President's Message

BLE and Teamsters discuss possible merger

by Don M. Hahs

International President

As many of you already know, the BLE's Executive Committee is investigating a possible merger or affiliation with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

The Advisory Board unanimously voted in favor of this exploratory action on February 26 after hearing presentations from several other unions. Based on these presentations, the Advisory Board decided that the Teamsters were the best candidate for a possible partnership.

The Teamsters are the largest transportation union in North America with more than 1.4 million members. They were founded in 1903 and have a reputation for strong leadership and strong actions. Their size and reputation give them a great deal of clout both in the bargaining and legislative arenas.

Their membership is the key to all of their efforts. The IBT, like the BLE, is a strongly democratic union.

The Teamsters are lead by James P. Hoffa, their General President, and C. Thomas Keegel, their Secretary-Treasurer. Both of these men are dedicated to the democratic principles that guide their organization. In meeting with them, I was struck by their passion and commitment to their membership and to all working families.

Unlike previous merger attempts, this is a mutual arrangement. It is not one union trying to take over another by force - it is a combination of two democratic organizations who seek to work together in a mutually beneficial relationship. It is not a case of Goliath taking over David, but of David and Goliath working together.

Our first informal meeting with the Teamsters was on March 6. Soon, both organizations will form committees to explore the benefits and potential pitfalls of a merger or affiliation.

The BLE committees will be made up of a General Chairman from each region, a state legislative board chairman from each region and representatives of passenger engineers. These committees will work with First Vice-President & Alternate President Edward Rodzwicz and with representatives of the IBT.

The membership will be involved in all stages of the exploratory process, and we will strictly adhere to Section 1(e) of the BLE Constitution & Bylaws, if our discussions reach that point. Brothers Hoffa and Keegel respect this provision of BLE law.

In our discussions, President Hoffa and I agreed that any merger agreement between the BLE and the IBT should have an escape clause for each organization. It is important for each union to retain its independence, and each union should have the right to leave the partnership if things aren't working out for the best interests of its members.

A merger or affiliation with the Teamsters will create a seamless transportation union covering two modes of transporting goods. In today's transportation environment, it is important to remember that all modes work together to move commodities across the continent. While more goods are transported by rail than any other mode, trucking is gaining on rail quickly.

Those against our proposed relationship with the Teamsters will cite a perceived conflict of interest between trucks and rail as a reason why a merger or affiliation should not happen. However, we see this not so much as a conflict of interest but as a confluence of interest. We are both interested in gaining as much influence over the bargaining process as possible and, if our members represent the two dominant modes of overland transportation in North America, then we will have a big say at the negotiating table. One union representing two modes of transportation will be able to wield a great deal of influence.

If I felt, or had a valid reason presented to me, that this action would hurt the members of this great organization, I would stop the merger/affiliation or correct the problematic issue.

I believe that this proposed merger or affiliation will be a defining event in the history of the Brotherhood. We now have the opportunity to become a part of the largest transportation union in North America and secure our place in history.

Photo Caption: From left: BLE President Don M. Hahs, IBT Secretary-Treasurer C. Thomas Keegel, and IBT General President James P. Hoffa, at a March 6 meeting at Teamster headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Back to Spring 2002 Journal

© 2002 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers