Summer 2002
Volume 109 - No. 2
Summer 2002
Volume 109 - No. 2
Guest Comment
TTD and BLE A Bold Voice for Rail Workers
Organizations make a difference in the lives of
railroad workers
In 1912, former President Theodore Roosevelt
said, "Capital organizes and therefore labor must organize."
Ninety years later, those powerful words are just as relevant as they were in the early part of the last century, especially when it comes to the legislative and political process.
Today, the latter day Robber Barons send out their high-paid, Gucci-loafered lobbyists to line the halls of Congress. So do those with a vested interest in undermining our rail infrastructure, weakening the rights of railroad workers and ending passenger rail service as we know it in America.
Against adversaries as organized as these, transportation workers must be organized to fight back. Indeed, for all of its proud, unparalleled 139-year old tradition of vigorous advocacy for rail workers, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) has done just that - repeatedly standing up for the rights of its members as well as those of workers everywhere.
That long, proud history of commitment and solidarity was a primary reason why the BLE was a charter member of the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO when TTD was created back in 1990.
TTD was established for one reason - to bring transportation unions in the rail, air, transit, trucking, highway and marine industries together, forming one bold voice for all transportation workers that is even stronger than the sum of its parts. The wisdom of the decision to bring transportation labor together is clear - today TTD is composed of 34 AFL-CIO affiliates, including the BLE, and aggressively represents the interests of millions of workers in every transportation sector.
In the past year alone, we have once again seen ample evidence that TTD's vision is paying dividends for the BLE and its members.
TTD's Rail Labor Division won a great victory last December when the Railroad Retirement and Survivors Improvement Act was signed into law. This landmark legislation will make a huge difference in the lives of rail workers. It increases widow and widower benefits by approximately $300 a month. It provides for a retirement with full benefits and health care coverage for rail workers reaching age 60 who have 30 years service. And it cuts the vesting period to five years.
Another example of this strength through solidarity came on May 23, when TTD and our rail labor affiliates led the campaign to persuade the Senate Appropriations Committee to pass an emergency supplemental appropriations bill that includes $55 million for Amtrak to make immediate repairs to damaged cars and overhaul and upgrade existing trains.
And together with the BLE, TTD continues to lead the fight to save Amtrak and put our national passenger railroad on sound financial footing for the future. We are mobilizing in support of Amtrak's $1.2 billion budget request for fiscal year 2003 and several hundred million for security upgrades, fighting off every attempt to privatize or dismantle the system, pushing to repeal the requirement in the law forcing Amtrak to be "self-sufficient" and battling for Amtrak employees' job security.
In the days after September 11th, TTD and its affiliates have lobbied Congress to beef up rail security and the security of our entire transportation system. We are continuing to lead the charge to protect every rail employee and passenger from the threat of terrorism.
Transportation labor's reach goes well beyond Capitol Hill. A perfect example of this is TTD's strong assistance to the BLE in the fight against the United Transportation Union's (UTU) predatory raids and its efforts to destroy the class and craft system in the railroad industry.
One important aspect of this solidarity with our BLE brothers and sisters came on May 28 when TTD, the AFL-CIO and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters filed a joint submission urging the National Mediation Board to dismiss UTU's efforts to create a combined craft of "train and engine service employees" on the Kansas City Southern Railway.
We are exposing UTU's move for what it really is: an attempt to achieve a forced backdoor merger with BLE after locomotive engineers emphatically rejected UTU's overtures. Their voices have been heard and their wishes must be honored. Our message to the UTU is strong and direct - we will continue to defend BLE from every attack on its rightful jurisdiction.
Because TTD continues to heed its original mission of providing transportation workers with the strongest possible voice, the BLE and every TTD affiliate gain extra strength in our never-ending quest to make life better for workers and their families.
BLE members can take great pride in the fact that their union has been at the forefront in helping create a bold, collective voice of strength and solidarity for transportation workers.
SONNY HALL has been the President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, since 1995.
President Hall is a long-time leader of the Transport Workers Union of America and has been that organization's International President since October 1993.
The TWU represents more than 100,000 workers in the nation's transportation and allied industries.
President Hall holds a B.A. from the Cornell Labor College and studied military and criminal law at the University of New Mexico.
He has long been recognized as one of transportation labor's most influential leaders and has provided a powerful voice in Washington, D.C. for millions of workers.
President Hall has also taken an active role in the BLE's long struggle
with the United Transportation Union.
© 2002 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers