Fall 2002
Volume 109 - No. 3
Fall 2002
Volume 109 - No. 3
New Guys at the Table
Four new members of the Advisory Board were elected last September. For the past year, they have been adjusting to life near the top of the BLE and working hard to improve the lives of the members they represent.
Raymond Holmes
For International Vice-President and U.S. National Legislative Representative
Holmes, the biggest adjustment of the past year has not been his new job,
but his new city. Holmes had spent his whole life in various places in Texas,
but upon his election to the BLE's top lobbying job, he had to move to the
nation's capitol.
"I went from living in tiny, podunk Mineola, Texas to Washington, D.C.," said Holmes. "It has been a huge culture shock for me. I have had to adjust to the much higher cost of living and just living in the big city."
"The job itself isn't all that different," continued Holmes. "I am doing the same thing as I was doing before (as Texas State Legislative Board Chairman), just on a larger scale. Instead of only being accountable to the BLE members in Texas, I am accountable to all the BLE members in the U.S."
And accountable he has been.
In Vice-President's Holmes first few days in office, rail labor was mounting its charge on Capitol Hill for changes to the Railroad Retirement Act. The coalition of labor organizations was in full swing when Holmes took office and he jumped right in to help.
Holmes and the rest of the D.C. office staff, along with members of the GIA worked to mobilize BLE and GIA members in order to contact members of Congress in support of this important piece of legislation. Many people heeded the call for help. In fact, the plan went so well that the BLE and the other coalition members had to ask their members to stop because the offices of some key members of Congress were getting overwhelmed with the high volume of calls.
The legislation was passed and Holmes has moved on to other challenges, but the battle over the Railroad Retirement legislation taught him a lesson.
"It gave me insight into how important the opinions of the people back home are to members of Congress," said Holmes. "The BLE members and their families were a tremendous help in this fight."
Holmes brings a lot of experience to his new job. Immediately prior to his election, he served as Chairman of the Texas State Legislative Board, a position he held since 1986. In addition, he was serving his second term as Chairman of the National Association of State Legislative Board Chairmen, of which he had previously served as Secretary-Treasurer for over 11 years. On the Division level, Vice-President Holmes served as Local Chairman from 1976-1986 and Legislative Representative from 1972-1986, for Division 834 (Mineola, Texas). On the Union Pacific General Committee level, he served as First Vice-Chairman for six years. On the State Legislative level, he served as Second Vice-Chairman for three years and First Vice-Chairman for six years. He was a delegate to the Sixth Quinquennial Convention where he served as Chairman of the Legislative Committee.
Holmes also credits the "good people" in the D.C. office for making his transition easier.
"Bob Harvey and Betty Child are a huge asset to this organization and to me," said Holmes. "Without their institutional knowledge and memory, I would have been lost."
The next four years will provide Holmes with more challenges. Up next is the fight over the future of Amtrak.
"We are trying to think up sources of funding for Amtrak," said Holmes. "They may not be popular, but they will save our nation's rail system."
While the past year has been filled with a lot of hard work, it has also had a lot of surprises and has enabled Holmes to work with and meet people whom he never thought he would get the chance.
"I have met a lot of nice people over the past year," said Holmes. "I found that there are a lot of well-meaning and concerned individuals among the Congress.
"I am looking forward to the upcoming Congress, and I hope that we will have a good leadership in that body," continued Holmes. "We have members in the field working towards that end."
Along with his work on the legislative side, Holmes also sees a lot of exciting potential in other aspects of the organization. He and the rest of the Advisory Board are facing the future head-on.
"I think there is a new attitude in the organization of 'we can do it,'" said Holmes. "I am happy to be a part of an Advisory Board that shows respect for each other and genuinely likes each other. We are not always on the same page, but we respect each other's opinions."
Holmes is also excited by the prospect of a possible merger or affiliation with the Teamsters.
"I think if it happens, it will be a great legacy for those of us involved," said Holmes. "I am excited about working on this, and I think that I will be able to look back with pride on our work if it is done well."
Vice-President Holmes is a second generation locomotive engineer and he began his railroad career as a switchman on the Texas & Pacific Railroad in 1959 in Dallas, Texas. He went firing for the Missouri Pacific Railroad on August 19, 1970 and was promoted to locomotive engineer in October of 1972. Holmes' father, now deceased, was a locomotive engineer and his younger brother, Matthew, is currently an engineer for the Union Pacific Railroad in Texas and has been a BLE member since 1980. Holmes joined the BLE in September 1973.
Holmes may have moved from Texas, but he has kept a little bit of Texas with him in his new city. His favorite author is James A. Michener, who wrote the epic Texas, and his favorite movie is Lonesome Dove. These little bits of home, along with a lot of help, have enabled Holmes get over his culture shock and get down to the business of life and the business of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers in our nation's capitol.
Stephen Speagle
This first year has flown by for Vice-President Speagle and through
it all he has been guided by what he calls a moral compass which helps him
to make his decisions based on what is right.
The year was full of new experiences, changes and great people, but the highlight of the year came at the very beginning, according to Speagle.
"The most interesting and memorable event of the whole year was that first Advisory Board meeting," said Speagle. "We had to make a lot of decisions at that time and were faced with a lot of difficulties. We had to deal with the specter of the UTU, the lack of funds in the treasury. Everything seemed to be working against us.
"We made some good decisions that day," continued Speagle. "I think President Don Hahs, along with the rest of the Advisory Board has done an excellent job. We have really pulled some rabbits out of our hats that even we didn't think were possible."
"It has been a great year for myself and the BLE," said Speagle. "For me personally, it has flown by. It is unimaginable that the first year has gone by so quickly."
Speagle has been involved with the BLE since 1975, but the past year has been like no other before it. For the previous 27 years, he had been involved with Norfolk Southern, but upon becoming an International Vice-President, he was assigned to cover Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Montana Rail Link.
"My experience with BNSF has been a good one," said Speagle. "There are a lot of differences between BNSF and Norfolk Southern and many similarities, but the engineers on BNSF have been really great. It has been a positive experience for me."
Speagle's time with the BLE has been filled with positive experiences.
He has been a member of BLE Division 155 (Decatur, Ill.) since 1972. He began his railroad career in 1964 as a switchman on the Norfolk & Western Railroad out of Decatur. He went firing for the Norfolk & Western in 1968 and was promoted to locomotive engineer in 1972.
"I joined the BLE after my promotion to locomotive engineer because I always felt that it was important to be a member of the union that held the contract for your craft, so that I could have a say in the decision-making," said Speagle. "Two years after I joined the BLE, I was elected secretary-treasurer of my division."
Vice-President Speagle went on to hold a variety offices beginning with secretary-treasurer of Division 155 for three years. He also held the position of legislative representative for his division from 1979-1982. He twice held the position of local chairman for his division from 1978-1979 and 1982-1995. From 1991-1996, he was a member of the BLE's Board of Appeals. In 1983, he was elected to the position of vice general chairman and was in this position until 1995 when he became General Chairman of the Norfolk Southern-Northern lines.
Along with all of the changes, Speagle has done a lot of work in his first year. He has been working closely with the BNSF General Committees in an attempt to get an on-property agreement and with the Montana Rail Link General Committee to get bridging insurance for retirees between the ages of 60 and 65.
He gains energy through this work, especially attending the many union meetings that he has gone to in the past year, although the travel can sometimes be a grind.
"I always come out of those meetings with more energy than I went in with," said Speagle. "Sometimes if I am not feeling particularly great when I go in, I am always better when I leave. They are, however, a little different from what I was used to. I was used to going in to those meetings and running them, but now my role has changed into an advisory role."
During his time away from his work with the BLE, Vice-President Speagle is a history buff, especially of Civil War history. His wife of 36 years, Sue, claims that "he has never met a historical marker that he didn't like," on their many car trips through out the years. The couple has two sons, Stephen and Aaron; a daughter-in-law, Julia; and five grandchildren, David, Ariel, Alyssa, Ariana and Sierra.
The past year has seen a lot of changes for the BLE, but Speagle is happy with the direction that the organization is taking. One of the things that he thinks bodes well for the future of the BLE is the possible merger/affiliation with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
"I think a merger or affiliation would be a good thing if it gets done correctly," said Speagle. "It is important that we look at the big picture of what is good for engineers. I have always been a union-man first and a BLE member second, a close second, and I think this would be good for the membership of both organizations."
As for the future of the BLE in general, Vice-President Speagle believes that everything will work out in the end and the BLE will end up on top.
"I think that the BLE will continue to represent engineers as we always have and may expand to represent trainmen on a larger scale," said Speagle. "I think that people with in the industry realize that our moral compass is better than the UTU's. If your moral compass is straight, you don't have to worry so much about the future."
Merle Geiger
Like the other new Advisory Board members, the past year has been filled
with changes and challenges for International Vice-President Geiger. But
time flies by when you are busy, just ask him.
"My first year as International Vice President has just zipped by, but it has been a very interesting and fulfilling year," said Geiger. "It has been a pleasure to meet and work with the officers and members from the properties which I have been assigned.
"All of it has been quite interesting including learning the nuances of the properties to which I have been assigned and contract negotiations on multiple properties encompassing the full spectrum of railroads across the country," conitnued Geiger.
It has also been a lot of work, since Geiger had spent his 30 years as a member of the BLE on the properties that make up the BNSF-MRL system. Upon his election, he suddenly had to travel across the country to properties as varied as Kansas City Southern, Mid-South, South Rail, Gateway Western, Springfield Terminal/Delaware & Hudson, Tex Mex and Indiana & Ohio Railroad, all from his home base in Fort Worth, Texas.
"The constant travel has been one of the only negatives of the job," said Geiger. "But even that has its pluses as I have had the opportunity to see parts of the country where I had not been before and have had an opportunity to meet and work with a diverse group of Brothers and Sisters. It has been a real honor to serve the General Committees to which I have been assigned and the members of this great organization."
It is on these properties where Geiger has done the bulk of his work, which has been a challenge because of the diversity between the properties.
"I have been involved in contract negotiations on four of my assigned properties and those negotiations have been both challenging and very interesting," said Geiger. "Although, agreements and operations on the railroad are similar on every property, it has been a challenge to learn and understand the variations of those agreements and operational practices on each property."
Vice-President Geiger was well-prepared for the job of International Vice-President. He has been a BLE member since 1970 and belongs to BLE Division 758 (Vancouver, Wash.). Prior to his election, Brother Geiger served as General Chairman of the BNSF-MRL General Committee from 1998-2001. He has served in various positions at the division and general committee level, including local chairman of Division 758. He was also a member of the Safety Task Force from 1989-1992.
Brother Geiger, a third generation railroader, hired out as a laborer in 1966 for the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railroad. He went firing in 1968 and was promoted to locomotive engineer on May 5, 1971 by the Burlington Northern Railway.
Vice-President Geiger enjoys spending his free-time golfing, reading and spending time with his family. However, he hasn't been able to do much of these things since his election.
Both Geiger's father, Merle W. Geiger Sr., and his grandfather, Daniel Livingston, were locomotive engineers.
Geiger's family may have a strong past as locomotive engineers, but Geiger's mind is firmly on the future of the BLE and his work in the organization.
"It has been a real honor to serve the General Committees to which I have been assigned and the members of this great organization," said Geiger. "I look forward to continuing the work that I began this year, completing contract negotiations on multiple properties and assisting the General Committees in providing good contracts and working conditions for the members we serve.
"I am also looking forward to continuing to move this Organization down the path which the Executive Committee and Advisory Board has chosen in an endeavor to guarantee that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers will continue to be a strong and viable voice in the railroad industry for years to come," he said.
E.L. "Lee" Pruitt
Vice-President Pruitt does not like to talk about himself. He thinks
that it takes away from the accomplishments of the group, and the group
should come before the individual. The groups that he works with have been
working hard to achieve their goals for the past year, but Pruitt believes
that his role has been one of support.
"Everything that has been done this year with the Union Pacific General Committees has been a group effort," said Pruitt. "Without everyone working together nothing would have worked. If one person went astray, we wouldn't have been able to accomplish anything. Without the others, the individual is nothing.
"The General Chairmen that I have been working with have worked together like never before and the bonds between them have continued to grow all year."
It has been a busy year for Pruitt and the Union Pacific General Committees and a lot of issues have been put before them. Issues such as remote control, outstanding UP/Southern Pacific merger issues, work-rest, availability and pre- and post-85 disparities have occupied their time and attention for the past year and will continue to occupy their attention for the next. But Pruitt says his role has been a secondary one.
"The General Chairmen are on the front lines," said Pruitt. "I am just there to support them and help them with the knowledge and experience that I have gotten from more than 30 years working on the railroad."
Vice-President Pruitt's career on the railroad began nearly 35 years ago on the Southern Pacific Railroad in Bakersfield, Calif. He joined the railroad mainly because his father worked there. From that start, he went firing in 1970 and was promoted to locomotive engineer in June 1972. He joined BLE Division 126 (Bakersfield, Calif.) in 1972.
During his career with the BLE, Vice-President Pruitt has held various positions. From 1979-1990, he was the local chairman of BLE Division 126. He served as a vice-general chairman for the Southern Pacific Western Lines and he became the General Chairman in 1990. He served in that position from 1990 until his election to Intenrational Vice-President at the BLE's Seventh Quinquennial Convention in Sept. 2001.
Vice-President Pruitt's father was a conductor on the Southern Pacific for 39 years.
The switch from General Chairman to Vice-President has been an interesting one for Pruitt. The change of role has been an adjustment.
"As a General Chairman, everything goes through you," said Pruitt. "But my role now is to assist and advise when necessary - just to support the General Chairmen when they need it."
Pruitt is proud of the General Chairmen that he has gotten to work with.
"It has been very memorable for me to see the General Chairmen on the U.P. working together and treating each other as equals," said Pruitt. "They realize that even if an issue doesn't currently impact them in their geographic area, it will some time down the road.
"It has been my pleasure to serve them," he said.
The worst part of his job is working with the carrier, according to Pruitt.
"Union Pacific is very disrespectful of labor," said Pruitt. "They are arrogant and the clout that they have gained in Washington has made it difficult to get anything done. It has put us at a disadvantage in negotiations and made the lives of the General Chairmen more difficult.
"But the General Chairmen are working very hard. There have been a lot of changes on the U.P. and a lot of challenges. Everyday is a different problem on U.P."
In the next year, Pruitt and the General Committees that he assists hope to solve even more problems with the U.P. Among the issues that they hope to tackle are resolving the pre-and post-85 issues, getting the employees more rest, decent line-ups and stopping the carrier from demanding 100 percent availability.
Vice-President Pruitt and his wife Deanna have been married since 1990. Brother Pruitt has one child, Tobi, and one granddaughter. In his free time away from the BLE, he enjoys riding his Harley.
And introducing ...
As this issue of the Locomotive Engineers Journal went to press, there was another addition made to the ranks of the BLE Advisory Board. On November, 1, 2002, Paul L. Wingo was elevated to International Vice-President as a result of the retirement of International Vice-President Joseph Cassidy. Wingo was elected to the office of First Alternate International Vice-President in Sept. 2001 at the Seventh Quinquennial Convention in Miami Beach, Fla.
Wingo is a member of BLE Division 198 (Chattanooga, Tenn.). Wingo began his railroad career in 1966 when he hired out as a switchman on the Southern Railroad, after four years of active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps. He joined the BLE in 1969 after his promotion to locomotive engineer.
During his 33 years as a member of the BLE, Vice-President Wingo has held many elected positions. He served as Division 198 secretary-treasurer from 1969-1986, legislative representative from 1980-2000 and local chairman from 1986-2001. He was a delegate to the 1986, 1991 and 2001 BLE International Conventions. He served on the Board of Appeals from 1987-1996. Prior to his election as First Alternate International Vice-President in 2001, he served as the Fifth Alternate International Vice-President.
Vice-President Wingo and his wife, Linda, were married on October 2, 1965. The couple resides in Ooletwah, Tenn., and has two sons - Major Carl David Wingo, USAF, stationed at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Okla., and Paul Lebron Wingo, who followed in his father's footsteps and is a locomotive engineer and Local Chairman of BLE Division 198. The couple also has two grandchildren.
© 2002 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers