Peter M. Semenek was elected by acclamation to the office of National Vice President at the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen’s (BLET) Fifth National Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 5, 2022. The BLET is a member of the Rail Conference Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamster and represents approximately 57,000 active and retired members nationwide.
Brother Semenek began his railroad career on the Soo Line Railroad in August of 1991 when he hired out as a Conductor. In June of 1993, he was promoted locomotive engineer working in the Soo Line yard in Bensenville, Illinois. Brother Semenek is a member of BLET Division 790 (Chicago) having joined the Brotherhood on February 1, 1995. In 1997, he was elected Local Chairman of the Division and was reelected by acclamation continuously to the position until 2010.
In 2007, Vice President Semenek was elected to the office of 1st Vice General Chairman for the CP Rail System/U.S. General Committee of Adjustment. On January 1, 2011, he was elevated to the position of General Chairman following the election of his predecessor, Mike Priester, to the BLET Advisory Board. Vice President Semenek was elected to the office of General Chairman at the quadrennial meetings in 2011, and was subsequently reelected by acclamation in 2015 and 2019. The GCA represents members on the Soo Line Railroad, Metra North (NIRCRC), ISRR and the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad (DM&E).
Brother Semenek was elected to serve the National Division as Alternate National Vice President No. 4 at the BLET’s Fourth National Convention in 2018. While serving as General Chairman Brother Semenek was elected by his fellow General Chairmen to lead the Western General Chairmen’s Association in May of 2019.
During his tenure as General Chairman, Vice President Semenek negotiated contracts with Metra (the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation, or NIRCRC), the Indiana Southern Railroad, and the Canadian Pacific-U.S. Railway on both the Soo Line and Dakota Minnesota &Eastern Railroad. Most recently, he negotiated a contract that provided general wage increases of 24.75% (27% compounded) to the members of the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad (DM&E). BLET members ratified that agreement by a 5-to-1 ratio on June 13, 2022.
Brother Semenek said that he looks forward to the challenges that come with the National Vice President’s position and will always keep his BLET Brothers’ and Sisters’ best interests first and foremost in his thoughts and actions.