BLET Focus

Spring 2004
Volume 111 - No. 1

BLET Focus

"A good fit"

Brother Stockwell belonged to both BLE, IBT

Leon Stockwell of BLET Division 561 (Richmond, Va.) has an interesting distinction that he shares with other BLET members - he began his working career as a Teamster before joining the BLE in 1978.

"Both unions have a long and rich history of labor representation," Brother Stockwell said. "The BLE, over the years, has represented only rail labor associated with the movement of locomotives and trains, while the Teamsters have represented all aspects of labor. The major similarity that I see is that both the BLE and the Teamsters have always fought to improve the wages and working conditions of the people that they represent.

"I came from a labor family," he continued. "My father John Stockwell Jr. (Teamster Local 243) and my Uncle Ray Banks (Teamster Local 299) are both retired Teamsters. I plan on joining them as a retired member of BLET Division 561. I am very proud to say that I have been a dues paying member of both great organizations."

In 1968, Stockwell began his union affiliation as a member of Teamsters Local 299 in Detroit. At the time, he was a dockworker for Ellis Trucking and joined the union at the urging of his uncle, Ray Banks, who was the Shop Steward at Ellis.

"Having started my union affiliation as a Teamster, I am still amazed at the power of this union," Stockwell said. "I have seen some strife and turmoil in the media about the Teamsters, but I believe that they have proven themselves over the years to remain loyal to their members. I believe that the Teamsters continue to exhibit their goal of representing the men and women of this country in the best way possible in whatever walk of life they come from. The Teamsters represent workers in all fields of endeavor in this great country."

After being drafting into the U.S. Army and serving in Vietnam, Brother Stockwell began working as a carman for the C&O Railroad in 1975. He was accepted into the Engineer Training Program in June 1977 and joined the BLE in 1978.

Brother Stockwell has actively served the Brotherhood throughout his career. He has served as Secretary-Treasurer of Division 542 (Detroit), and Secretary-Treasurer and Local Chairman of Division 561 (Richmond). He was a delegate to the Seventh Quinquennial International Convention in 2001, and currently serves as the Regional Coordinator of the BLET SENSE Safety Program on CSX Transportation.

"I am proud to have been a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers for 25 years and a part of its rich history," he said. "The BLE is without a doubt the greatest rail labor union in history, second to none."

He predicts that there will be many benefits to merging with the IBT and said that the merger was the right move at the right time for both organizations.

"First and foremost, I think we should strive to stop the pattern agreement of 'first at any cost' in the rail industry," Brother Stockwell said. "Also, I believe that with the resources of the Teamsters at our disposal, we will be able to lobby Congress in a manner that we have only dreamed of in the past.

"This merger is a good fit."

Continued on Page 4

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