There’s been a lot of talk about the proposed merger with our brothers at IBB. And talk is good. We all need to engage in a healthy dialogue about our future.

But in order to look to our future, we must explore our past. There is no doubt that we are a proud union with a rich heritage. I myself have deep union roots as the son and grandson of BMWE members - and I take great pride in my over thirty years of service to the Brotherhood. As I am sure is true of many of you, I admit a sense of nostalgia for the "good old days" when we had a growing membership and the money to provide top quality services. However, like the vast majority of unions, the Brotherhood has witnessed a sharp decline in membership.

Let’s look at the facts. Since 1983, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that overall union membership has declined from 20.1% to 13.5%. There are now only 16.3 million union members nationwide. And this decline has hit home hard.

Over the past three years alone, BMWE membership has dropped 10% - in total we have lost over 4,000 members and it appears there will be additional losses this year! And when membership falls, services suffer and power in the Congress and at the bargaining table also takes a hit. This year alone, the loss of BMWE income as a result of declining membership is over one million dollars. Add to that a worsening national economy and continued railroad mergers and our prospects for adding members - and dollars - are simply beyond our reach.

It is this troubling scenario that led our 1998 Grand Lodge Convention to recommend that we look at merging with another union. We recognized then, as we do now, that to ensure that our members receive the services they deserve and maintain the strong voice they need, whether in the halls of Congress or at the bargaining table, it was time to take action. Maintaining the status quo was not an option then and cannot be in our future.

Our goal was to find a partner that would enhance our services and financial condition and strengthen our political, legislative, and collective bargaining activities. In IBB, we have found such a partner.

Our merger with IBB is truly a merger of equals. In fact, if we merge, BMWE would immediately become 2 ½ times larger than the largest division within the Boilermaker’s organization - ensuring a strong and loud voice within our merged operation.

But what does this mean to you as a BMWE member? It’s actually quite simple. Essentially, what you like about the Brotherhood - our commitment to servicing our membership in the proud BMWE tradition, and the structure of our system divisions and federations and local lodges that has served our union well - will continue. It also means the necessity to reach out to the membership to substantially support financial needs as our membership declines.

And what you don’t like - a weakened voice due to a dramatic loss of members - will be changed for the better. Our merger with IBB not only will make us stronger financially, it will guarantee that essential services in collective bargaining, claim and grievance handling, legislative and regulatory affairs and safety will not only continue, these services will improve. And, while it may be painful to hear for some, the reality is that without this merger, there is no guarantee.

If you look up "merge" in the dictionary, it says, "to unite." And that is what we need to do. We need to unite to survive. The truth is that united we will stand - and alone, we may fall. The time has come to recognize that a merger with IBB means a united and stronger Brotherhood. And I know in my heart, that my father and grandfather would say that this move is right - by securing our future, we are honoring and preserving our heritage.