BLE actions
If these BLE actions are taking place on your property, or have taken place in recent months, please notify our Local.
As many of you are aware, our relationship with the BLE has soured. After the BLE
made several failed attempts to organize SMART TD properties, we were successful in
flipping one of theirs (Louisville & Indiana). This lead to a series of phone calls between
the BLE and Teamsters Presidents, and PTD Ferguson and GP Coleman. Once Jeremy
stated that we would no longer allow illicit recruitment of our members using scab like
tactics such as reduced dues nor allow organizing efforts against our members to go
unchecked…it was clear that we were headed for interesting times.
The BLE has always recruited new hires, feasting on those that lack the experience
and historical knowledge of the value of representation. Many of the new hires only hear
“cheaper dues” not realizing what they are giving up. We have been able to combat that
with all of your leadership and stellar representation along with our internal organizing
efforts…but the BLE continues to peck away like the buzzards they are. However, the
purpose of this email is not to reflect on the past transgressions of the BLE, but to show
the desperation that they have shown with their latest efforts.
The BLE have now began to court smaller properties, even to go so far as to travel
to on-duty locations, leaving organizing pamphlets behind or posted on bulletin boards,
and in some recent cases…engaging in conversations with SMART TD represented crews,
trying to gauge the local appetite of changing from SMART TD to BLE. So in short, they
have sent BLE representatives to short line and commuter properties, found where the
yard office or shanties are, and entered them without permission to try and convince our
members to join the BLE via an “A” card drive and subsequent representation election.
We share this information just to keep all of you aware of what is going on…but ask
that you please reach out to any short-line or passenger/commuter properties you may
have under your jurisdiction, and let me know if you hear of any activity. We have already
heard of three such incidents, with one serious enough that we have launched a team to
counter their attempts.
Desperate people do desperate things and the BLE officers are now doing just that.
They are making outlandish promises, knowing full well they will never be able to live up
to them in efforts to gain new members naive enough to buy into their false statements.
So please share this information with your membership as well. The BLE has long over
promised and under delivered but the veracity and size of their recent lies are at an all
time high.
I thank each of you for your valued time and for your dedicated service to SMART
TD and our members. If you have any questions, or are in need of organizing or
membership items such decals, packets etc., please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Fraternally yours,
Jerry L. Gibson, Jr.
Chief of Staff – Transportation Division
