This letter is written in reference to the layoffs of foremen system-wide. Foremen are the cornerstone of track safety and production that keeps this railroad [Union Pacific] alive. In the time that I have been employed with this company, the people that taught me to do my job safely and effectively have been the foremen.

I've talked to several people that work on the railroad and the feeling with all of the personnel is that a world without foremen is a dangerous world. Thirty years ago, employees had one job and they took that job with great pride and did it with every ounce of their body and mind; now, the company cuts off the truck drivers and laborers on the surfacing gangs. The foremen now have to try and do the laborers' and truck drivers' jobs and their own as well. I feel this is unsafe.

I have been on a surfacing gang for the past seven months. Since that time I have tried to single-handedly do my daily duties which include the following: daily maintenance equipment (this may not seem like much to you, but making sure the fluids are checked and all the vital parts are greased daily on a machine is a chore in itself; when you think you're done, it's only beginning), next, try to figure out the locations that the track riders and mtms consider bad enough for you to surface, then you give your men a job briefing and hope you can get out there long enough to make a difference and take up a slow order, cause face it, if you aren't taking up a slow order, you aren't doing any good.

When you finally get tracking time, you're trying to get things done and all that's on the mtm's mind is for the operators to get track and time. What does that do for morale? Do you think that two operators can surface up to bridges or crossings safely? I don't believe so. Better yet, how do they flag a crossing safely?

If you follow our company rule 42.6, you should approach all grade crossings prepared to stop and flag if necessary. If you follow that rule, our brushcutters, welding gangs and surfacing gangs are all in violation. On the Flatonia sub between West point and Giddings there are too many crossings to flag with just a foreman. The question we have is, what happens when you get hit at a crossing? We've asked the mtm the same question, and the answer is "be prepared to stop." None is prepared to tell you that you're fired.

I can understand if you don't want to follow your own rules. How about following FRA rule 213.7 that states that (1) you must have a supervisor to supervise any restorations to the track under track conditions, (2) you must have a supervisor to inspect for defects. Does that make sense to you? I guess so since you've already fined workers $22,000 for track conditions you don't consider safe.

I ask you, what are you missing? THE FOREMAN! The foremen are the ones that tell you it's safe to run trains, not the operators. I ask you to consider these points. Before you had a truck driver, a laborer, two operators and a foreman to do a great job. Why do you now try to get two to do the work of five people? Before, when everyone was happy, you had a full section gang working behind the welding gang and the surfacing gang. Now you don't have enough people to flag crossings much less put in a full day's work. We as members of our railroad ask that you read these points and understand that it takes more than a handful to run a railroad.

Jay W. Campbell, Gang 3609
Giddings, Texas

I am a member of Lodge 1710, the DM&IR System Division, in northeastern Minnesota. Ours is a small lodge, but an active one. Recently it was necessary for us to go on strike because of the company's choice of interpretation of the Family Leave Act. Not only did we get prompt help and advice, we also got very prompt payment of money from the strike fund. Granted, ours was a short strike, and our financial needs were not anywhere near as serious as for others who have been out longer than we were. Still, it was very reassuring for us to see how quickly the strike paychecks came to us. It is important to have a good strike fund. It is also important to know the money is there for us. It does not matter how stable your workplace is. You never know when you might have to strike. The logistic, legal, and financial support from our Union makes all the difference in the world. To all of you who worked anonymously in support of our strike ... thank you!

Thomas V. Koehler
Two Harbors, Minnesota

Recently the membership of the Nickel Plate Federation held a ratification vote to accept or reject a negotiated agreement to realign our seniority districts, and to end the long standing Nickel Plate Agreement (effective date February 1, 1951) and instead afford the members of the N&W Wabash Agreement.

The ballots were mailed to the members and the members had 25 days to mark and return their postage paid ballots. The ballots were counted and the outcome was to accept the realignment and the N&W Wabash Agreement.

I would like to thank Brothers Paul Beard and Steve Powers for all they have done in securing and preserving the best possible agreement they could for the members of the Nickel Plate Federation.

I would however like to point out a disturbing fact: less than half of the total membership chose to participate in the ratification process and only a small margin determined the outcome. This proves that every vote counts, and any lodge in the Federation, unified with 100% participation, could have determined the outcome of the vote.

This brings me to the purpose of this letter, which is to encourage all BMWE members in this election year to unify our forces, follow the leads from Mac Fleming and Bill LaRue, vote for and elect candidates that will work for the working men and women of our country. All of our families depend on it. Remember your vote does count, and your failure to vote is a vote against your own desires.

J. J. Bainter
Muncie, Indiana

Editor's Note: The March 2000 issue of the BMWE JOURNAL featured an article about camp car life by Perry Rapier called "Norfolk Southern's Idea of Southern Hospitality." This article prompted a number of members to recall their memories of camp cars and several wrote interesting letters, two of which are printed below.

Hey, Bro! Thought I'd drop you a line to congratulate you on the "Southern Hospitality" article in the JOURNAL. Well done, laddy.

Not only was it well-written, accurate and potentially useful as a tool to show people what sort of conditions we labor under: it was, for me, also personally evocative. I've worked gangs in the summer - Easter to Thanksgiving - for most of my 26 years on the railroad, usually surfacing. I've been in the camp cars and motels, and I've felt the melancholy of those Sunday trips. It seems that as I get older the miles get longer, family and work get - both literally and figuratively - farther apart, and my paycheck (real $) shrinks.

I don't know if you ever had these in your neck of the woods, but for a few years the BN tried "uni-vans." These were sort of trailer homes on a flatcar. Had a propane tank on one end and a tank car for washing hooked up to it. I spent one summer in one which wasn't too bad - mostly because we had just three guys in a car set up for eight. But water froze in it come fall and the switch crews tended to screw up pipes, furniture and appliances every time it went thru a terminal. Still, we had some privacy, a stereo and air conditioning.

The names of the guys to whom you dedicated your piece also got me to reminiscing. Only bikers in my experience have a collection of soubriquets equal to gandies. Had it not been for several years doing time rolls as foreman, I probably still wouldn't know the Christian names of guys like Sarge, Hutch, Otis, Limo, Gumby and Seaweed. ...

Glad to hear of your success in pursuing higher ed. I'd like to get a college degree eventually myself. The railroad was for me a summer job that was supposed to enable me to finish school in one big chunk instead of piecemeal. Long damn summer, man. ...

Joe Kraljic
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

I wanted to take the time to extend my congratulations on the excellent article you wrote for the March BMWE JOURNAL on the issue of camp car life on the NS. You managed to capture the emotions of all those who are forced to endure this life.

When the CSX purchased our portion of Conrail it was a happy day to know that we would no longer be forced to bunk in the "Conrail Condos." This joy was somewhat short-lived with the realization that many of our brothers would be forced to travel greater distances on certain gangs.

It would seem that no carrier is content until the majority of their production forces become nomads working from state to state. It doesn't seem that long ago that we were able to drive the length of our divisions in four hours or less.

I can only hope that you and your fellow officers are able to make the camp car situation hard enough on the carriers in order to bring about their eventual elimination. ...

Robert M. Winter
Sodus, New York

The members of Black Hills Local Lodge 2852 would like to express our appreciation to Steve Lawler, our Local Chairman since 1986. During the last 14 years, he has worked many thankless hours not only to the benefit of our lodge, but the entire BMWE. Steve's dedication to the BMWE has been a positive influence on the members of our lodge and the Burlington System Division. Thank you Steve.

LeRoy Paulson for Lodge 2852
Custer, South Dakota

"Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. - Eli Weisel.