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http://www.bleteam.org/naslbc/ NASLBC MEETING OPENS IN RENO RENO, Nev. -- The BLET's National Association
of State Legislative Board Chairmen's meeting opened today in Reno,
Nevada. The meeting began with Chairman Tim Smith officially calling
the meeting to order. The credentials committee then gave its report
and the six new State Legislative Board Chairmen were introduced.
The new Chairmen, Vince Verna, Arizona; J.T. Little, Tennessee; Don
Douglass, Oklahoma; Tim Craver, Virginia; Bryan Aldridge, Kentucky;
and David Brown, Minnesota, were then seated as members. BLET First Vice President Paul Sorrow
addressed the group. He noted that he hoped that his grandchildren
would be able to have a job and live the American dream as he has
done. "The easy solution to this country's problems
is to vote," First Vice President Sorrow said. "The last
Presidential election 46 percent of eligible voters elected the
President. We have the greatest country on the face of the earth. If
we want to stay great, we need to make changes." The Association's officers then gave their
reports. National President Ed Rodzwicz addressed the
group and discussed the recent changes to the BLET and the upcoming
round of negotiations. He urged the members of the organization to
have greater vision. "Simple people talk about people, average
people talk about events, and smart people talk about ideas,"
National President Rodzwicz said. He also urged greater cooperation between the
BLET and the United Transportation Union. "If we can work together, it will benefit both
organizations," National President Rodzwicz said. "Single man
operations don't work if you want to save jobs. "I'm not proposing a merger. I am saying that
we need to find a way to work together." National Secretary Treasurer Bill Walpert
addressed the group. NST Walpert noted that active membership would
soon top 39,000 members. He also spoke about his role as Chairman of
the BLET Safety Task Force and noted the difficulties in dealing
with the NTSB under the Bush administration. "It isn't about guns, God and gays, Brothers
and Sisters," said NST Walpert. "It is about our jobs." Vice President & National Legislative
Representative John Tolman then spoke to the group. He began by
speaking about the importance of contributing to the BLET PAC.
Nearly 10,000 BLET members donate to the PAC. He then spoke about what is going on in this
nation and how the 2008 elections can change the direction of
country. "We need change in this country, and we should
demand change," Vice President Tolman said. "It is time to make a
difference." The group was then addressed by Margo
Storsteen, a member of BLET Division 57 and the BLET's
representative to the Teamster's Human Rights Commission. She spoke
about the Human Rights Commission and what the future holds for the
BLET. NASLBC DAY 2 The second day of the National Association of
State Legislative Board Chairmen's meeting began with an address by
BLET Auxiliary President Becky Schneider. She explained the changes
in the Auxiliary since the convention in 2006. BLET Auxiliary Vice President & National
Legislative Representative Sereena Hogan then spoke to the group.
She explained how the Auxiliary works in the legislative arena. "Auxiliary members provide a different
perspective," said Vice President Hogan. "When we walk in to a
meeting, we represent the families, the spouses and the community." The various committees gave their reports. Fred McLuckie, Legislative Director of the IBT,
spoke to the group about federal legislative issues, including cross
border trucking and John McCain's position on it, hours of service,
over time for drivers of 10,000 lbs vehicles, and the Employee Free
Choice Act. BLET Vice President & National Legislative
Representative John Tolman addressed the status of the resolutions
introduced at last year's NASLBC meeting. All of the resolutions
have been addressed by the National Legislative Office and the State
Legislative Board Chairmen. Among the resolutions were nuclear
radiation, Critical Incident Stress Debriefing, crew van safety and
harassment and intimidation of injured workers. FRA Associate Administrator for Safety Jo
Strang addressed the Chairmen in the afternoon. She discussed H.R.
2095 and S. 1889, in addition to recent regulatory actions by the
FRA. She also talked about a new program being developed by the FRA
called the Risk Reduction Program. FRA Director of Security Bill Fagan then told
the group about the risk to trains from suicide bombers. He
encouraged the Chairmen to report people who are loitering around
railroad tracks. Wednesday, April 30, 2008 NASLBC DAY 3
*Row 1: From right to left: Mike Muscha, North Dakota State Legislative
Board Chairman; Jeff Worthington, Utah State Legislative Board
Chairman; Herb Harris, District of Columbia State Legislative Board
Chairman; George Newman, Massachusetts State Legislative Board
Chairman; Ed Way, Illinois State Legislative Board Chairman; Tommy
Mayne, Alternate Vice President & National Legislative
Representative; John Tolman, Vice President & National Legislative
Representative; John Collins, New York State Legislative
Representative; Sereena Hogan, BLET Auxiliary Vice President &
National Legislative Representative; Ken Kertesz, Pennsylvania State
Legislative Board Chairman; Bill Verdeyen, Indiana State Legislative
Board Chairman; J.T. Little IV, Tennessee State Legislative Board
Chairman; Mike Weston, Colorado State Legislative Board Chairman;
and Tim Hanely, Ohio State Legislative Board Chairman. Row 2: James Daddino, Secretary-Treasurer, New York
State Legislative Board; Jim Louis, New York State Legislative
Board; Erin Magrath, Office Administrator; Kathleen Policy,
Legislative, Political and Regulatory Coordinator; Paul Piekarski,
Illinois State Legislative Board; Jim Wilmesher, Colorado State
Legislative Board; Terry Todd, Arkansas State Legislative Board
Chairman; Craig Gilchrist, Montana State Legislative Board Chairman;
Bryan Aldridge, Kentucky State Legislative Board Chairman; Don
Douglass, Oklahoma State Legislative Board Chairman; Greg Powell,
Michigan State Legislative Board Chairman; Tony Dimond, Wisconsin
State Legislative Board Chairman; Tim Smith, Chairman, NASLBC and
California State Legislative Board Chairman; Scott Palmer, Oregon,
State Legislative Board Chairman; Ken Kroeger, BLET Coordinator of
Education & Training; Terry Briggs, Texas State Legislative Board
Chairman; Vince Verna, Arizona State Legislative Board Chairman; Tim
Craver, Virginia State Legislative Board Chairman; David Kearsing,
New York State Legislative Board; Robert Lindsey, Arkansas State
Legislative Board; Arlin Todd, Louisiana State Legislative Board
Chairman; Catarino Garcia, Texas State Legislative Board. Row 3: Barry Faulkner, Tennessee State Legislative
Board; Daniel Maynard, Kentucky State Legislative Board; Cory Runion,
Wyoming State Legislative Board; Buddy White, Georgia State
Legislative Board Chairman; Keith Maynard, West Virginia State
Legislative Board Chairman; Terry Jones, Wyoming State Legislative
Board Chairman; Tommy Hudson, Alabama State Legislative Board
Chairman; Brian Baginski, New Jersey State Legislative Board; David
Brown, Minnesota State Legislative Board Chairman; Jeff Kurtz, Iowa
State Legislative Board Chairman; Rob Holton, Washington State
Legislative Board; Jim Keele, Kansas State Legislative Board
Chairman; Brian Kelley, Missouri State Legislative Board Chairman;
Randy Meek, Nebraska State Legislative Board Chairman; Darrel
Azarcon, California State Legislative Board; Mark Anderson,
Minnesota State Legislative Board; Tom Keith, Texas State
Legislative Board.*
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