oklahoma; Tim Craver, Virginia; Bryan Aldridge, Kentucky; and David Brown, Minnesota.
Elections and Politics
BLET National President Ed Rodzwicz stressed the importance of voting in the upcoming Presidential election. He said the next President will appoint the members of the Surface Transportation Board who regulate the carriers, the Federal Railroad Administrator who oversees workplace safety, and the members of the National Mediation Board who can force the railroads to bargain in good faith.
“You can exert a strong influence on your family’s economic future when casting your vote in November,” he said.
BLET First Vice President Paul Sorrow address the delegates and said he hoped his grandchildren would be able to have a job and live the American dream as he has done.
“The easy solution to this country’s problems is to vote,” Sorrow said. “In the last Presidential election, just 46 percent of eligible voters elected the President. We have the greatest country on the face of the earth. If we want to stay great, we need to make changes.”
Vice President & National Legislative Representative John Tolman then spoke to the group. He began by speaking about the importance of contributing to the BLET PAC fund. Nearly 10,000 BLET members donate to the PAC.
He then spoke about how the 2008 elections can change the direction of out country — and the BLET.
“We need change in this country, and we should demand change,” Vice President Tolman said. “It is time to make a difference.”
The Brotherhood
National President Rodzwicz also discussed recent changes to the BLET and the upcoming round of national contract negotiations. He urged greater cooperation between the BLET and the United Transportation Union.
“If we can work together, it will benefit both organizations,” National President Rodzwicz said. “Single man operations don’t work if you want to save jobs. I’m not proposing a merger. I am saying that we need to find a way to work together.”
National Secretary Treasurer Bill Walpert delivered good news in his address, reporting that the BLET was financially stable and growing. NST Walpert said that active membership would soon top 39,000 members — a level not seen in many years.
Safety
Railroad safety was also a major point of discussing during the meetings.
NST Walpert discussed his role as Chairman of the BLET Safety Task Force and reported he has encountered difficulties in dealing with the National Transportation Safety Board under the Bush administration.
FRA Associate Administrator for Safety Jo Strang discussed H.R. 2095 and S. 1889, in addition to recent regulatory actions by the FRA. She also talked about a new program under development by the FRA called the Risk Reduction Program.
FRA Director of Security Bill Fagan then talked about railroad security, specifically the potential risk to trains from suicide bombers. He encouraged the Chairmen to report suspicious people who are loitering around railroad tracks.
The Auxiliary
BLET Auxiliary President Becky Schneider also addressed the NASLBC and explained the changes to the Auxiliary since the national convention in 2006.
BLET Auxiliary Vice President & National Legislative Representative Sereena Hogan also delivered an address, explaining how the Auxiliary works in the legislative arena.
“Auxiliary members provide a different perspective,” she said. “When we walk in to a meeting, we represent the families, the spouses and the community.”
Additional Speakers
Fred McLuckie, Legislative Director of the IBT, spoke about federal legislative issues, including cross border trucking and John McCain’s position on it, hours of service, overtime for drivers of 10,000 lbs vehicles, and the Employee Free Choice Act.
Margo Storsteen, a member of BLET Division 57 and the BLET’s representative to the Teamster’s Human Rights Commission, spoke about the Human Rights Commission and what the future holds for the BLET.