Teamsters Rail Conference Director Mike Smith addressed BLET members at the Regional Meeting in Bellevue, WA. In this clip, Smith talks about the continuing fight against corporate greed and the widening gap between the wealthy and the poor.

Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes President Tony Cardwell addressed BLET members at the Regional Meeting in Bellevue, WA. In this clip, he talks about the partnership of the BLET and the BMWED in the Teamsters Rail Conference and the importance of union solidarity.

(2/2) In this video clip, Larsen talks about the issues facing the Railroad Retirement Board and the current crisis with the potential underfunding of the RRB and what BLET members can do about it.

(1/2) BLET Western Regional Meeting Speaker Highlight: U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA) participated in a one-on-one chat with BLET National President Mark Wallace in front of an audience comprised of more than 300 BLET members at the BLET Western Regional Meeting in Bellevue, WA.

TAKE ACTION ALERT: Members of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee on July 31 considered a bill sets the funding limit for the RRB’s operations over $44 million less than the RRB’s request of $170.615 million. Read more:

Members of the BLET Nebraska State Legislative Board at the 2025 Western Regional Meeting met with Vice President & National Legislative Representative Vince Verna and BLET Auxiliary 2nd Vice President & National Legislative Representative Natalie Miller.

Kat Bisbikis, National President of the BLET Auxiliary, said that copies of the Auxiliary’s new railroad survival guide, “Taking Charge,” remain available to BLET members and Divisions. Read more:

The BLET has been in opposition to allowing locomotive engineers coming out of Mexico to operate trains into the US. Now the inability of most Mexican national train crew members to speak fluent English has become a safety and security issue. Read more:

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA) participated in a one-on-one chat with BLET National President Mark Wallace in front of an audience comprised of more than 300 BLET members to kick off the BLET’s Western Regional Meeting on August 19. Read more:

Organizing and facing new technologies are two of the BLET’s top priorities during the months ahead, according to BLET President Mark Wallace as he gave his State of the Union address during the union’s Bellevue Regional Meeting. Read more:

(3/3) and a check out date of Sept. 18, 2025. Complimentary breakfast is provided. Reservations must be made online prior to 8/25/25, at: Registration remains open, but in-person attendees will not be eligible to get the reduced rate at the hotel.

(2/3) Lodging will be at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Cleveland Rockside, 5800 Rockside Woods Boulevard, Independence, OH 44131. Our BLET rooming block and special rate of $121.00 per night (plus applicable taxes) is available for a check-in date of Monday, September 15.

(1/3) Today is the last day to get in the rooming block at the Embassy Suites in Independence for those attending the S-T class Sept. 16-18. A few rooms are still available. Please note all attendees are responsible for making their own hotel & travel arrangements to the class.

Members of the BLET represented their union and the craft of locomotive engineer at the Illinois State Fair earlier this month in Springfield, Illinois. Read more:

In a unanimous vote (22-0), members of the BLET ratified their first contract with the Arizona Eastern Railway (AZER). The previously non-union workers voted to join the BLET in June of 2024. Read more:

The BLET is objecting to a proposed plan presented by Union Pacific to relocate the home terminal for some train crews based in North Platte, Nebraska. Under UP’s proposal, crews would be based in Fremont, Nebraska, or Missouri Valley, Iowa. Read more:

Members of the BLET Missouri State Legislative Board held a brief strategy session during the Western Regional Meeting in Seattle this week. They were joined by BLET Auxiliary 1st Vice President Rachel Pharris, who is a Missouri resident.

Members belonging to Division 125 (Clinton, Iowa) and Division 683 (Chicago, Ill.) with Union Pacific-Northern Region GCA 1st Vice Chairman Joe Cummins and National President Mark Wallace earlier this week at the Western Regional Meeting in Seattle.

(3/3) “Teamsters throughout NY and NJ joined their BLET Brothers and Sisters on the lines in Newark, Hoboken and Penn Station. I will speak on behalf those that participated to tell you all that it was an honor for us to walk the line knowing what this fight was about.”.

(2/3) “The strike line I walked on took place in front of the half-billion-dollar new headquarters that NJ Transit was able to build, yet continued to tell us they couldn’t afford decent raises for the engineers,” Smith said.