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BLET WEEKLY NEWS RECAP 08-17
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| Myrtle Beach: 2023 Eastern Regional Meeting draws members from across the country, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy delivers keynote speech |
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| NTSB's Jennifer Homendy to BLET members: “Unions like the BLET aren’t just the backbone of America; you are on the front lines of a battle for dignity for working people, for how working men and women deserve to be treated.” |
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It may be called BLET’s Eastern Regional Meeting, but the union’s gathering in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this week was packed with 450 members from 177 BLET Divisions who traveled from 39 states. Attendees had an opportunity to learn from the union’s Advisory Board about the latest developments in the industry and issues related to the union during a closed-door members-only session.
The meeting concludes today, Thursday, August 17, with educational workshops and specialized training for Local Chairmen, Legislative Representatives, and Secretary-Treasurers.
Earlier in the week Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), delivered a safety-focused speech where she made it clear that rail unions are a key component in creating a safety culture. “Unions like the BLET aren’t just the backbone of America; you are on the front lines of a battle for dignity for working people, for how working men and women deserve to be treated,” Homendy said. “You fight for a culture of safety so that you — so that your brothers and sisters, so that the general public — can go home at night to their loved ones. Your work with the NTSB to improve safety is crucial.”
Additional speakers included: Greg Regan, the President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO; Mike Baldwin, President of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen; Andrea Wohleber, Senior Advisor with the Federal Railroad Administration; John Bragg, Labor Member of the Railroad Retirement Board; and Kathleen Bisbikis, National President of the BLET Auxiliary National.
Regan told the audience that, “In their response to the East Palestine disaster, the railroads are counting on people forgetting.” TTD’s president added that, “It’s up to us to hold the industry accountable and make the rail industry safer. The industry isn’t going to regulate itself and we are the watch dogs.”
The President of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen focused his remarks on the use — and often misuse — of technology in railroading. “There is a constant threat of automation, artificial intelligence or AI, one-man crews, and deregulation as we move forward into a new era of technology,” BRS President Mike Baldwin said. “Like you, we believe that automation and technology can only provide a redundancy, adding a layer of safety and is not meant to replace the value of our members.”
Andrea Wohleber, a Senior Advisor at the Federal Railroad Administration, thanked the BLET for its collaboration on rail safety issues, working with FRA to help reduce the severity and frequency of rail accidents. Her presentation touched upon Safety Advisories issued by the FRA regarding train length, train make up, and hot bearing detectors. Wohleber also discussed the FRA’s recent safety culture assessment at NS and the need for the carrier to improve training, trust and communication with its employees. Similar assessments will be released later this year on other Class I carriers.
In her remarks, the BLET Auxiliary’s Kat Bisbikis thanked National President Eddie Hall for joining the Auxiliary, becoming the first BLET President to hold membership in the Auxiliary in its 135-year history. She also thanked BLET Vice President Jim Louis, who for the past 20 years has funded the Auxiliary’s Leona A. Louis Memorial Scholarship in honor of his late month.
President Hall thanked the following members and staff for their assistance in planning and hosting the meeting: National Vice President Jim Louis, Special Representative Matt Kronyak, IT Director Mike Hager, and Arrangements Committee members Jamie Truesdale, Bly Bishop, Ray Gutierrez, and Greg Lund, along with Brother Chris Hyde who delivered the invocation. |
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| Under fire: RRB’s Bragg sounds the alarm at regional meeting on how proposed Congressional cuts would harm RRB beneficiaries and Amtrak |
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| RRB Labor Member John Bragg at the BLET Eastern Regional Meeting in Myrtle Beach |
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During his presentation to BLET members at the Eastern Regional Meeting, Railroad Retirement Board Labor Member John Bragg explained how proposed budget bills recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would have a devastating impact on the Board and beneficiaries.
On July 13, 2023, the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies released its FY 2024 spending bill. Under the proposed bill, the Railroad Retirement Board’s funding would be reduced from $128 million in FY 2023, to $103 million for FY 2024 (over a 20% cut). This amount is less than the Agency’s FY 2008 appropriation. “It burdens us with insufficient funds to pay salaries and benefits for 725 current full time employees as well as rent, building and equipment maintenance, heating, communications, building security, and IT operating costs,” Bragg said. “It will force us to furlough approximately 170 employees.”
Other projected consequences of the proposed budget cuts:
• Processing times for disability claims will increase to 475 days;
• Call wait times will double to 60-75 minutes per call;
• Processing times for sickness claims would double from 2.5 to 5 days; and
• The RRB’s IT modernization effort would come to a halt.
“I just don’t know how the House expects us to do more with less,” Bragg said.
Another proposed Congressional action that would harm Railroad Retirement came on July 12 when the House Appropriations Committee’s Transportation Subcommittee approved its FY 24 appropriations bill. Bragg said it would provide $875 million for Amtrak — a 64% decrease from FY 23 ($2.453 billion). This amount would fail to meet the minimum level Amtrak needs in order to operate its trains, maintain its assets, and ensure a safe railroad in FY 24. “It is estimated that 10,000 Amtrak employees who pay into our system could be furloughed,” Bragg said.
You can help stand up for Railroad Retirement by calling Congress today, especially if you are represented by a Republican member of Congress, at (202) 224-3121. Ask to be connected to your representative’s office and tell them that you oppose any cuts to the RRB, Amtrak, and other rail programs. |
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| Honors and accolades for service to the union: BLET recognizes Steve Bruno, Rick Gibbons |
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| BLET President Eddie Hall (right) presents National Vice President Rick Gibbons with a 50-year BLET membership pin and certificate. |
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| During this week’s regional meeting BLET National President Eddie Hall presented National Vice President Rick Gibbons with a 50-year BLET membership pin and certificate. Brother Gibbons has served as a National Vice President since July 1, 2013, and his railroad career began in 1972. National Secretary-Treasurer David Estes recognized former BLET National Secretary-Treasurer Steve Bruno in honor of his recent retirement. Bruno served as National Secretary-Treasurer from 2015 through the end of 2023. |
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| Investigative report: New York Times exposes freight railroads delay tactics on Confidential Close Call Reporting System |
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| BLET Vice President & National Legislative Representative Vince Verna: C3RS allows workers to anonymously report safety problems at work, but the freight railroads “do not want to relinquish their ability to discipline their employees...” |
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After Norfolk Southern’s toxic train derailment in East Palestine, the nation’s freight railroads promised to join in the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS). This was seen as a major victory for rail safety. But five months later, they haven't kept their promise.
An investigative report published on August 11 by the New York Times exposes how freight railroads publicly say one thing but are quietly lobbying to change and weaken C3RS before they agree to join it. BLET Vice President & National Legislative Representative Vince Verna, who was quoted in the Times’ story, explains why:
C3RS allows workers to anonymously report safety problems at work, but the freight railroads “do not want to relinquish their ability to discipline their employees who report something if they think there’s a rule that has been violated,” Vice President Verna said. “They want to be able to retain the ability to discipline.”
Vice President Verna told the Times’ readers that from the perspective of workers, maintaining anonymity is critical for the program’s success. If railroad employees have reason to fear punishment for reporting safety violations, they will not use the program, he said.
Go here for more info. |
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| Brotherhood elections: BLET’s longest-serving General Chairman, John Karakian of the Grand Trunk Western, is reelected by acclamation |
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| General Chairman John M. Karakian (center) was reelected by acclamation to his ninth consecutive term of office at the BLET’s CN-GTW GCA quadrennial meeting. National Vice President Pete Semenek (far right) was in attendance representing the National Division. |
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General Chairman John M. Karakian was reelected by acclamation to his ninth consecutive term of office at the BLET’s CN-Grand Trunk Western (GTW) General Committee of Adjustment quadrennial meeting, held in Novi, Mich., on August 16, 2023.
Brother Karakian, a member of Division 122 (Port Huron, Mich.), first joined the Brotherhood on June 1, 1977. Karakian replaced outgoing General Chairman Paul Hicks in 1992, which makes him the longest serving General Chairman in the BLET.
The GTW GCA is comprised of four Divisions and represents approximately 200 locomotive engineers who operate over 700 miles of track predominantly in Michigan. The GTW’s main corridor is from Port Huron, Mich., to Chicago, but also has operations in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and the province of Ontario, Canada.
Also reelected by acclamation were: Vice General Chairman Brian Miscikowski, Local Chairman of Division 850 (Flat Rock, Mich.); General Secretary-Treasurer James La Budde, Secretary-Treasurer of Division 33 (Battle Creek, Mich.); and Alternate Secretary-Treasurer Chris Hicks, President of Division 33 (Battle Creek, Mich.).
Representing the BLET National Division at the meeting was National Vice President Pete Semenek.
Additional members in attendance were: Derek Burnside, Local Chairman of Division 122 (Port Huron, Mich.); Chad Tedder, Local Chairman of Division 33 (Battle Creek, Mich.) and Chris Smith, Local Chairman of Division 920 (Pontiac/Flint, Mich.). |
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| Mark your calendar: 2024 regional meetings to be held in KC and DC |
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| Looking ahead to next year, the BLET’s 2024 Western Regional Meeting will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, the week of June 3. The Eastern Regional Meeting will be held in Washington, D.C., the week of July 29. Please mark your calendars, plan ahead. Join us at one or both of these meetings next year. |
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Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen · 7061 East Pleasant Valley Road · Independence, OH 44131 · USA
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