(The International Brotherhood of Teamsters issued the following news release on May 24.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Teamsters International Representative Ed Bagwell and Education Coordinator Amy T. Anderson recently conducted two day-long training programs for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way (BMWE) in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The BMWE is currently in merger talks with the Teamsters.
The workers at VAE Nortrak in Cheyenne organized with the BMWE, winning their certification election in April 2004. This was a first for BMWE, since Nortrak employees fall under the National Labor Relations Act. Historically, BMWE represents workers covered by the Railway Labor Act.
The seminar allowed BMWE officials to become familiar with the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and first contract strategies. The group also focused on the structure of the National Labor Relations Board, procedures and strategies for filing Unfair Labor Practice charges and internal organizing to support negotiations.
Later, members of the in-house committee joined the group for a session on internal organizing strategies for membership mobilization. Bagwell and Anderson discussed union members’ rights under the NLRA and best practices for internal organizing. Participants mapped their workplace, developed a one-on-one communications network, and devised an action plan to begin mobilizing their co-workers.
Wyoming is a Right-to-Work (for less) state where internal organizing is a crucial step in negotiations and contract enforcement. The in-house committee members at Nortrak are committed to fight for a fair contract and to protect their workplace rights. This training gave them the tools and techniques for involving the whole bargaining unit in the process.