The 2000 Round bargaining surveys say you do but as this goes to print, half the gandies reading this can't or won't help themselves and their union kin get earlier retirement, better wages, or more time with their families.

Not because they're felons. Not because they're mentally incompetent. Because they're not registered to vote.

To get you a decent contract or to improve your retirement, BMWE needs to double the number of gandies registered to vote. Our goal is to register every member and every eligible member of his/her family by January 1, 2000.

Why?

First, the 2000 Round, BMWE's effort to get you a decent contract in the year 2000, has two parts--the bargaining table and the ballot box.

PEB 219 (1991) taught us the bargaining table is not enough. PEB 229 (1996) proved concerted rank and file political action can keep Congress out and produce a better contract.

BMWE will serve Section 6 Notices (your contract improvement proposals) November 1, 1999. Bargaining can begin in December 1999. With a motivated management, we hope to complete the entire bargaining process and have a contract within one year.

Unfortunately, absent direct action on your part, for management the Railway Labor Act provides no motivation to reach agreement, rewards delay, and provides strong incentives not to reach agreement. Since 1981 all national negotiations have dragged on for more than two years and have resulted in impasse and a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB). Experience teaches that your next contract will be decided by a PEB.

In the 2000 Round, BMWE is depending on you for the action on the job and at the ballot box to motivate management and persuade politicians to get us a fast, fair contract.

The National Mediation Board, the bureaucrats who decide how fast your negotiations reach impasse and PEB stage, are appointed (or reappointed) by the politicians you elect next spring and fall. The PEB which will recommend (read and decide) your next contract is appointed by the President (or his predecessor) you elect next spring and fall. Like anyone in management, these folks listen to the people who appoint them--elected politicians. And in an election year, particularly a presidential election year, the politicians listen to registered voters--particularly organized, angry voters willing to go to any lengths for a fast, fair contract.

There are about 50,000 gandies in the U.S. If each of us register, that's 50,000 votes focused on a specific issue--our contract. If each of us also registers our spouse or partner, that's another 50,000 votes. Register your parents, your spouse's/partner's parents, your kids over 18, labor friendly cousins, uncles, aunts, friends and the number of votes favoring a fast, fair BMWE contract quickly grows to 250,000.

Politicians pay attention to 50,000 votes. They salute 100,000 votes. For 250,000 votes, it's "Yes sir," "No sir," and "Right away sir."

Plus, BMWE members are concentrated in states and in districts which are key to deciding who will be President and who will control the U.S. House and Senate. With 100 percent registration, our strength exceeds our numbers.

A 100 percent registration affords BMWE a powerful tool to persuade politicians who will decide whether your contract is settled in one year, two years, three years, or ... And whether the PEB members who will decide the size of your paycheck, when and where you travel, and whether you get home are reasonable or whether they kiss up to your boss and your railroad CEO.

Second, many of you want 55 and out, improved spousal annuity, and greater job safety. Remember Railroad Retirement took an act of Congress to create. It literally takes an act of Congress to change Railroad Retirement--including reducing retirement age, or increasing spousal annuity. And who do you think a Congressman is going to listen to--the registered voter who helped him/her get elected or the yutz who didn't care enough about him/her to register to vote?

In practice, changes in Railroad Retirement are customarily negotiated between rail management and rail labor and presented to Congress for ratification. Which means 55 and out or any other change in Railroad Retirement is part of the package on the table in next winter's (1999) negotiations. The faster we finish negotiations, the sooner a reduced retirement age could become a reality. And 100 percent voter registration can speed negotiations.

But Congress has the constitutional authority to change Railroad Retirement with or without our consent. A 100 percent registration helps give BMWE power to block proposed changes which could hurt you.

Ever grumble about all the "safety" rules your railroad has? These rules are designed to comply with Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulations or to avoid cost under the Federal Employees Liability Act (FELA), both of which are under the control of elected politicians. Without outside pressure of FRA and the risk of forking over a pile of cash to your heirs under FELA, which would be worth more to your employer--your life or avoiding a train delay? You figure it out.

A 100 percent registration can help BMWE persuade Congress to improve your workplace through FRA improvements and definitely will keep you safer by helping keep FELA.

Your contract, your pension, and your on-the-job safety depends directly on acts of Congress. Congress is elected. Congressmen list to the people who vote. From a Congressman's perspective, if you don't vote, you don't count. And if you don't register, you can't vote.

A Right Denied--or Thrown Away

Voter registration is allegedly meant to prevent election fraud, but it often works to prevent working people from voting. In many states you must register to vote a month or more before the election. Busy people like us often don't think seriously about an election until a week or two before voting day. By then, in many states it's too late to register. And to vote.

But your bosses don't forget, nor do the rich folks that own your railroad. They register. They vote. In numbers approaching 100 percent.

Never forget, if you don't register, you can't vote. If you don't vote, your boss or your owners in effect vote for you. They vote, and you may not like who they pick to run your life.

PEB Means Pay 'Em Back

Some of you may figure that the shaft you got from the Surface Transportation Board (STB) in the Conrail carve-up, abrogation of our contracts in the UP merger, and other bureaucrats' decisions like BN seniority district consolidations justify ignoring politics.

No Way! STB's shafting gandies since 1996 simply proves United Mine Workers President John L. Lewis' dictum "What is gained at the bargaining table can be lost at the ballot box."

Compare PEB 219 (1991) to PEB 229 (1996). Which put more money in your pocket? Got you better work rules? Which was the result of political action as well as direct negotiations?

In 1996 we negotiated a decent contract. But we didn't go far enough at the ballot box. Bureaucrats appointed by politicians elected (or re-elected) in 1996 took away much of what we had gained. We can't repeat this mistake.

STB Chair Linda Morgan, Queen of the Conrail carve-up (who never met a railroad manager for whom she wouldn't lift her political skirt) and mistress of gutting negotiated contracts is a political appointee. She's up for reappointment this year.

Do you want to keep her in power? Wouldn't you like to do to her what she did to you? You can--by registering--by having the ability to elect her bosses. But you have that power only if you register to vote.

Why Now?

Election's not 'til November 2000, right? I got time.

Not necessarily.

First, a candidate cannot be on the ballot in November unless he/she wins a primary earlier that year. Primary elections, particularly presidential primaries, start in February 2000--meaning in some states, voter registration closes in late January 2000.

Second, the major presidential primary elections are over by mid-March, 2000. In reality, the presidential candidates of both major parties will be chosen by then.

Plus, in most Congressional districts, one party dominates. The dominant party candidate who wins the primary is a shoo-in to win the general election. In effect, for most Congressmen (the guys who impose PEBs on you as law), the primary is the real election.

Third, most of us have bought a house, a car, or a boat. In these deals, you negotiate for options or perks before you close the deal. And a fistful of cash in your hand improves your chances of getting what you need.

For BMWE, 100 percent voter registration is the fistful of cash. The election, often the primary, is the day the deal closes.

Finally, the time we need the politicians help to speed negotiations of a fast, fair contract is winter 1999, not 2000--which conveniently coincides with when the politicians need us most--before the primary elections.

Getting 100 percent registration by next winter will clear the wax from politicians' ears and will improve your chance of a fast, fair contract as well as the Railroad Retirement and safety improvements you want.

Absentee Ballot

Not registered because you're on the road (or deer hunting) on election day? No problem! Also no excuse.

Every state lets residents who aren't home on election day to vote in advance--usually by mail. If you're registered, all it takes is a phone call or postcard to your election bureau and a 33-cent stamp to mail the ballot back. The Journal will have more information on absentee balloting in your state as election day(s)--both primary and general--get closer.

But voting absentee is no different than voting in person. In most states, if you don't register, you can't vote.

How

All but two states (New Hampshire and Vermont) accept a single, simple voter registration. General Chairmen working with the Legislative Department have accepted responsibility for distributing and collecting these multi-state voter registration forms. Plans may vary by system federation or division, but all will feature one-on-one contact between union Representatives and unregistered members. And all have the same goal--100 percent BMWE voter registration.

If English is not your first language, registration forms will be available in Spanish and other major languages.

On the job, a BMWE rep will have a multi-state voter registration form for you to register to vote. Fill the form out, hand it back to the rep who asks you to register, and BMWE will send it in for you.

If you have any questions or want to register before the BMWE rep reaches you, check with your general chairman, system officer, or local state legislative representative.

IF YOU AREN'T REGISTERED, YOU CAN'T VOTE.

IF YOU DON'T VOTE, YOU CAN'T GRIPE.

REGISTER. VOTE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIKE IT. YOU DO HAVE TO DO IT!

Retirees!

It's your fight too! Railroad Retirement as we know it appears safe for this year, but Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott has promised "reform" of Social Security--and with it Tier I of Railroad Retirement in 2000. Your voices--and votes--are needed to keep the retirement you have and is vital to any improvement of retirement benefits.

Plus your union kin still working need your help to get a decent contract in 2000.

Not registered? Contact your general chairman, system officer, or local lodge officer to get a voter registration form; fill it out and send it to BMWE. We'll make sure it gets to the right place.

Registered? Voting? Great!! Encourage your family to do the same. Get forms from your union officers.