CLEVELAND, August 25 — Representatives from the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Md., are putting on in-depth hazardous materials training workshops for BLET members and their spouses at the union’s upcoming Southwestern Convention Meeting in Kansas City.
The National Labor College’s D.O.T. eight-hour Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Awareness Program will be held at the SWCM on Monday, September 14, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. All BLET members, spouses, and members of the BLET Auxiliary are encouraged to attend.
Among other things, the workshop will advise spouses and other family members how to deal with railroad-related pollutants in the home. For example, Facklam said rail workers often return home from work wearing clothing that may be contaminated from work, and the workshop will advise family members how to keep their home environments safe.
Henry Jajuga, Director of the National Labor College Rail Workers Hazmat Training Program, will attend the SWCM and preside over the eight-hour workshop.
Other instructors include: Steve Facklam, BLET Division 130 Legislative Representative and NLC Hazmat/Radiological Regional Peer Trainer; Fred Rinck, BLET Division 130 Vice-Local Chairman and NLC Hazmat/Radiological Regional Peer Trainer; Frank Tysdal, BLET Division 502 Alternate Legislative Representative and NLC Hazmat/Radiological Regional Peer Trainer; Gary Quick, BLET Division 362 Legislative Representative and NLC Hazmat/Radiological Master Trainer; and Carl Fields, BLET Division 682 Legislative Representative and NLC Hazmat/Radiological Master Trainer.
“This is a very valuable workshop for not only BLET members, but for their spouses as well,” Brother Facklam said. “We highly encourage spouses, especially members of the BLET Auxiliary, to attend.”
A four-hour hazmat workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, September 16. The National Labor College’s Rail Workers Radiological Transportation Awareness Training Program will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Again, BLET members, spouses, and BLET Auxiliary members are encouraged to attend.
In addition, information will be available on the many labor classes and degree courses offered by the National Labor College.
Chairman Mike Zenner of BLET Division 130 hosts the 74th annual SWCM at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo., from September 13-17.
Hotel reservations can be made by calling (816) 421-1234 or (800) 233-1234, or online at: www.crowncenter.hyatt.com
Early-bird registration for the SWCM is August 31, 2009. After that date, registration fees will increase by $25 per person. The first 250 attendees to register will be given a commemorative T-shirt.
Registration forms are available on the SWCM web site at bletswcm.org, or on the BLET National Division website:
https://www.ble-t.org/info/meetings/swcm
A tentative agenda is also on the BLET website here.
Members with questions can contact Chairman Mike Zenner at: (816) 804-9107 or: zmike5@kc.rr.com.