BLET Legislative Representatives meet in Washington

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, September 30 — Legislative Representatives of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) met at Teamsters headquarters in Washington this week for training classes and to lobby House and Senate representatives about the need for two-person crews and other safety measures. The BLET Education and Training Department conducted the training classes.

Dennis Pierce, National President of the BLET, addressed the group and emphasized the importance of their lobbying elected leaders. “You are the voice of the members when you are on the Hill,” he said. President Pierce also gave an update on various rail agreements and the union””s fight against Right To Work legislation.

John Tolman, BLET Vice President and National Legislative Representative, discussed the importance of the upcoming elections on November 8 and how the outcome will have an impact on organized labor in general and BLET members specifically. Also on hand for the training class were Vince Verna, BLET Director of Regulatory Affairs, and Bob Hagan, Director of Political and Legislative Affairs.

Also at the week-long meeting was James P. Louis, BLET Vice President and Department Head of Education and Training. Louis gave a presentation about the skills needed to be an effective Legislative Representative such as learning about the process for getting bills made and the importance of working with the staff of elected representatives so that they understand rail workers”” concerns. Jason Wright, BLET Special Representative and Director of Education and Training, conducted much of the classroom training.

Staff from the Teamsters Legislative Department outlined the current political priorities facing working families in order to further prepare the Legislative Representatives for their lobbying efforts.

Friday, September 30, 2016
bentley@ble-t.org