Railroaders place to shoot the shit.

CLEVELAND, February 19 More than 20 members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen inundated Capitol Hill on February 17, visiting nearly 100 offices to help save Amtraks funding and to lobby on behalf of the interests of their fellow BLET members.

The BLET members included Division Legislative Representatives from 12 states, State Legislative Board Chairmen from five states and the District of Columbia, and Vice President & National Legislative Representative John Tolman. Most were visiting Washington, D.C., as part of the BLET Education & Training Departments Legislative Representative workshop. 

The visit by these BLET members came at a particularly opportune time, Vice President Tolman said. Amtrak was under attack by opponents in Congress, who were putting forth amendments to a continuing resolution, a means of funding the government until a full budget can pass, that would strip Amtrak of its funding.

Of particular concern was an amendment presented by Representative Pete Sessions of Texas (H.AMDT.75) , which would have crippled Amtrak by reducing the railroads capital funding by $446.9 million. Thanks in large part to the BLETs quick early morning actions, the amendment failed by a vote of 250-176. 

The BLET members also asked these members of Congress for their support on several other key issues of great importance to BLET members, including the Compassion Leave Act, NMB voting procedures amendments, and Hours of Service technical corrections. 

The members attending the Legislative Representatives Workshop were: Roger Adams, Division 124; Brian Burns, Division 87; Mark Chalupa, Division 231; Kenneth Ealey III, Division 141; Brian Farkas, Division 121; Doug Ford, Division 239; Rachael Grimes of the BLET Auxiliary; Kent Hansen, Division 391; Thomas Hebert, Division 312; Doug Krucina, Division 520; Michael Lacey, Division 769; DeWayne Lanham, Division 284; Ron Shawcroft, Division 29; and Erik Wood, Division 98. They were accompanied by Vice President Tolman; Colorado State Legislative Board Chairman Jim Wilmesher; District of Columbia State Legislative Board Chairman Herbert Harris; Illinois State Legislative Board Chairman Paul Piekarski; Nebraska State Legislative Board Chairman Randy Meek; and New York State Legislative Board Chairman David Kearsing. 

I would like to personally thank the BLET members who thought they were simply taking a legislative class, but ended up helping to save Amtrak, BLET National President Dennis Pierce said. When I spoke to the group on February 15, the BLET was preparing them to advocate on behalf of our Compassion Leave Act, which would amend the Family and Medical Leave Act.However, they very quickly changed course to help save Amtraks funding, the jobs of 20,000 of their fellow members of rail labor, and the Railroad Retirement system, along with still trying to help their Brothers and Sisters by working on the Compassion Leave Act.

This kind of action shows how effective our legislative department can be and also that we can make our voices heard in Congress when we work together.

Saturday, February 19, 2011
bentley@ble.org