Locals 1778 & 1923
North Vancouver to Ft. Nelson, BC, Canada
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Inside This Issue Ghost of an Old Conductor BC Pulp Workers Seek 12% Local, General Chair Safe Snake Handling UTU On-Line Local 1778 Station Binder Junk Yard Dog Ten Ways to Kill a Union Locals 1923 and 1778 Legislative Reps. Scattered Thoughts It is with deep regret that we record the passing of UTU Brother Don Fink and BLE Brother Terry Gallis, who died tragically on the CN mainline in the Fraser Canyon March 26th, 1997. The UTU BC Legislative Board has called upon the Chief Coroner to hold a public inquest into the cause of the accident. This incident is a grim reminder of the importance of maintaining full train patrols on our line, which I understand were set up as a result of a coroner's inquest many years ago. Regardless of the condition of the track today, nature will never cease in her job of moving mountains to the sea. Welcome to the members of Local 1923 who will now share in our esteemed publication and Web page. Meeting Point will now be available in every terminal. Railroads in the US are required by law to locate any "sleeping quarters for employees who perform duties covered by the Act outside of the "immediate vicinity… of any area where railroad switching or humping operations are performed". "The immediate vicinity" shall mean the area within one-half mile (2,640 feet) (804 meters) from the nearest rail of the nearest trackage where switching or humping are operations are performed". The act also states " it is unlawful for any common carrier to provide sleeping quarters for persons …which do not afford such persons an opportunity for rest, free from interruptions caused by noise under the control of the railroad, in clean, safe, and sanitary quarters." The Act requires barriers for sound and hazardous material protection if conditions are not met by existing structures. Our government and this railway should be so progressive. The railway has brought out a new employee survey while touting the action they took as a result of the last one. May we remind them in the last survey 77% of running trade employees disagreed with the statement "There is enough attention paid to safety in our work area, and 71% disagreed with "I know the company is doing its best to make my job safe." Since then, we have experienced an increase in accidents, we are fighting to participate in accident investigations and to make the Occupational Heath and Safety Committees effective, while the railway continues to stonewall our every effort. Not surprisingly, the latter question has disappeared from latest survey. Ghost of an Old Conductor ~Norm Abrahams~ Looking over my shoulder
Meals that were made
Brakeman sleeping on the rack
Lurching and reeling inside the hack
Papers rustling in the dark
Pacing up and down the hack at night
They're all ticked, the way things are run
Fletcher Challenge is again the target company in talks expected to set a pattern for the industry EDWARD ALLEN - Sun Labour Issues Reporter Reprinted from The Vancouver Sun B.C.'s 14,000 pulp and paper workers will seek a 12-per-cent wage increase over two years in contract negotiations this spring and want the industry to reduce overtime to create more jobs, union leaders said Monday following the conclusion of a week-long wage-and-policy conference in Vancouver. The two unions have picked Fletcher Challenge Canada, which has two mills on Vancouver Island and one in the Interior, as the target company for negotiating a contract expected to set the pattern for the rest of the industry. Fletcher Challenge was also the target company in 1994 when the two sides reached a three-year deal that provided for a nine-per-cent wage increase. The current contract covering 25 mills expires April 31. The highest priority for the unions is to limit overtime in the industry and convince companies to fill that work by hiring additional employees, said Brian Payne, western vice-president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada. "We're pretty determined to make a breakthrough on this and in the process create some jobs," Payne said. About 500 jobs could be created if overtime hours were cut in half, he said. The unions may be able to count on help from Premier Glen Clark, who said last week he wants to see less overtime in the pulp and paper industry. "At a time when thousands of workers can't find a job at all, those who are employed are working longer and longer hours," Clark said. Clark's demand that the forest industry create 21,000 jobs by the turn of the century can be used as a lever in negotiations, Pulp, Paper and Woodworkers of Canada president Garry Worth wrote in the most recent edition of the union's newsletter. Industry-wide figures show that average overtime worked increased steadily from 7.25 per cent in 1991 to 9.19 per cent in 1995, measured as a percentage of regular working hours. In 1996, overtime hours dropped back to 7.73 per cent. Many union members have historically resisted cuts to overtime because it also shrinks their paycheques. "There are a lot of folks working overtime who need to work overtime to pay their rent and their bills and put food on the table," said Bill Teileman of the BC Federation of Labour. Job creation is the critical issue for the future of small pulp and paper towns in the province, said Worth, who believes his members will agree to work less overtime. "I hope they'll understand it's an important issue for their children, not just themselves." Fletcher Challenge Canada would not respond Monday to the union's bargaining agenda. But MacMillan Bloedel, which operates two large paper mills in Port Alberni and Powell River, said the wage demands are far too high. The company is looking for a "competitive agreement" based on its "ability to pay," said Bob DeClark, general manager of human resources for MB's paper group. A six per cent annual increase, he said, "doesn't fit anywhere within my definition of ability to pay." MB would also like to see a longer contract to match labour agreements of five years and longer reached by it's major competitors in the US and Eastern Canada, DeClark said. The wage demands come after a poor year in the pulp and paper sector, when prices dropped almost in half from the record highs of late 1995. Fletcher lost $6.6 million in the last six months of 1996, after earning $150.5 million in the same period the year previous. But the company is anticipating stronger prices in 1997. Fraternally Yours Steve Edgar, Acting Local Chair 1778 Well, spring is upon us, some of the things we’ve been working on are two arbitration cases, one being M. B. R.. To date, the railway has not paid a dime of maintenance of base rate, which Mr. Ready awarded us in the C.C.O. award. We spent one day in arbitration/mediation/disputes resolution, both parties agreed to try and negotiate a settlement before starting the arbitration process. Hopefully something positive will come from this as our junior members have suffered financial hardship from the C.C.O. Award. The second case, which everyone is aware, of is the Lovell log haul. We sat one day, then adjourned as the company’s lawyer sent the wrong document and they were not ready to proceed. We adjourned until early September or possibly late May or early June if dates are available. One thing I feel that needs to be addressed is equalization of hours and job assignments. I strongly believe that we all have a right to earn eighty hours in a checking period, seniority only gives us the right to job preference and pick of holidays. I don’t feel it gives the senior members the right to earn a gross amount of hours, while our junior members are forced to live on a sixty hour spare board guarantee. As well, our junior members have to realize that if the hours are not available they might have to go out of town to earn a wage, this is a fact of railroading. We all have to start looking behind us at our fellow brothers instead of looking forward for ourselves. This is what I believe trade unionism is all about, fairness and equality for all. I would like to welcome our brothers in the north from Local 1923 to our newsletter and web site. Through this forum we should be able to keep all our members informed, from my own experience the Internet is a wealth of information at your fingertips We have our incident forms and grievance forms out in the terminals and I have already received a few to date. I will be moving in late June early July and will have a second line for my computer and fax, we did not want to hook up the second line until then to cut on cost. Members will be able to fax the forms directly to me. One last topic that needs to be addressed is Article 117, EATING EN-ROUTE. Ask for your meal break at the start of your trip, if you are denied by the Traffic Control Supervisor get a reason, then follow the instructions of the Traffic Control Supervisor. Then fill out an incident report and send it to myself and we will compile the information and proceed with a grievance. Do not take the fight on by yourself. Last week we lost two fellow brothers to a fatal train wreck in the Fraser canyon. My heart goes out to the families. I would like to see a coroner's inquest into this incident as there was supposed to be technology to prohibit this from happening. I look forward to seeing all of you out to our G.C.A. Meetings scheduled for April 13th to April 20th across the property. Fraternally Yours, Steven W. Edgar Vice-Local Chairperson U.T.U. Local 1778
Safe Snake Handling Yard Safety ~ DL Moorhouse ~ Imagine yourself on a mountainside, standing on a six-inch wide ledge, holding tightly with both hands to a tree not much thicker than your finger. Look down if you dare: one slip would result in a 1000-foot fall and certain death. Now imagine yourself climbing on a moving rail car, to save time you decide to cross between the cars and tie on the handbrake. You climb up the moving car and over to a six inch wide ledge, you grab a piece of iron not much thicker than your finger, a fall here could kill you just as readily as one from a 1000-foot high cliff. Most of us wouldn’t consider climbing on a 1000-foot high ledge, so why do we expose ourselves to a similar danger at work on a regular basis? Modern rail cars are designed to service the customer, not to accommodate train crews. Over the years, AAR sanctioned changes to rail car design have made climbing on and riding certain cars difficult and dangerous, the design of some center-beam flat cars, covered gondolas and piggy back trailer flats all present a degree of danger. Riding a center beam car equipped with a single grab iron creates an unbalanced stance, the design causes the rider to swing like a gate from the single point he is holding on to—watch out for slack! Newer designs have addressed this problem with two grab irons and a wider step, but this is not a perfect solution--and the old cars are still with us. Grab irons on trailer flats are obscured by a bar that holds up the loading ramps, to ride comfortably it is necessary to hold onto a part of the equipment that is not intended as a hand-hold. Covered gondolas—at least BC Rail system gons—have a ladder that only extends partway. To operate the handbrake one must hold on to the top ladder rung at waist level, a very tenuous and unsafe position. CN and CP recognized this problem by including a grab iron on the fiberglass gondola cover. In the past, the railway has told me that a similar modification to our cars is "not standard". Funny that grab irons, hand brakes, and sill steps are all called safety appliances. As long as the AAR continues to approve car designs such as these we must somehow put up with them, but it is up to us how we do it. I choose to wait until the movement stops before tying the handbrake on, pick a different cut, arrange to send the movement to my mate or walk beside the car to a joint. The job can done without putting yourself at risk. A recent conversation with an official from the Ministry of Railways and Rollercoasters was rather enlightening. I inquired about the practice of not turning placards on tanks (particularly LPG) after unloading--done in the US and recently adopted by BC Rail. I asked if the placards are not being turned because they are still considered loaded, and if so, should they be handled as such? He replied that when it comes to switching compressed gas cars, the GOI makes no distinction between Group 2 and Group 5 tanks and all compressed gas cars should be handled in the same manner. "Empty" tanks still contain a large amount of product unless purged, "empty" tanks may actually be more hazardous, the vapor pressure can be much higher than if the tank is full--particularly on a hot day. Check out section 14.6 (A) of your GOI. I also brought up the fact that we had another leak of hydrogen peroxide due to the rupture disk popping--should we be letting these cars run free? He replied that we have rules regarding coupling speed in the GOI (Sec. 1.5.3), and if pressure disks rupture due to rough handling it's the crew's fault So think twice before you let a tank go. NEW LOCAL 1778 STATION BINDER Look for the new UTU binder in all terminals covered by local 1778. Each binder contains contact numbers for the executive, cover letters and copies of the following forms: INCIDENT REPORT Developed by the executive to track incidents such as unfair treatment, rest/sleep, safety, taxis, etc, in order to identify trends and improve communication. Based on a similar form developed by the Telecommunications Workers Union. RUNAROUND CLAIM Provided to ensure details of runaround claims are documented properly. E-49 Provided by the international for members to claim exemption from payment of union dues for reasons of sickness, disability, reduction in force etc. This form must be forwarded to the secretary when necessary, otherwise, action will be taken to claim dues not paid. CHANGE OF ADDRESS Use this form to keep your personal information current. MEAL GREIVANCE Provided by the executive to document meal breaks requested and denied.
FRA documents locomotive, cab shortcomings There's good news for railroaders sick of freezing in winter, baking in summer, and fearing for their safety year 'round at the head-end of a train: A new Federal report echoes and validates their criticism of many aspects of locomotive working conditions and crashworthiness. When the Rail Safety Enforcement and Review Act of 1992 was passed by Congress, UTU demanded that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) study locomotive cab working conditions and the ability of rail crews to survive collisions. That report, now out, confirms what many UTU members already knew: Locomotive cabs can be uncomfortable, noisy and dangerous. The report found that temperature levels inside locomotive cabs contribute to a working environment "that is far from optimal, and temperature extremes may adversely impact crew productivity." The report also noted that "noise levels in many locomotives were sufficiently high to interfere with normal voice communication." Other problems, such as sanitary facilities, vibration and ergonomic cab design, also detract from crew performance and warrant continued attention, the report stated. The FRA also determined that locomotive design can be improved to reduce casualties without significant problems. Priority items include the incorporation of stronger collision posts, full height corner posts with increased strength, creation of a crash refuge, and improved fuel tank design. In testimony, UTU representatives strongly emphasized that working air conditioning was important to the safety, comfort and health of rail workers. Benefits cited were increased protection from airborne objects, improved cab air quality (UTU questioned the long-term health effects of crew exposure to diesel fumes), and reduced cab noise levels, which improve communications and lower the probability of accidents. "UTU played the most active roll of any of the labor organizations concerned with this report, and it shows," UTU National Legislative Director James Brunkenhoefer said. "We hope this report leads to new Federal rules or legislation that will benefit our members every day."
UTU Safety Team links up with NTSB
The UTU Transportation Safety Team, which recently completed an orientation session with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), has begun working with the Federal agency to help investigate railroad accidents. In March, the UTU team met at NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C., for an educational session that explored such topics as the Safety Board Act of 1974, the mission of the NTSB, the party system, and major and regional accident investigations. The team also toured the NTSB lab, where analysis of wreckage is performed. Ties between the UTU and the NTSB will be further strengthened through the agency's participation in the upcoming UTU/UTUIA Regional Meetings this summer.
-- Edited for length General Chairperson's Column ~ RW Sharpe GO 0759 ~ I would like to welcome our Brothers from 1923 and thank them for making the decision to participate in this newsletter. I know the financial support will help Dave, and you can be sure he will be looking for the officers and members of 1923 for articles and other means of participating in the newsletter. I would personally like to thank Dave for all the work he has done in getting the newsletter and web page to where they are today, mostly by himself. They are serving us very well and I have been getting some very positive feedback from other locals and members in Canada and the United States. Dave asked if we could get our articles in early this time as he is hoping to put the newsletter together in time for me to take them on our trip over the property the week of April 14th. I will attempt to bring you up-to-date on what is going on between the UTU and the Railway at this time. All this will be fully discussed at our meetings during our trip the week of April 14th, so I hope to see you at these meetings. The Labour Standards Tribunal hearing was heard on March 26 and we are now waiting for a recommendation from the Tribunal. We don't know when this will happen but the Tribunal indicated that it would not be a long time before they make a recommendation. We have also heard that a decision regarding B.C. Rail's application at the Labour Board to consolidate the Council of Trade Unions from seven unions to three unions may come down in late April or early May. We have started arbitration on three issues: MBR (Maintenance of Basic Rate), Takla, and Conductor Pilots. These are ongoing and we hope to be meeting with the Railway on these matters. If we are not successful in resolving these issues we will be back before the arbitrators and they will make the decisions. The one issue I will attempt to clarify is the training of new employees. Yes, the eighty-hour spareboard guarantee did come up as part of this issue, but it is not the only reason we have a problem with training. I would first like to say that the G.C. of A. had a very hard time dealing with this because we did not want the new hires to take the brunt of this dispute. I hope to get the chance to talk to all of these employees and explain what is going on with this issue. As you are well aware, we have been attempting for two years to get the Railway to deal with the eighty-hour guarantee on the spareboard. We have been stonewalled at every attempt to deal with this subject. The rumor is that someone very high up at B.C. Rail believes you spareboard guys that are on call; on two-hour notice, 24 hours a day, seven days a week are part-time employees. The rumor also has it that you part-time employees shouldn't be paid full time wages. If you start from that premise you now understand what we are dealing with. So yes, when we heard that the new hires would be paid ten yard shifts a half while training and we have twenty-year men getting a sixty-hour guarantee, you bet we had a problem with this. When these new employees finish this training and are qualified they will then be placed on the spareboards, again depleting the number of hours available for each man. Yes, the issue of the eighty-hour guanrantee is still a concern and will continue to be until it is dealt with. The bigger issue we have to look at regarding training is the method we use for training. Article 135 was written well over twenty years ago when we had full crews and the ability for our members to dedicate time to properly train employees. With reduced yard and road crews, plus Conductor Only, I do not believe this can be accomplished safely any longer. The Railway believes they can simply place new employees with any crew at any time and have them trained. Obviously the Union does not agree. I believe the whole issue of training needs to be reviewed. One only needs to look at our increase in accidents and rules violations to see whatever we are doing is not working. I would think that the last thing most of us need out there is another distraction while trying to perform the duties required at present. I have not heard the Railway say they expect less productivity or customer service from any of you while you are training. If anyone thinks that the discipline will be less for an accident or rules violation if you were distracted giving instructions to a trainee, you are dreaming in technicolour. This duty has always been performed on a voluntary basis. From the Brothers I talked to, the Railway did not even give them the courtesy of a phone call to inform them they had a trainee, never mind asking if they would or could be involved in training. The bottom line is that the G.C. of A. sees this as a problem that needs to be dealt with. We have instructed members to take these new hires if the Railway forces you, and do only what you believe can be done safely. You must protect this new employee, yourselves, and the public, so we encourage you to work carefully and take whatever precautions are necessary regarding safety if you are forced into this situation. In my opinion, the Railway has once again attempted to have the individual member take the brunt of this issue. The Railway's response was to issue a bulletin saying you are required to train these new employees instead of sitting down with the Union and attempting to work out a solution. I believe all of us understand the unstated threat in that bulletin. If anyone doesn't, please contact a member of the G.C. of A. for an explanation. You will be hearing more on this subject at the upcoming meetings, so I encourage you to attend. I am closing on a very sad note. On April 3rd, I and other members of Local 1778 attended the funeral of Brother Don Fink of CN Rail. Brother Fink was the Conductor with Engineer Terry Gallis who both lost their lives in a tragic washout and derailment near Lytton on March 26, 1997. On behalf of all the members of Local 1778 and Local 1923, I express my sincere condolences to the families and friends of these Brothers on behalf of our membership. RW Sharpe General Chairperson - Locals 1778 & 1923
Unity Speech ~ Al Best, Legislative Rep. Local 1923 ~ I would like to take this opportunity to let my feelings be known and perhaps remind some members what unity and unionism is all about. As you all know I have just returned from Harrison winter school, where I learned an awful lot about different unions and the people that form these unions. I was made aware of some of the hard times and real hardships between railway companies and railway workers and some of the history behind the brotherhood of trainmen. That was a time when the men had no choice in anything the companies did or were planning to do. We are very fortunate to live by today's standards and laws that affect what we do and govern how we carry out our jobs. I believe that there may be a problem in this local, as well as in the different terminals that we cover. I would like to address some of these problems and come up with solutions, before we go on the way we are. I feel that there is a lot of petty bickering going on between locals and some individuals. We have to get past this and get on with the business of running this local, to the best of our ability. Perhaps we should take a look at where we are today and all the sweat and hard work that got us here. We also have to look towards the future and where we want to be. We have to work hard at preparing for that future and the running of this local and the southern local together. We will need that combined strength when it comes to this year's negotiations. It is necessary to put personal feelings behind us for awhile, in order to function as the Union that I know and am proud to be a member of: The leaders and brothers of this local should be willing to go that extra mile for their fellow members and be there whenever possible. We are a union with many members and each one deserves to be treated with the same consideration as the next, regardless of their seniority or their home terminal. The cavalier attitude towards the younger members have to stop, they are the future of this local. Over the years working for BC Rail has changed, not always for the better, but it is up to all of us to try and make it better, one step and one day at a time. The Executives of this union should be aware of all that is going on within the local and our associated locals. A Union needs leadership and strength in it's followers, but this can only be accomplished by each executive member giving 100% towards the welfare of each of it's members. This Union is here to deal with safety issues, work conditions, and concerns of it's members, also to work on behalf of it's members as a liaison to the company. This Union has a purpose and a goal - to make the next year better than the one before for all of it's members. The U.T.U. means a great deal to me and I am proud to be a member of this local. I am also concerned though that more could be done by the executive committee in giving the support needed to all of our brothers. It is not up to a few individuals on this committee to carry the work load, but to equally divide these tasks and work as one. We all need support and help once in awhile and it is our job as members of this committee to be there whenever we are needed. Each of us has been elected or volunteered for this committee and upon taking the responsibility of each office, has agreed to work at all times for the good of it's members and the U.T.U. I hope that everyone here feels that they have and can continue to give their all for the cause. For gentlemen; united we will stand forever, but divided we will fall. -- Al Best Legislative Rep, Local 1923 Labour School Report Card --DL Moorhouse Thanks to the General Committee and the Canadian Legislative Department, who made it possible for myself and 12 others to attend the Canadian Labour Congress Harrison Winter School. I attended a five day course on Facing Management, which dealt with--among other things--the concept of "continuous improvement", a program sold to companies by high-priced consultants as a way to increase profits, productivity and "quality" through union-management "team" involvement. Unionized employees are given the work traditionally done by middle management--at no extra pay other than small "bonuses" and incentive items. It turns out that even though employees have the illusion of empowerment, things are still run by the managers, real change is rarely realized. A survey of North American companies who have adopted such programs has found that only twenty percent have had any measure of success. The real lesson though, came from my fellow participants: telecommunications workers, hotel and restaurant employees, postal workers, firemen, loggers and government workers. It was great to hear their stories and learn different strategies. Many of our Brothers and Sisters are on the front lines of the trade union movement, fighting from the trenches. Almost every union activist has a story to tell about how unfair treatment or harassment by management prompted him or her to become involved with their union. So thanks to all you overbearing, insensitive, control-freak managers (you know who you are) for making the trade union movement what it is today.
Little Bones By Junk Yard Dog
Lat 49° - 18’- 72" N Lon.123° -05’-14" W
Once again it is time to chew the fat, wash it down with rum an' ponder the journals. An' from the talk on the deck me thinks it is time te batten down the financial hatches, an' start fillin' the war chest 'cause there is a mutiny looming on the horizon, an' it ain't gonna be a pretty one. When the company fails te heed the safety concerns from the union of shipmates, fails te heed the old traditions of respect an' trust, starves out families and sees workers only as cannon fodder standing in the way of profit, then I says that it is time te "Cry havoc, an' let slip the dogs of war!" Hoist yer mugs, an' hoist Jolly Roger! Until next time, via con dios.
Ten ways to kill a union.
1. Don't come to meetings. 2. If you do come - come late. 3. If the weather doesn't suit you - don't come. 4. If you attend a meeting, find fault with the work of officers and other members 5. Never accept a position - it's easier to criticize than to do things 6. Never-the-less, get angry if you are not appointed to a committee 7. If asked by the officers to give your opinion on an important matter at the meeting, tell him/her you have nothing to say. After the meeting, tell everyone how things should be done. 8. Do nothing more than is absolutely necessary. When other members roll up their sleeves, willingly and unselfishly, using their abilities to help matters along, howl that the union is being run by a clique. 9. If your union is struggling financially to maintain actions on your behalf, be sure to muster all the help you can get to vote against a dues increase. 10. Don't bother with new members, let the other person do it. DO ANY OF THESE POINTS SOUND FAMILIAR? Legislative Rep's Column ~ Brian Gleason, Local 1778 ~ Corporate safety has been moved from Labour relations over to Service Delivery. The boy wonder from labour relations was given form UR86D rev. CUL8R. The parrot sits on a different shoulder now, although so far the squawks sound the same.
The Occupational Health and Safety (OS&H) committee meetings continue to be very frustrating, in terms of BC Rail allowing the worker representatives to participate. The British Columbia legislative Board (BCLB) of the UTU, filed a complaint to the Engineering and Inspection Branch (E&IB) of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MMAH), asking for an order or directive to BC Rail to comply with respect to Division 103 of the OS&H regulations. The issue to be determined was whether BC Rail's refusal to allow the OS&H committee to participate in investigations constitutes a contravention of the regulation. The response to our complaint from the E&IB was, to say the least, confusing, although not unexpected. That decision (if it can be called that) has now been appealed to the Minister. The E&IB marches to the beat of the railway's drum. Meanwhile, we had a train that was cut off from the power run away for four miles down the main track, we had three accidents that I know of in the North Vancouver yard last week, to my knowledge not one of them was investigated by the OS&H committee. Some lumber cars went on the ground in Fibreco, at the switch that we turned in at the last OS&H meeting. At this time I can't tell you how the sideswipe with the engine at the north end of the yard happened, and as a result, I am not able to offer any suggestions on how we can prevent this from happening in the future. This has to be costing them a bundle, you would think that they would welcome our participation in accident investigation and prevention. The UTU's concern is with the safety of our workplace and we will continue to fight for our fundamental right to participate, we do not believe that BC Rail is capable of doing this on their own. I am advised that as a result of BC Rail's pigheadedness, the Council of Trade Unions on BC Rail has withdrawn from the Joint Safety Advisory Committee. Apparently, they were not able to agree to terms of reference. Chief Inspecting Engineer of the E&IB Mr. Fleming Christensen has recently retired after many years of service. He is being replaced by his right-hand man Mr. Al Richmond. Al brings to the job many years of experience, including a stint with management at BC Rail. I'm sure that Flem will be sorely missed by the Railway. April 28 is the National day of Mourning for workers killed and
injured on the job. The aim of the day of mourning is to remember
our commitment to "fight for the living" as well as "mourn
for the dead." In the early morning of March26, 1997, on the
CNR main track near Lyton, B.C., two of our brothers were killed
when the track washed out and their In closing, I would like to say DANKS a lot to the rules instructor who is not only an expert in religion and politics, he can also expound on who should represent you. He has an uncanny knack for giving opinions about things that he knows nothing about. SAFETY TIP OF THE WEEK - DON'T STAND UNDER CROSSING GATES WHEN THEY'RE COMING DOWN.
Scattered Thoughts ~ RP Coleman ~ Is Rome Burning? It’s said that history will repeat itself if its lessons are not learned. If you listen very carefully, in between the sounds of engines blowing up, runaways, derailments and the infrastructure falling to pieces you can, just maybe, hear the sounds of fiddle playing. What was once a beautiful little metropolis of happy, hard working, proud employees is quickly becoming a burnt out smoking ruin. The shell-shocked survivors that are left sure don’t give a rat's ass about doing a good job because the better you do the quicker your gone. And it’s not just unionized employees that have this attitude. It’s come to the point that all there is to do is wait for your turn to be cast to the lions. The Generals blind, obsessive quest to crush the unions without paying attention to what they are doing are leading us all down the road to ruin. It could be that it’s all being done intentionally so that the Huns can just walk right in and take over the whole show. We’re nothing but cannon fodder and the higher the body count then the more booty to haul out of here. Short term gain for long term pain, or something like that. If they would step back just a moment and look at what they have accomplished they would maybe see that they have just sacked their own city. Well done! Three cheers for the victors! But have they won anything? I don’t think so. In the end though who’s going to win, the Generals or Us? Probably neither. If there’s nothing and nobody left for the Generals to feed on but carrion, then they will soon have to go elsewhere for sacking and looting. Nothing’s left here but scorched earth and the sound of fiddle playing echoing around the ruins. National Day of Mourning Each year approximately 1000 Canadian workers are killed on the job. Hundreds of thousands are injured. Countless thousands become permanently disabled or die from work related diseases. April 28 is a day to pause, reflect and gather our resolve. It has become a day to rededicate ourselves to the fight for improved health and safety. Observe a minute of silence within your workplace or community at 11am on April 28 to remember those who have died needlessly on the job. Think too of what must be done to prevent more deaths and injuries. Editor Meeting Point April 9, 1997 In response to my letter of April 1, 1997 to the Chief Coroner for B.C., I have been advised by the Attorney General's office that there will be an announcement later today, that a public inquest will be held into the tragic derailment that took the lives of Brother Donald Fink and Brother Terry Gallis near Lytton, B.C. on March26, 1997. Brian Gleason, Chairperson British Columbia Legislative Board 
April 15th, 1997 |
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January 9, 2002 |
