CLEVELAND, August 30 -- Edward Dubroski, International President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, today announced a series of steps to deal with the increasing threat posed by the United Transportation Union to North America's oldest trade union, most notably the creation of a voluntary BLE Defense Fund.
The threat came on August 27 when recently re-elected UTU President Charles L. Little boasted UTU would attempt to raid the BLE regardless of what the National Mediation Board rules. In doing so, Little publicly admitted what BLE leaders and the rest of organized labor have known all along -- that UTU's petition before the NMB is nothing more than a trumped-up sham to raid BLE membership.
"If we are not successful at NMB we will take on the BLE on the Union Pacific Railroad anyway," Little crowed. "That's going to be our first target. After that we'll do a few carriers at a time."
UTU asked the NMB to eliminate the crafts of locomotive engineer, conductor and brakeman and force a representation election on the UP for the combined class of "train and engine service employees."
To fund his reckless campaign of self-destruction, the UTU President imposed a mandatory $5 per month dues increase on all UTU members at the union's International Convention in mid-August. Little went on to say that a majority of the nearly-30 percent dues hike would be used to build a "war chest" for a "fight-to-the-finish with the BLE."
"By cramming a dues increase down the throats of all UTU members,
UTU President Little has finally exposed his plan to destroy the BLE for
all the world to see," Dubroski said. "UTU has been using the
NMB to obtain an excuse to raid our Brotherhood. We've known all along that
their combined-craft issue was a sham cooked up to raid the BLE, and this
is the first time they've publicly admitted it."
"Forcing its members to fund a raiding campaign is about as low-down and spineless as you can get. The idea of one labor union trying to destroy the craft of another is sickening."
In contrast to the UTU's mandatory dues increase, Dubroski made the first donation to the newly established -- and completely voluntary -- BLE Defense Fund.
"Little is taxing his members $3 per month -- not to address the post-85 or retirement age issues we get paid to work on -- but to destroy the BLE," said Dubroski.
"I will donate $100 per month to the BLE Defense Fund in response to this latest attack, and I ask that the other officers and members of the BLE also make voluntary contributions in an amount they can afford. I want to show Little that the volunteer spirit of BLE members is stronger than his mandatory tax."
Members interested in donating to the BLE Defense Fund should use the coupon provided below. Checks should be made payable to "Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers," should note "For BLE Defense Fund," and should be mailed to:
Please be sure to enclose the tear-away coupon found at the bottom of this article.
"There has already been a tremendous response from both BLE members and BLE officers who want to voluntarily contribute money to fight the UTU if there's a representation battle," said BLE General Secretary-Treasurer Russ Bennett, who also pledged $100 per month to the BLE Defense Fund. "The idea has spread like wild fire."
Dubroski said the UTU should spend membership money more wisely instead of wasting it on carrier-inspired raiding campaigns.
"We have used BLE funds to conduct a union-wide membership survey to see what our members want in the next round of collective bargaining," Dubroski said. "We're fighting to eliminate the two-tier pay system and establish an early retirement system for railroad workers. On the other hand, UTU is fighting to eliminate the BLE and establish chaos in the railroad industry."
Dubroski noted that a meeting of BLE Special Representatives and National Mobilization Coordinators was held September 8-10 in Cleveland to finalize distribution of informational and educational materials already in production, and to implement the first phase of the defense plan drawn up for the Union Pacific Railroad.
Dubroski also said that past restrictions on organized recruiting of members from the UTU are being suspended. "One in three UTU delegates said 'No!' to funding Little's kamikaze war. We're going to educate the memberships of both Unions, and open our doors to UTU members who have had enough of Little's strategy of putting power and perks first, and the members last."
Finally, Dubroski reminded UTU leaders that they stand outside the House of Labor with AFL-CIO imposed sanctions hanging over their heads.
"Any attempt by the UTU to raid the BLE will be met swiftly and severely -- not only by the BLE, but by other transportation unions within the AFL-CIO," Dubroski said.
The BLE President added that he was in the process of arranging meetings with other Rail Labor chiefs and the top leadership of the AFLCIO to move forward with a coordinated response to what he termed Little's "renegade conduct."
"Little's vow to wage an 'A' card campaign after its application before the National Mediation Board is denied should prove to the Board and to the AFLCIO that it is senseless to try to reason with him," Dubroski said. "By declaring war on the BLE, Little has declared war on the American labor movement. The bosses must be thrilled, because Little is doing for them what they wouldn't dare do themselves."
CLEVELAND, September 13 -- The BLE's Department of Internal Organizing, Mobilizing and Strategic Planning, along with the union's Special Representatives and Regional Mobilization Coordinators, met for two days in Cleveland to review and discuss the BLE's organizing plan in the event of a raid by the United Transportation Union on the Union Pacific Railroad.
"In order for the National Mediation Board to issue an adverse ruling, based on the case we presented, it would essentially have to create new laws, an act that would be far beyond its statutory authority," said BLE International President Edward Dubroski. "However, since UTU President Charles Little said he would attack us regardless of the NMB's decision, we want to be prepared."
The mobilizers spent time preparing factual documents for distribution to all operating employees on the UP. These documents will be used as part of the BLE's campaign to educate workers regarding the falsehoods and rumors that have been spread by UTU leaders.
"The group made a unanimous commitment to educating operating craft employees about the facts," said Larry James, Coordinator of the BLE Education & Training Department. "We believe we can accomplish many of our goals through education based on history and based on fact."
President Dubroski revealed that part of the education campaign will focus on the UTU's position as an "outcast" union, emphasizing the sanctions placed on the UTU by the AFL-CIO.
"Lead mobilizers can expect to be in the field 30 consecutive days, and they won't need a bus to run around in," Dubroski said, referring to the UTU's tour bus that it purchased for several hundred thousand dollars.
BLE General Chairman and State Legislative Board Chairmen from the Union Pacific property will attend a meeting in early October to discuss the organizing campaign.
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