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Our world has changed. Not only the world as a whole, but our little world here at BC Rail. From the number of hearings we have been dealing with, we have received a clear message that no small rules infraction will go unnoticed. This action by BC Rail management emphasizes the message your union has been sending for many years: You have a professional responsibility to follow all operating rules and safety procedures. Take no shortcuts and make no compromises. If members work in such a manner they will save themselves a lot of grief and will save their union a lot of time and resources. Similarly, BC Rail and UTU members must respect their collective agreement. Let no small infraction go unnoticed. Report any infractions to your local chair or submit a written grievance.

~ John Holliday, with special thanks to Gavin Hainsworth. This information was compiled from a brand new teachers guide for labour studies, "Youth, Unions, and You." ~

The march to Ottawa in 1935, and the Winnipeg General strike in 1919, were two great events that helped to shape society.

During the hungry ‘30s, when a kid turned 16 years old the government relief provided to families was cut, and many young men hit the road, following in their father’s and uncle’s footsteps, looking for non-existent work.

The federal government of the day (led by conservative Prime Minister R.B. Bennet) established work camps in British Columbia and Ontario. Men worked six and one half days a week for twenty cents a day. Conditions were poor, food was basically army rations and the tar- paper shacks were less than ideal living quarters.

In B.C., a carpenter named Arthur Evans organized the relief camp workers, and in the spring of 1935, they went on strike.

Marching in the streets of Vancouver they demanded real jobs and real food. They shouted, "Work and wages!" and "When do we eat?" They demonstrated, held public meetings, rallies and picnics. Public support was overwhelming. Unemployment Insurance, Worker's Compensation and Union Recognition were some of the items on the agenda. A vote was held and they decided to take their fight and "March to Ottawa."

On June 3^rd, 1935, the first bunch of over one thousand hopped boxcars and headed east. Thousands more joined in Kamloops, Revelstoke, Golden, Calgary, Medicine Hat, Swift Current and Moose Jaw.

At every stop there was support and assistance from churches, Women's Auxiliaries, labour councils, service groups and John Q. public.

Thousands were on route, and more were waiting to join the journey in Regina, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay and Toronto, but the government had planned an ambush in Regina. The RCMP were waiting, and on July 1^st, 1935, heads were bashed, arms and legs were broken and at the end of the day, one person was dead, hundreds were injured and downtown Regina was in shambles.

The trek was disbanded, and a federal inquiry was struck. Bennet’s Conservatives were turfed out in the election later that year. Many marchers carried on to join the International Brigade and to fight for democracy in the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939.

Famous attorney Clarence Darrow once said that, "With all their faults, trade unions have done more for humanity than any other organization of men that ever existed. They have done more for decency, for honesty, for education… than any other association of men."

Sixteen years before the March To Ottawa, the first general strike in North America happened in the city of Winnipeg. Early in the morning of May 15, 1919, the busy city came to a grinding halt. Non-union telephone operators were the first to pull the plug. Metalworkers, Firemen, Postal Workers, everyone but two of the 96 unions in Winnipeg wobbled the job.

Clerks, Railroaders, Garbagemen all walked off the job, and were joined by tens of thousands in British Columbia, the Prairies, Ontario, and the Maritime provinces in support.

Thousands of WW1 veterans demonstrated, and everyone of the 240 Winnipeg Police, including the Chief Constable were fired for supporting the striking workers.

A special force of 2000 untrained anti-strike constables were sworn--and strike leaders were arrested and taken to Stony Mountain Penitentiary.

The following Saturday, on June 21, 1919, after a rally parade, the City of Winnipeg General Strike exploded in violence. Mounties rode into the crowd firing guns, 2000 special constables followed swinging baseball bats. Heads were bashed and people were injured. Blood was spilled, and a few were killed. The strike was over.

Initially, the workers gained nothing, and lost a great deal. Many lost their jobs. The unions were very nearly crushed. However, they persevered, and many of the strike leaders were elected to the provincial and federal governments.

J.S. Woodsworth founded the Co-Operative Commonwealth Federation, (C.C.F.) It listened to, and was supported by, farmers, the working class and the poor. It later became the New Democratic Party, and was elected to the provincial government in Manitoba fifty years later, in 1969.

A man named Tommy Douglas once said "Courage my friends, ‘tis not to late to make a better world"

http://canadahistory.about.com/cs/wgs/index.htm

http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5202/labhistindex.htm

Delegates from Locals 1778 and 1923 attended the UTU Regional Meeting in Winnipeg, Jul 22 - 25.

Representatives from our respective local and general committees, and one member from each local (with the help of the education fund) attended. This year local 1778, inspired by CN local 701, paid expenses for two additional delegates. In total, we sent seven delegates from our two BC Rail locals.

Special thanks must go to the members and wives of the four Winnipeg locals who assisted with the meeting, organized the golf tournament and hosted the not-to-be-missed hospitality suite.

Delegates were: Bob Sharpe, Dennis Byron, Tony Takacs, Greg Couch, David Moorhouse, John Holliday and Terry Sawchuk.

Be sure to attend your local meetings to keep on top of delegate nominations for the regional meetings next year which are tentatively planned for either Reno or New Orleans.

Shortly after I became the local OH&S rep. for the UTU, a Ministry official pointed out to me that "due diligence" was an important reference point in my struggle to get correct paperwork from the railway.

An example: when departing a terminal, I want to know that our consist is correct. If we have hazardous materials, that is a requirement under the rules. By asking the WOC or yard office staff for confirmation of documents, I have shown "due diligence" with regards to our consist and related documents. If a disaster befalls our train and liability occurs (improperly protected hazardous materials or length of train issues), then my understanding is that the crew is clear of that portion of liability. Of course other factors such as response actions of the crew would still come into play.

My point is that all too often, some brothers and sisters accept this liability without question. Given the railway’s recent history of errors, I encourage everyone to at least ask if a consist is correct and if there is any doubt, then physically check the train. By showing "due diligence" in this and other areas, we will create a safer workplace and demonstrate a more professional attitude towards our craft.

Similarly, our crew recently asked for a clarification of speed entering EMT from Rule 105 territory. I do not expect to see a bulletin issued on this interpretation. Often the response is, "everyone else must understand because no one else seems to have trouble with it". The first official we asked told us that, "as soon as you see it’s clear to the EMT sign, you can speed up to the speed limit in effect at the board". The next day we received an email stating that the correct interpretation is, "The train must not exceed 20 MPH until the entire train enters OCS territory". Given the comeback of radar guns, this will be easy to enforce without officials having to be too far from home. Was there anyone, besides me, unclear on this?

Given the recent CROR, time table and GOI changes, I’m sure many people have issues that need clarifying. The new "Proficiency Testing" initiative with officials riding trains should offer opportunities for questions to be asked. Show "due diligence" and ask questions if you are not sure.

~ Bill Whitton, OH&S and Terminal Rep., Williams Lake ~

Hobos became a phenomenon after the Civil War when unemployed veterans traveled the country, carrying hoes to do migrant farm work. The "hoe boys" gradually became hobos.

This summer, over 100 hobos gathered for the 101^st Hobo Convention in Britt, Iowa. In 1900, three Chicago hobos sought a small town in which to hold the annual gathering of Tourist Union No. 63, better known as the Hobo Convention. They traveled to Britt, Iowa for a look-see, and local business owners jumped on the idea, eager to show that their little town could pull off a big-time festival.

Hobos these days remain wanderers, working for short periods as they move from place to place. They don't all ride the rails; some drive to another town when the itch to move along strikes.

Today, even traditional hobos have adopted 21st century conveniences. Most have e-mail and use public library computers to send and receive messages, they even have their own web site. Check it out a www.hobo.com

Picnic goers all wet, but dispositions remain sunny

Local 1778's, 10th Annual Picnic, July 15, 2001

Nothing is certain except death, taxes and rain on the picnic day!

Unfortunately, rain reduced the usual attendance by over half. However, those who did attend, particularly the kids, had a good time. Leftovers were donated to the North Shore Harvest.

Thanks to a $250 donation from the General Committee, we offered a draw for a 3CD Mini-stereo, a heritage bocci set and double folding chairs.

Winners were:

Don Brownell - Stereo

Rod Coleman - Bocci set

Willy Skorberg - Chairs

Photos from the picnic can be viewed on our web site.

Little Bones

Lat 49 - 18’- 72" N

Lon.123 -05’-14" W

"Ahoy Ye Scurvy!’

"Special Ahoy, an a wink, an a wave, an' a honorable mention te prairie dogs Ralph, Scotty, an' John.

Today’s chronicle we gots some good news, an we gots some bad news. The bad news is that we are all out of rum. The good news is we still got lots of Turtle Soup, [of course which rum is a key ingredient].

Turtle Soup is a staple of good health, an there is nothing more important than good health. Remember-"Those that live te walk away, live te fight another day."

Take care, an ‘ave another mug a turtle soup. Who loves Ye?.

Norfolk Southern Railway, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA. October 2000, a female conductor was riding on the crossover board of the lead end of a four car setoff into a siding. The locomotive was shoving the cars into the siding behind 13 other cars that were to stay on the train. The engineer thought he heard the conductor say 'easy' (slow down). When the train slowed down the slack ran out. According to Norfolk Southern rules the conductor should not have been riding on the lead end of the movement standing between the rail gauge on the crossover board. However, she was, and when the slack ran out she lost her grip and fell between the rail gauge. After 9 cars passed over her, the engineer, not hearing from her on the radio or able to see her, stopped the train.

After several minutes of trying to contact the conductor by radio, the engineer dismounted the train and found the conductor lying between the rail gauge. Luckily, the conductor just received cuts, scrapes and bruises from the brake rigging passing over her.

The conductor spent several days in the hospital and was released. She recovered from her injuries and returned to work. After returning to work for only two trips she resigned from railroad service for fear of being thrown from another moving train.

Source: Steven Pequignot, TCU Carmen, Ft. Wayne, ID

Ontario - Brother Bill Mercer was killed while riding on the point of 22 gondolas in a reverse movement. It is unclear whether he was riding in the side stirrup or on the small platform at the front. He was run over by all 22 cars in addition to the 3 locomotives.

Quebec - Brother Richard Labre was killed - prior to his death he was observed sitting on the platform of a container car, leading end, with his legs stretched out on the drawbar.

Another individual from London, lost both legs after falling off the front of a flat car on the lead of the movement. There is little doubt slack action was a contributing factor in each of these incidents, as well as the obvious factor inherent in riding so positioned so as to have no where to go but under the equipment if the individual's stability is compromised.

Source: Steven Keene, Strategic Planner/Special Representative, UTU Canada

Date: Monday, 27 August 2001 8:54am ET

To: SAFETY-FLASH-ENGLISH

From: PUBLIC.SLCEAST

Subject: Riding Equipment

Recently a CN Transportation employee suffered a serious injury when riding equipment. The employee was improperly attempting to ride on the end platform of a box car while standing on top of the sliding center sill.

After climbing onto the box car the employee swung around the end of the car to the crossover platform.

While holding on to the handhold he had one foot on the crossover step and one foot resting on the centre sill. He then OK'd the engineman by radio to start to pull ahead. The employee then took his other foot off the crossover step and placed it as well on the centre sill. As the car was being pulled ahead the centre sill slid forward pinching the employee's feet under the crossover step. This car was equipped with a full sliding centre sill which could potentially move up to 20 inches of travel under load. Fortunately the center sill only moved seven or eight inches in this instance or the employee's injuries would certainly have been far more severe. All employees whose duties involve working on or about moving equipment must thoroughly review and be compliant with Safe Work Procedures related to riding equipment, found in General Operating Instructions Section 8 item 12.4 page 21.

Source: Scott C. Montani, Vice-President, Local Chairperson (Y&YDM), Legislative Representative, Alternate Delegate, Local 343, Hamilton/Oakville, Ontario - Canada

A member of UTU Local 416 in Toronto was riding the leading end of a gondola car at the Ford Motor Company at Oakville, Ontario -- he was believed to be actually standing on the knuckle-- when, going over a crossing in the plant, he was struck by a truck and killed.

Source: Dennis Schweitzer, Former Chairperson, Ontario Legislative Board

Oshawa, ON, circa the summer of 1983. A senior Yard Foreman was riding on the leading edge of a car and had placed his foot in the area of the knuckle and cushioned draw bar after the movement had stopped. The slack adjusted, while standing still and his foot was crushed . He eventually lost some toes and part of his instep.

Source: Guy Scarrow, Vice President

This document was compiled with the help of rail union members across North America.

We will appreciate members sending us similar stories in order to begin a archive of accidents and incidents on the UTUBC web site.

Send your stories to: utu@telus.net

David Moorhouse, Council of Trade Unions Safety Advisor, BC Rail

~ from the Internet ~

• Conscience is what hurts when everything else feels so good
• Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand
• Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there
• An optimist thinks that this is the best possible world. A pessimist fears that this is true
• There is always death and taxes; however death doesn't get worse every year
• I don't mind going nowhere as long as it's an interesting path
• If marriages were outlawed, only outlaws would have in-laws
• Time may be a great healer, but it's also a lousy beautician
• Brain cells come and brain cells go, but fat cells live forever
• Age doesn't always bring wisdom, sometimes age comes alone
• Life not only begins at forty, it begins to show
• Don't assume malice for what stupidity can explain

Brothers and Sisters:

I am sure it is no mystery by now that the new management style is to shoot first and ask questions later. These people have been practicing their craft on another railway and figure it will work here. I for one am not about to lay down and take it up the posterior nor am I about to jeopardize my livelihood getting in to a pissing contest with front line supervisors. Each and every incident of work order center interference or mis-management needs to be documented and sent to your Local Chair. Each and every violation of our Collective Agreement needs to be documented and sent to your Local Chair and when these front line supervisors step in their own mess, they can figure out how to clean it up when you are taking your meal break!

On the topic of Collective Agreement rights is an issue we all need to understand. Collective Agreement rights are just that, rights! They are not for debate between crew members! Each member is entitled to exercise his or her rights when those rights are applicable and not be subjected to harassment or ridicule by our own membership or the membership of another craft. If a member of a crew decides that he/she wants to take her meal break between the fourth and fifth hour of a yard shift, that is his/her right. This and every other right contained in the Collective Agreement are for the benefit of all to be exercised individually or as a crew but at no time does any one else have the right to question the actions of the member.

It is tough enough in the day and age of perpetual adversarial Union/Management relations without adding conflict among our own membership. It is imperative to RESPECT a member's decision to exercise his/her contractual rights and put our own personal agendas aside.

Fraternally

D.G. Byron

Local Chairperson

UTU Local 1923

Effective immediately, Steve Edgar has resigned from his position as local 1778 Local Chairperson.

Steve has worked tirelessly upholding our members rights since he assumed the office in 1995. Thank you, Steve, for a difficult job well done.

Nominations and elections for the position of Local Chairperson will be held at the next regular meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 9^th.

Nominations may be in the form of a petition bearing five signatures or may be made from the floor at the nomination meeting (nominations do not require a second).

Vice Local Chair, Greg Couch will fulfil the duties of Local Chair until a new Local Chairperson is elected. Greg can be reached at : (604) 926-2071 or Cell (604) 657-6895

Pres. Lonne has sought a constitutional interpretation from Cleveland and has determined that in accordance with Art. 57, the vacant chairperson's position must be filled by election. In this instance, the position cannot be permanently assumed by the vice chair as may be done for the presidency or other position.

No short cuts -- work to your collective agreement

Brothers and Sisters:

There have been some problems that I wish to address in this issue of the Meeting Point. First, unless I miss the mark completely, this Railway has some major ongoing problems that need to be addressed. The Council of Trade Unions will be meeting with CEO, Bob Phillips, in the very near future to find out what our new principle share holders (the Liberal government) have in mind for us and what direction we are heading in. Any information we receive will be shared with our members as soon as we know what the future holds for us all.

The only thing constant on the Railway at this time is change. Like most of you, the Council doesn't know why these changes are being implemented. We hear all the usual reasons that involve issues such as cost saving, customer service and efficiency, but we don't seem to see improvements.

The previous BC Rail management chose to attack its employees as a method of cost savings. For many it meant a loss of their jobs. For the Running Trades it has been a constant attack on our collective agreement and I am not yet convinced this approach has changed.

Having said all of this, the UTU has another serious issue we need to be address. Both Locals 1778 and 1923, at their meetings under "Ways and Means" and "Safety" address "Working to Your Collective Agreement" and "Working Safely". I have addressed the safety issue in this column before, and simply stated Brothers and Sisters, there are no short cuts. If you follow the rules and stay alert and work with safety as your number one priority, the work will still get done. Each and every employee should expect to return home in as good a condition as when they started work. The issue of "Working to Your Collective Agreement" is critical at this time. This union has had its collective agreements under attack by all Railways for a long time. At BC Rail, since 1984, our union has been under constant attack at the bargaining table as well as on the job. The Railway believes that by gutting our collective agreement cost savings will result. We obviously think they are dead wrong. The Brothers and Sisters who were here before us fought long and hard to achieve the gains in working conditions contained in our collective agreements. This included giving up wage increases for some of these conditions. The Railway now believes they have some duty to claw back what was negotiated in good faith and also that they shouldn't have to compensate us for changes they impose.

We need your support if we are to maintain what we have in our collective agreements today. We need to live up to them. I don't mean just when it suits us personally, but at all times. In the past few weeks I have been receiving some very disturbing phone calls. It appears that some members think it is appropriate to berate our Brothers and Sisters who refuse to be party to rules violations or who want to exercise their rights under the collective agreement. I cannot fathom any reason a person would act in this manner. Any member who takes issue with another member because they refuse to work in an unsafe manner or wishes to live up to the collective agreement needs to take a long hard look in the mirror and figure out what is wrong with the person they see. We need to pull together and work as a "Union", not as individuals looking out for their own self interest. Our problems will never get resolved by fighting amongst ourselves.

I would like to pass on to you that Brother Steve Edgar has resigned as Local Chairperson for Local 1778. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Steve for his many years of hard work and dedication to the UTU and Local 1778 in all the offices he has held. I also know Steve will continue to be involved with the Union and has said he will do what he can when called upon. Once again, thanks Steve.

On a final note, I would like to say, our problems seem trivial in light of the tragedies that occurred in the United States on September 11, 2001. We extend our condolences to those who have been injured and those who have lost loved ones as a result of these senseless acts of terrorism, and we would like to let them know our thoughts and prayers are with them in this time of sorrow.

~ Bob Sharpe ~ General Chairperson, GO759 (BC Rail)

Local 1778 member Chris Conway has been talking about writing a book since he started working at BC Rail. After being sent to Williams Lake last change of card, he found he had the time to finally begin. We offer this first installment for UTU members to read, and if the feedback is positive, we will include in a serialized fashion, our story's hero travelling BC Rail's line as a stowaway.

This was it, Nail decided. He'd thought about it long enough and tonight he was going to jump the train. Things were on the boil at home right now, he didn't want to go back, and even if this wasn't how he'd pictured leaving, it was time to go. He didn't want to talk with his Mom, and Barry was such an asshole he knew he'd crack him in the mouth if he saw him. Nail looked down and saw his fingernails had turned white from squeezing the handlebars of his bike.

Charging down narrow tree-lined paths, then crossing the upper levels highway at Lonsdale, Nail wound down through Mosquito Creek Indian reserve on his way to the rail yards. Blasting by the alternately two-story suburban houses, ramshackle, paint-peeling shacks, then beautifully finished log homes, Nail thought of what his buddy's Dad had said when they were buying salmon there once, "You could be blindfolded and dropped off on any reserve in Canada, open your eyes and without seeing anybody, presto, know that you were on one." This was the only reserve Nail had ever seen. Some of the houses did look out of place on city lots. More like houses made for ranches or way back in the bush. Nail didn't know much about Indians, reserves or houses, but he'd looked a lots of pictures of them in his life, that was certain. And whenever he wasn't sure how things were supposed to look, Nail thought about how they looked in all the pictures he'd ever seen.

After cranking hard past a few barking basement dogs--he called them basement dogs because it looked like somebody made them in their downstairs shop. You know, a little tail from one, the legs from another--he shot past the old silver church and bang, right into and out of the graveyard. After his bike wobbled along a narrow trail outside the fence, he popped out onto the road right by the tracks. Beside him was this grungy used boat parts store. Just about every piece of junk in the world piled high in the yard. The letters on the sign were squeezed together too tightly and spelled out "sailorsexchange".

Now that Nail--whose real name was Neil, but who was so skinny everybody but his Mom called him Nail--got to the rail yard, he started thinking about how he was going to get on a train.

For years he'd watched freights arriving and departing from high above the yard on Lions Gate bridge. He liked watching the switching, as groups of cars rolled down one track, and then, after another short back-up of the whole long train, two or three more would peel off the string, traveling toward a different track from the first bunch. Men moved around, turning switches and lifting the levers between cars, but it was the brightly coloured boxcars moving in waves beneath him that was the best part. Sometimes, rather than pulling trains into pieces, the view from the bridge was of trains being put together. Somehow he was going to have to get on one of these trains and get started on his journey

...to be continued

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