Another great letter written out of Iowa by Legislative Representative, Alan E. Thompson. Who has not lamented the steady decline of our society, our institutions and its people? Corrupt Investment bankers, Wall Street tycoons, and politicians; the do nothing Congress, industrial polluters of our environment and yes, crooked union leaders who have no moral compass or they wouldnt get involved in activities that are clearly not in the interest of their organizations, their members or our country. Brothers and sisters every one of us is tested from time to time, which determines whether we are a benefit to our families our friends, our union or our country. Doing the right thing is often very difficult, especially when a bribe or apparent benefit is added to help one overcome their moral struggle. Ive lost faith in many of our institutions and leaders, but I have never doubted for a second, the honesty, work ethic or unity of our Brotherhoods. We dont cross each other’s picket lines and we certainly dont sell out our brothers and sisters for personal financial benefit. Ratification of the Babler crew consist proposal will effectively end the craft of conductor, deliver a blow far more damaging than Reagans firing of the Air Traffic Controllers to organized labor around the world, destroy the unity that is our only real strength, weaken our national economy and put the retirement system of which so many of us depend in jeopardy. All of this while our national organization and State Legislative Directors are working so hard to get two-man crews made the law of the land. How did we get here, who is responsible and what can we do to not only repair the damage done, but to send an unmistakable message to anyone who would doubt our combined resolve and strength? Most of our current problems began with former UTU President Paul Thompsons mis-representation of the then proposed merger between the SMWIA and the UTU. W e were not informed of all the problems, the secret understandings and Brother Thompsons admonition that the merger was necessary as he could never get the changes he wanted to our Constitution by the delegates to our Convention, until after the question was put to the membership, and the proposal had passed with lack luster support. When members began to hear the facts surrounding the merger a legal effort was undertaken to overturn the merger. Thompson had his allies, 7 of which were called the Interveners, who acted on the behalf of the SMWIA, while still employees of the UTU. John Babler was one of the 7. During the Presidency of President Futhey, the Interveners were fired from the UTU for disloyalty, but were later reinstated under court order. With the Interveners help and support, while paid employees of the UTU, the SMWIA was able to have their position upheld and consequently took over the UTU. While soundly sent packing by the Delegates to the UTU Convention prior to the unification of the UTU and SMWIA, Babler was rewarded for his loyalty to SMWIA with an appointed full time paid position as a representative of Smart. Knowing whom John Babler is, and what his record has been is critical to understanding how we got to where we are today. From his swaggering arrogant attitude towards anyone who dares question his policies or decisions, the fact that he turns any differences of opinion into a personal matter, his cavalier attitude about fiscal integrity or his blatant opportunism at the expense of others; these are only the starting points. Bablers opportunism manifested itself in the form of merging his former committee with GO-225 to increase revenue sources, rather than reducing spending; undermined the leadership of GO-225 by casting aspersions in a smear campaign to discredit them (while they were deeply involved in a gut wrenching struggle for the very survival of our committee, its member jobs and their quality of life) in order to become the committees next General Chairman; abandoned that committee once its brain trust had been dismantled to become a Vice President; and presenting himself as something he wasnt in an effort to become the President of the UTU. A person with that much blind ambition is dangerous. Prior to Bablers election as interim General Chairman in August 1998, GO-225 had a growing fund of $482,500.00, while simultaneously providing raises for all the office help and modernizing the office with new equipment to make it more efficient. By December of 1998, former President Little was inquiring as to how brother Babler had been able to deplete $80,000.00 in such a short period of time. Prior to our full General Committee meeting in January of 1999, members were advised that Babler had been claiming per diem everyday he worked in the office, while actual overnight lodging was rarely taken. Additionally, this practice had been going on for years and resulted in approximately $30,000.00 per year, in additional payments to him. A request was made for Babler to present documentation to the Finance Committee at the January G.C. meeting supporting his per diem claims, which he refused to do. Seeking counsel on such practice, the General Committee was advised that submitting claims for per diem when none was actually warranted represented embezzlement and fraud. Sound familiar? In order to prevent the intervention by the Department of Labor, the General Committee retroactively authorized the payment of Bablers past per diem claims at the January 1999 General Committee meeting. John has never admitted the theft and has steadfastly stonewalled any questions concerning such activity or tried to blame his behavior on others. In our July 2007 circular concerning Bablers campaign for the Presidency of the UTU we had asked, Will the next president of the UTU agree to waive local handling of crew consists? Will the UTU survive, only as an insurance organization serving Sheet Metal Workers? In his campaign literature, John promised solution bargaining and that he would, .... negotiate an agreement that protects the job of every UTU trainman and engineer....” In the proceeding paragraph to this statement, Babler demonstrated the value of negotiated guarantees, citing the elimination of crew consist moratoriums by PEB 219. PEBs can simply erase such carrier promises. The UTU delegates didnt buy what John was selling. If the current BNSF crew consist proposal is ratified, it will become a pattern agreement, which will quickly spread throughout the industry. Ratification of the proposal is saying we have been living a lie. We arent important to the safety of rail transportation. Despite our continued request for relief on the question of fatigue in the industry, one person is capable of operating these massive machines without error and without help, so long as we pee in the bottle, the little black camera is on, and the event recorders are working in PTC territory. No guarantee boards, no buy-outs until PTC is operational. Will you still be an employee at that time? When finally enacted, how long do you seriously believe the nations politically powerful railroads will continue to pay people on reserve boards or guarantee boards? In the next few years, hundreds of BNSF engineers will be retiring, and those on guarantee boards, reserve boards, etc. will certainly be forced to protect these jobs, rather than allowing them to remain unproductive, yet paid employees. And guess what? You’ll be working alone, without the fatigue issue being resolved with only the camera to keep you alert. Congress has long ago perverted the Railway Labor Act to allow members to be forced back to work under the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution, so we effectively have no right to strike (remember the Air Traffic Controllers?). Presidential Emergency Boards will decide issues at dispute and Congress will enforce them with Unanimous Consent. A recent inquiry to the Railroad Retirement Board questioning the fiscal stability of the fund into the future was answered with their 2014 evaluation which revealed that, Short of an unexpected reduction in railroad employment or financial down turn in our economy, RRR should be solvent for the next 25 years. While those on guarantee boards, reserve boards, etc. will continue to pay RRR commensurate with their lower earnings, until they retire; there are no guarantees after Pandoras Box is opened. Check out the organizations directory and consider how many General Committees comprise the whole. How many of these folks will simply lose their jobs in the subsequent race to the bottom? How long before enough folks retire that the payments in annuities fail to offset the withholdings in Railroad Retirement income? Will the combination of expected job loses account the Babler proposal and lost income from new retirees be significant enough to become, an unexpected reduction in railroad employment? Will the loss of these jobs with the additional jobs lost in other industries as employers become emboldened by the railroads victory over labor be significant enough to affect confidence in our national economy? What if the economy suffers another year like 2008? If the BNSF crew consist agreement is ratified and a subsequent Congressional action releases the carrier from their past promises, what impact would the subsequent job loses have on the future of your Railroad Retirement Annuity? Do you really trust the government to protect your interests? (Check out numerous PEBs on the railroad, the losses of Air Line Pilots pensions or the GM strike.) Remember, right or wrong, the decisions of Congress are the Law of the Land.....they decide what they can do and what they cant do, short of a Constitutional conflict. With Tea Party candidates ready to challenge mainstream politicians on questions of fiscal integrity, few would risk their careers to bolster a failing program that benefits only a diminishing special interest group. If the tentative agreement is ratified, the demise of Railroad Retirement as we know it is not a question of “if” but a question of “when”. With 8 years left on your moratorium, there is no urgent need to cut our own throats. As long as we remain united, we are a powerful force. Do not underestimate the power our organization wields with a united membership. While you remain on the property, your future is in your own hands, not in the hands of politicians, many of whom are beholden to the nations rail carriers. Our Legislative Department needs time to get a legislative solution to crew consist. Ratification of the Babler Agreement cuts the legs from under any possible legislative solution, represents a historic betrayal and departure from union Brotherhoods ethical code of behavior, threatens the continued solvency and very existence of our Railroad Retirement system, all long before there is any urgent need to do so. BNSF is afraid of a legislative solution and requirement for 2 man crews. Why do you suppose they would offer such proposals precisely at a time when we were making very real progress on this question? There is no credible outside threat of competition to the railroads profits UNTIL WE CREATE ONE within our own country by giving one carrier temporary competitive advantages, thereby beginning the ‘race to the bottom’ and giving Congress excuses for imposing a future PEB nationally. An injury to one is an injury to all. In solidarity there is strength. These are the ideals that have served the railroad brotherhoods quite well from their very inception. Unions are only as strong as the fraternal bond among each member in assuring that we watch each others backs, and work to promote our common interests. Once in a while we make a misstep and have to struggle to regain our footing. Not since Ronald Reagan fired the Air Traffic Controllers have we been poised on such a historically significant self-destructive path. And were doing so long before crew consist moratoriums would have expired, being herded like wild-eyed dusty cattle, driven by cold-war style fear mongering from leadership who find it easier to sell-out rather than put-out the very real effort it takes every day to preserve what has been built by the blood and sweat of all those who have come before us. (Example: Bablers failure as General Chairman of GO-225 to protect members Article XIII merger protection by refusing to handle their claims. Babler would not produce the agreement forfeiting such protection, which he blamed on his predecessors.) The apathy that resulted in the dilution of our voices with the addition of so many others cannot be repeated here. EVERY member must vote their conscience. Failure to return you ballot is a vote in FAVOR of ratification. Because of the damage done by the mere proposal being circulated and published throughout the country, immeasurable damage has been done to our craft. Brothers and sisters Safety is Non-negotiable. How do we explain to Congressmen that it is unsafe to run one person trains if we have a General Committee essentially saying that its fine? How will our engine service brothers feel about allowing unlicensed trainmen to operate the controls inside a locomotive in otherwise remote control operations? The ONLY way to restore our position and begin to build momentum on the two-man crew issue in Congress, retain brotherhood solidarity and insure the continued existence of our Railroad Retirement system is to OVERWHELMINGLY reject the proposals of those who would have you give up control of your own futures. The minute you get your ballot you should immediately reject the proposal and return it as instructed. This would send a strong message about the state of our union to those who would impose their wishes upon you. They run the railroads, we run the trains. No one can deny that the bribe is enticing, but remember who really negotiated this agreement, remember their history, remember when trainmen had complete autonomy in deciding their own destinies, and question the motives for this agreement being negotiated in the first place. Retain control of your future by remaining on the property doing what you do each day....Protecting America!
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 20:49:19 +0000
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