News Clips

Winter 2000
Volume 107 - No. 4

News Clips

"Now our people are living in chaos waiting to be called for work, which are awful conditions to work under." - BLE Union Pacific General Chairman Mike Young on the agreement reached by the BLE and U.P. that was not ratified by BLE members because of concerns that annual earnings would be reduced. (Doylestown, Pa.) Intelligencer, September 17, circ. 26,600.

"If the FRA decides it has not enough or no authority (to regulate use of remote control locomotives), I hope it would develop a comprehensive plan and require compulsory participation regarding design and safety performance criteria." - BLE Regulatory Research Coordinator Bob Harvey on FRA Remote Control Technical Conference held on July 19. Progressive Railroading, August 2000, circ. 28,696.

"People think we can stop on a dime or swerve to avoid them. They think we have steering wheels and we don't." - BLE Division 286 (Grand Rapids, Mich.) member Eileen Devine on the public's view of locomotive engineers. Lansing (Michigan) State Journal, Nov. 3, circ. 93,985.

"It's really stressful. You're gone from home all the time, you're on the road living in hotels every other day. But I love being out on the rail, running the train. It's my train, I'm under control. But nobody told me that I'd be killing people when I hired in here." - BLE Division 812 (Detroit, Mich.) member Jeffrey Roberts on the job of locomotive engineer. Lansing (Michigan) State Journal, Nov. 3, circ. 93,985.

"Historically, in state legislatures and Congress, whenever legislation to improve public safety was introduced, there was nobody on the committee or the chamber floor to respond competently to railroad complaints that the bill was too costly. Now coal miners, railroaders and truck drivers are being elected and able to speak over the hush to explain the human cost of not passing the bill." - BLE Political Affairs Coordinator and member of the West Virginia House of Delegates Brent Boggs on the increasing number of union members elected to government. Traffic World, Dec. 4, 2000, circ. 9,858.

"He's (Al Gore) doing everything possible. Our objective is to get folks out to vote. If they vote, they will vote right." - West Virginia State Legislative Board Chairman Darrell Blake on campaigning for Al Gore in West Virginia. Long Island Newsday, November 6, circ. 562,937.

"The dogs were called off. The attitude among mangers... has been, 'Business is good, the FRA's off our back, so we don't really care what the men say.' " - BLE Division 228 Local Chairman Jim Lance on the FRA's findings that U.P. was in violation of federal harassment rules 13 times. The (Portland) Oregonian, October 29, circ. 431,896.

"If he says yes to something, he follows through with that. He's not a flavor-of-the-month guy who says yes and means no." - BLE CSX Northern Lines General Chairman Don Menefee on new CSX President Michael Ward. Florida Times-Union, Nov. 30, 2000, circ. 254,000.

"Society looks down on people who work at traditional blue-collar jobs. Many are qualified by education and training for white collar jobs, but enjoy what they are doing and deserve respect." - Brent Boggs on union members serving in office. Traffic World, Dec. 4, 2000, circ. 9,858.

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