Gary L. Hart

Delegate Gary Hart, second from left, at the 1998 BMWE Grand Lodge Convention.

Timothy R. Even

Tim Even, left, at May 1, 1997, Solidarity Day protest of railroad industry attempts to gut occupational disability benefits.

"With the White House, the U.S. Senate and House, governorships and state legislatures at stake, 40 million members of union households around the nation will determine whether a Working Families Agenda that strengthens Social Security and Medicare, provides a Patients' Bill of Rights and rebuilds schools and improves education prevails over a corporate-driven agenda built on Social Security privatization, massive tax cuts for the wealthy and unfair trade practices that benefit only global corporate conglomerates," said the AFL-CIO in the April edition of America@Work. That is why the AFL-CIO launched the 2000 in 2000 campaign early last year, seeking to have at least 2,000 union members nationwide elected to political office at all levels - from school boards to city and county offices to state legislatures to Congress - in the year 2000. At this writing the AFL-CIO has already pinpointed more than 1,970 union members running for office or already holding office and we're proud to say that at least two of them are BMWE members.

Iowa Needs a Hart

Long-time Jones County, Iowa Democratic Party activist and 24-year BMWE member Gary L. Hart announced his candidacy on May 1 for the Iowa Senate from District 28.

Hart, age 44, was born and raised in Wayne County, Iowa on the family farm where his parents still live. He and his wife Derith moved to rural Jones County in 1983.

"While both houses of the Iowa legislature now have Republican majorities, the Iowa Senate Democratic Caucus believes that with a united effort, the Democratic Party can win a majority in the Iowa Senate in the general election this November. The struggle to win back the Iowa Senate is crucial to the future of the working people of Iowa and I want to be part of this effort," Hart said in announcing his candidacy.

The Iowa legislature meets in regular session four months a year and special sessions can be called when necessary. Currently the Iowa Senate has 30 Republicans and 20 Democrats.

Hart noted a few of the progressive proposals of direct importance to working people which were introduced this year but were killed in committee by the Republican majority - indexing the state minimum wage; equal pay for women and minorities; expanded Medicaid coverage; improved workers' compensation; adequate staffing for Iowa OSHA; and exemption of unemployment compensation from state income tax.

"In the meantime, the Republican majority has slashed funding for education and environmental initiatives and continues to push for privatization of government services and ill-advised tax cuts. In contrast, I am committed to raising living standards, promoting high quality job growth in Iowa communities, and improving the public schools," Hart said.

Besides issues of direct importance to working people, Hart is especially interested in issues affecting education. "Excellence in education is the foundation of our quality of life in this state," he said. "The legislature was wrong to cut school infrastructure funding in half. Education is one area where we cannot afford to be cheap. As a state senator, I will fight to restore that funding."

Evidence of Hart's interest in education is the fact that following two years of college at Iowa State, he attended the University of Iowa part-time from 1988 and graduated in 1992 with a B.A. in economics. He is currently enrolled in the Union Leadership and Administration Master's Degree program at the University of Massachusetts.

Following a short stint during the summer of 1975, Hart went to work for the former Chicago & North Western Transportation Company in April 1976 as a trackman. He rose quickly, holding the positions of track foreman, crane operator and track supervisor. Currently he operates a boom truck on the Union Pacific.

Active in union affairs almost from the beginning of his career on the railroad, Hart first held office after moving from the Des Moines area to eastern Iowa and transferring to Cedar Rapids Local Lodge 1847. He has always "wanted to help make things work," he said.

Hart has served as the lodge vice president, president and local Chairman (a position he currently holds along with the presidency), on the System Joint Protective Board, as chair of the system Constitution and Bylaws Committee, and was a delegate to the Grand Lodge Convention in 1986, 1990, and 1998. He attended the 1994 Convention as a Grand Lodge appointee while serving as the BMWE member of the National Railroad Adjustment Board. Hart has also served as an organizer for Grand Lodge during its campaigns on the DM&E and Florida East Coast railways.

Despite strong opposition from the Union Pacific during 1996-98, Hart used his position as local chairman to organize and lead a successful campaign to reduce the danger of maintenance of way and signal workers being struck by trains. In addition to organizing local BMWE workers, he was able to enlist the help of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen as well as the Federal Railroad Administration, under its mandate to protect the safety of railroad employees and the public.

As a result of this campaign, instead of relying on mistake riddled informational lineups to dodge trains on the 70 mph double track Chicago to Omaha corridor, workers use a track permit system which provides signal protection for workers occupying the main line. "This was a very satisfying accomplishment because I am sure someone would have been killed by now had we not forced UP to make the necessary changes," Hart said.

Contributions to Hart's campaign can be sent to: Gary Hart for Iowa Senate, 12318 Madison Road, Center Junction, Iowa 52212. For more information, call 319-488-2289.

It's Time to Get Even in South Dakota

"The need for the Average Hourly Wage Earner to be heard in state government prompted my decision to run for the House of Representatives from District 3. I'll represent in Pierre the people who sweat out a living and work hard to make South Dakota what it is - a great state with a great work ethic," said Tim Even, a 20-year BMWE member, when he announced his candidacy earlier this year.

South Dakota is a "very Republican state," Even said, "with the governor and 52 of the 70 House legislators from that party. I'd like to give people an opportunity I haven't had before now - the opportunity to vote for a working, card-carrying union member instead of just choosing between banker Bill or businessman Bob."

Even is pleased to be part of a "labor, teacher, farmer coalition" from his district. His running mate is Burt Elliott, a high school teacher and running for the state Senate is Al Waltman, a farmer. He is also proud of the other labor members running for office who include: Gil Ketzel, president of the South Dakota AFL-CIO and "kind of my mentor," running for Senate 15; Dan Vendel with the Machinists' Union running for House 5; Tom Sutton of AFSCME running for House 10; Ron Bawdon of the Communications Workers of America running for House 33; and Gary Sisco with the Laborers' Union running for House 35.

"In South Dakota, we brag that we have the greatest work ethic and I think it's true but we raise our kids, educate them and then we export them so they can make a living. My 21-year-old son had to go to Minneapolis in order to get work. That shouldn't be."

In addition to his interest in promoting issues that benefit the working man in South Dakota, Even considers changes to the governor's so-called "Boot Camp Program" for troubled teens a top priority. He believes the program, run by ex-Marines, is too harsh and said, "a young girl died in that camp. We need to protect those kids."

Even, age 42, has lived in Aberdeen, South Dakota for the past 17 years. In addition to his grown son living in Minneapolis, he has three daughters, two in elementary school and one in Junior High.

After graduating from high school, Even served as a U.S. Marine for four years. Following his discharge in 1980, he went to work for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad as a track laborer and currently works as a welder.

Having been interested in politics on all levels his whole life, it was natural for Even to take an active role in union affairs. He has served as Local Chairman of Local Lodge 2825 since 1988. "It isn't always easy," Even said, "but it's such a good feeling when you help somebody out. I think I can do that on the state level."

Even served as "roadmaster" when over 50 Lodge 2825 members volunteered their services to the city last summer and put in over 800 hours laying by hand the track (20-pound rail, 24-inch gauge) for the 1.2 mile Wylie Park Railroad. "We all came away from the project with such a positive feeling and I think we gave the community another, more positive perspective on what unions are all about."

Contributions to the "Get Even" campaign can be sent to: Tim Even for State House of Representatives, 1524 South 1st Street, Aberdeen, South Dakota 57401. For more information, call 605-229-5327.