BLE safety programs would have helped UP

Representing the BLE during the two-day NTSB hearing, clockwise from top left: Larry James, Coordinator of the Education & Training Dept; Raymond Holmes, Texas State Legislative Board Chairman; John Tolman, Special Rep; Bill Walpert, Vice-President and BLE Party Spokesman; Don Bergman, Arizona State Legislative Board Chairman; Tim Young, Arkansas State Legislative Board Chairman; and Rodney Stutes, BLE Division 366 Local Chairman and NTSB Witness.

Describing fatigue countermeasures implemented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, President Clarence Monin delivered testimony before the National Transportation Safety Board during its investigation into safety deficiencies by the Union Pacific Railroad.

Monin explained the BLE's SENSE Safety Program on the CSX property, and the benefits of the Education & Training Department's Fatigue Education Program.

These two BLE-created programs would have helped reduce the carnage that resulted from UP's safety meltdown in 1997, Monin said.

"We feel so strongly about (fatigue) that we have developed our own fatigue countermeasures programs, not waiting for the nation's carriers."

The two-day hearing in Dallas focused on UP's safety meltdown that resulted in 15 accidents and 13 deaths in a 12 month period. BLE engineers R.W. Adams and M.E. Brown were among the fatalities.

"To our knowledge, the BLE Fatigue Program is the only program that marries scientific research into operational settings that relate directly to the rail industry," Monin said.

In addition to Monin, other BLE speakers were Vice-President Bill Walpert and Division 366 Local Chairman Rodney Stutes, who served as a witness during hearing.

"Engineers approach fatigue as a safety issue that directly impacts their lives," Monin said of SENSE. "They are beginning to effect change by telling management what they must hear, not what they want to hear."

Division 42 holds fund raiser

Members of BLE Division 42 are collecting money to help a brother who recently filed for disability benefits after losing a lawsuit to Union Pacific Railroad.

Dennis Penning, former general chairman of UP's Eastern Region, injured his back while working for Union Pacific, but a jury awarded him nothing. The jury agreed with Union Pacific, which said "the only thing that kept Mr. Penning from coming back to work was himself," said Brother David Grimes, a friend of Penning and a Division 42 (St. Louis, Mo.) member.

"When the UP won the case, Denny decided he had no option but to try to come back, even though he thought he would not be able to stand the pain," Grimes said of his long-time friend.

"When he tried to mark up, he was terminated without an investigation," Grimes said. "Litigation in this case will, no doubt, go on for some time. In the meantime, he will most likely file for disability which will take about five months to start."

Penning is currently not working and the family's only income is from his wife, Debbie, who works as a secretary.

While Grimes is trying to organize a raffle to benefit Penning, he and other Division 42 members also are asking for donations.

"Denny doesn't want to ask for help even though he needs it," Grimes said of his friend.

Contributions can be sent to David Grimes at Route 9, Box 772, Poplar Bluff, Mo. 63901.

Convention Chairman Darvin Faust welcomes everyone to Biloxi, Miss., for the 72nd annual SMA. Hotel reservations can be made by calling the newly-constructed Beau Rivage at (888) 567-6667. Write Brother Faust for convention details at: 709 Burke St., Saraland, AL 36571; or call (334) 679-4818.

Chairman Allan McGunigal announced that Calgary, Alberta will be the host city for the 1999 IWC. Guests will stay at the Holiday Inn Downtown, and can make reservations by calling (800) 661-9378. For details, write: 8989 Macleod Trail South, Suite 309, Calgary, Alberta, T2H 0M2, Canada; or call (403) 640-4115; or fax (403) 640-4140.

The 64th annual SWCM will be held at the Fairmont Hotel in New Orleans, La. Chairman Bill Morris will welcome early arrivals on August 8, but registration and the annual golf tournament will begin on August 9. General sessions for the BLE and GIA will be held on August 10-12 and the final business meeting is on August 13. The Fairmont Hotel is adjacent to the French Quarter, and reservations can be made by calling (800) 527-4727 (U.S. only) or (504) 529-7111.

Recently confirmed for August 17-21, 1999, at the Hershey Lodge & Convention Center in Hershey, Pa. Register at the hotel by calling (800) 533-3131, and be sure to ask for the reduced BLE group rate. For conventions details, write Arrangements Chairman John Rupp at: 333 W. Main St., Mechanicsburg, PA 17055; or call (717) 766-5723.

Advisory Board February Activity

By action of the delegates at the Fifth Quinquennial Convention, summaries of BLE Advisory Board members' activities are published monthly:
International President Clarence V. MoninInternational Office: General supervision of BLE activities, meetings; BLE advisory board mtg.; Rail Labor Division, TTD, AFL-CIO, Washington; Rail Safety Advisory Committee mtgs.; BLE-UTU talks.
First Vice-President & Alternate President Edward DubroskiInternational Office. Assisted president supervising BLE activities; BLE Building Assoc.; RTA public hearing; Missouri & Northern Arkansas mtg.; AFL-CIO mtg.; TTD mtg.; National Wage talks.
General Secretary-Treasurer Russell W. BennettInternational Office: Supervision of BLE Financial depts.; Records Dept.; BLE Job Bank.
Vice-President Paul T. SorrowInternational Office, Assisted president and first vice-president in performing duties in connection with Chief of Staff position; BLE-UTU negotiations, D.C.; Assist CSX-East GCofA; Negotiations on CSX/NS/CSX, mtgs. w/ C. Roy, K. Pfeifer, Conway; CN-IC merger, Chicago; NS-North single agreement negotiations.
Vice-President Joseph A. Cassidy Jr. Norfolk Souther local chairmen mtg.; Mtg. w/ BNSF General Chairman Murphy; Mtg. w/ Special Rep Miller; Missouri & Northern Arkansas mtg.; Mtg. w/ Division 116; Study & paperwork; Work for BLE president on BLE matters; Joint Drafting Cmte.; Port Authority Trans Hudson; Mtg. w/ National Transportation Safety Board; Slide presentations w/ Special Reps & Mobilization Team.
Vice-President & U.S. Nat'l Legislative Representative Leroy D. JonesWashington D.C. Office; AFL-CIO legislative mtg.; TTD legislative mtg.; Lunch w/ AAR reps.; Mtg. w/ Cong. Oberstar, re: hazmats; DOT FY2000 budget; DOT Secretary Slater's roundtable; Lunch w/ Larry Mann, attorney, re: state model trespasser legislation; DCCC Speaker's Breakfast; Mtgs. w/ Cong. Shows, Bonior; Luncheon for Joe Andrews, new DNC chairman; DLCC reception; Mtg. w/ Cong. Hill, Senator Bayh, Gov. Graves, Cong. Moore, State Senators Shumlin, VT, & Dyer, FL.; Reception: Cong. Serrano; Mtg. w/ Tom O'Leary, Ohio DOT; Confirmation hearing on Wayne Burkes, to be new member of STB; TTD/Rail Div. mtg.; Mtg. w/ Cong Sessions, Danner, Franks, Klink; DOT appropriations hearing; High Speed Rail Gov't. Relations cmte. mtg.; National Press Club Transp. Roundtable, Jolene Molitoris guest speaker; AFL-CIO political directors mtg.; Surface Transp. Safety hearing; Cong. Tauscher, Crowley, Mtg. w/ House Democratic & Republican staff; Cong. Holden, Kennedy, Frost, Moore; DOT hearing, management issues; Competitive access mtgs.
Vice-President James L. McCoy Routine office duties; Mtgs. w/ J.R. Koonce, ICRR; Mtgs. w/ UPRR regarding 18 hour rest rule, w/ D.E Thompson, M.A. Young, Lee Pruitt, W.R. Slone; UP-SP merger mtgs, Ft. Worth hub; Metra Section 6 negotiations; PLB 5295.
Vice-President William C. WalpertInternational Office; BLE Education & Training Dept.; Internal Organizing, Mobilizing & Strategic Planning Dept.; Publications Committee; Public Relations Dept.; BLE Safety Task Force; BLE Special Reps.; Special Rep mtg.; NTSB pre-hearing conference, D.C.; NTSB public hearing on UP accidents, Dallas.
Vice-President Edward W. Rodzwicz Conrail agreement activities; Allegheny Ludloum activities; Conrail/CSX seniority provisions arbitration; SBA 894 submissions; BLE-UTU dues structure cmte.; Assignment under direction of BLE President.
Vice-President Don M. Hahs General office duties; UP-SP East, Ft. Worth Hub negotiations; Wage/Rules mtg., work/rest issues; SP East discipline and claim docket conference, PLB preparation; BNSF system; MRL; UPSP merger, East & West; SP system; Tacoma Belt Line; Pacific Harbor Line.
Vice-President Richard K. Radek International Office; BLE Decertification Helpline services; Director of Arbitration Dept; National Railroad Adjustment Board (NRAB); General arbitration assistance, case screening & preparation; Metra seniority decert case; IHB physical disability/leave of absence cases; FRA Part 240.409, dockets EQAL 97-65, 97-54, 98-67, 97-71.
Vice-President & Canadian Director Gilles HalléOttawa Office; Mtgs. for BLE Training Centre; Mtg. w/ CN, re: beltpack; Mtg. w/ K. Heller and CCROU; Mtgs. w/ M. Simpson, M. Coughburn, R. Dyon; VIA special hearing; Mtg. w/ CN pension cmte.; Vacation.
Vice-President & Canadian National Legislative Representative T. George HuckerOttawa Office; Canadian National Legislative Board; Core Disability Management mtg.; Workers compensation board mtg.; Canadian Railway Office of Arbitration mtg.; Kootney Valley Rwy. mtg.; CROA web site mtg.; Plaque presentation, re: Black Heritage Month; CCROU-CP Rail negotations.
 

BLE Publications Committee:

Clarence V. Monin, International President
Edward Dubroski, First Vice-President & Alternate President
Russell W. Bennett, General Secretary-Treasurer
Leroy D. Jones, Vice-President & U.S. National Legislative Representative
William C. Walpert, Vice-President & Editor
 
John Bentley Jr., Associate Editor
 
Contact us: www.ble.org · (216) 241-2630
 

COPYRIGHT 1999, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

 

VOLUME 13 · NUNMBER 3 · MARCH 1999

THE LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER NEWSLETTER

is published monthly by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers

1370 Ontario Street, Mezzanine

Cleveland, OH 44113-1702.

 

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