The W&LE Struggle Against Single Employee Crews

The W&LE Struggle

 Against Single Employee Crews:

A Pledge of Support from Railroad Workers United

1 -- Pass a Resolution of Support and circulate copies among all railroad workers and the W&LE workers in specifically.

2 -- Urge RWU members in the Ohio area to drive to one of the 15 W&LE terminals (obtain a listing of locations) and walk the picket line with our W&LE brothers and sisters whenever they have a picket line up.

3 -- Make a solidarity donation to any strike fund that may develop. Organize bucket collections around the country at railroad terminal entrances so all railroad workers might financially assist the effort.

4 – Write an “Open Letter”, one each to BLET President Pierce and UTU President Futhey, asking that they make good on their promises to wage a national campaign against single employee crews by taking the following actions: (a) Appear on the picket line; (b) Call a press conference in Brewster, Ohio (W&LE headquarters) to raise the issue of single employee crews; (c) Pledge complete support to the W&LE workers in their fight against single employee crews; (d) Activate their internal mobilization network to build rank and file support.

5 – Publish articles in upcoming issues of the RWU newsletter The Highball about the strike and the struggle of the W&LE workers.

6 -- Urge our members and all railroad workers on Class I carriers who interchange cars with W&LE while the workers to ensure that these cars are inspected properly for safety compliance. RWU encourages all W&LE workers (car knockers, track workers, diesel house and others in addition to trainmen and engineers) to ensure “100% rules compliance”.

7 – Make contacts with W&LE and rank & filers as well as local union leaders to let them know that RWU is there to assist in any way we can – with funds, T-shirts, stickers, picket support, publicity, joint brainstorming and strategizing, etc.

8 – Encourage all BLET and UTU officials (local chairmen, legislative reps, etc.) who might have the ear of their respective national union leaders to contact them and inform them of how important it is for all of us to win this struggle on the W&LE. Their fight is our fight!

Adopted by the RWU Executive Committee September 21^st, 2013