To All – Please distribute to your membership.

 

As of Monday, April 10, 2017, our Crew Hauler Transportation bill – HB 1105 has passed out of the Senate, with a vote of 46 – 2, in favor of!

 

This is a tremendous moment in the history of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen – Washington State Legislative Board.

 

Once again, a very big thank you to all, that contacted their legislators in support of this much needed legislation.

 

There will be more news to come, as HB 1105 continues its progression to be Passed out of the Legislature, and to the Governor’s Desk for review, to then be signed into law.

 

Thank you,

 

Fraternally,

 

Shahraim C. Allen

Chairman

Washington State Legislative Board

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen

 

Update – Our Crew Transportation bill HB 1105, has progressed through the Senate Rules Committee, and will move on to the Senate Floor for a vote as soon as Monday, April 10, 2017. I you have not done so, I urge you to provide a comment in support of our safety legislation. 

 

If passed, this will be the strongest law of its type in the United States, based on the protections it contains. 

 

Your time and assistance in this process is appreciated.

 

 

Please click on the following link to leave a comment in support of 1105.

 

 

https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill//1105

 

 

Thank you.

 

Fraternally, 

 

Shahraim C. Allen

Chairman

Washington State Legislative Board

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen

International Brotherhood of Teamsters – Rail Conference

 

 

To All,

 

Please see the following attachment(s) of the Quarterly Report of the Board – HB 1105 Senate Committee on Transportation – Public Hearing, A Shorthand Guide to the Senate Committee Rules, and a copy of the Engrossed Substitute House Bill – 1105

 

Your support of 1105, is crucial to its continued success. You may do so at the following link:

 

http://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1105&Year=2017

 

Note: On the right side of the page, at the top of the column, click on the Green Box “Comment on this bill,” and fill in the appropriate information requested, it literally takes 5 minutes. Your time is appreciated.

 

Here is an example from Division 518, Legislative Representative – Brian Kennedy, when writing a comment in support of 1105..

 

” I am a railroad employee and ride in these vans everyday. I consider this the most dangerous part of my job. Fellow employees are getting hurt and in some cases fatally injured. This is a well thought out bill covering all aspects of safe operations including drivers skills, vehicle safety and adequate insurance in case of an accident. I strongly support this bill and I hope you will too!” 

 

You are welcome to use the same message or tweak it to your liking. 

 

 

Fraternally,

 

Shahraim C. Allen

Chairman

Washington State Legislative Board

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen

International Brotherhood of Teamsters – Rail Conference

 

shahraim@gmail.com – email

253-961-1021 – cell

 

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“PLEASE DISTRIBUTE TO YOUR MEMBERSHIP”

Brothers and Sisters:

The Crew Hauler Safety Bill has been filed in the State House of Representatives with 27 sponsors and is scheduled for a hearing this coming week in the House Transportation Committee – in just the second week of the session.

The House Bill number is 1105!

Passing this bill continues to be the # 1 priority of our Rail Labor Legislative Agenda!  The needless demise of yet another of our Brothers in Montana earlier this month weighs heavily on our conscience!  How many of us will have to die or be maimed to satisfy the greedy blood covered hands of railroad carrier executives as they enrich themselves with even greater profits from our productive lives?  What will it take to stop the ongoing carnage and indifference of rail contract crew hauling companies?

 

The following is the scheduled date and time obtained, for the House Transportation Committee Hearing on this critical safety legislation.

 

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25^th, 3:30 PM in the HOUSE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE

O’BRIEN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING – COMMITTEE ROOM B.

STATE CAPITOL CAMPUS – OLYMPIA, WA.

 

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE HAVE A VERY STRONG TURNOUT OF RAILROAD

WORKERS, FAMILIES & SUPPORTERS OF THIS SAFETY LEGISLATION ATTEND THIS HEARING!

 

Please see the attached flyer

 

PLEASE PRINT OUT LOTS OF COPIES  –  DISTRIBUTE THESE TO EVERYONE IN YOUR WORKPLACE, POST THEM ON YOUR UNION BULLETIN BOARDS.

 

EMAIL THIS FLYER TO YOUR LOCAL MEMBERSHIP LISTS, AND 

TO YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS.

 

 

Here is the Legislative Digest of our bill:

 

HB 1105 – DIGEST

Requires the utilities and transportation commission to:

(1) Regulate persons providing contract railroad crew transportation and contract crew hauling vehicles with respect to the safety of equipment, driver qualifications, insurance, and safety of operations;

(2) Compile data regarding reported safety complaints, accidents, regulatory violations and fines, and corrective actions taken by the commission involving passenger-carrying vehicles; and

(3) Develop an inspection program for contract crew hauling vehicles.

 

The State Senate version of HB 1105 is being circulated for sponsors and we expect to drop it in the hopper for filing next week.  There are two other bills that are being circulated in both houses:

 

Establishing a state – Minimum Train Crew Size consist requirement. Legislation to bring Yardmasters under the same HOS requirements of all other railroad operating employees. (BLET – WSLB, In Support)

 

WE HAVE TO SHOW THE RAILROADS WE ARE FED UP WITH THIS ONGOING

DANGEROUS SITUATION & WE WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY MORE DEATHS!

 

PLEASE GET THE WORD OUT TO ALL RAILROAD WORKERS TO ATTEND THIS HEARING!

 

LEGISLATORS NEED TO HEAR US TELL OF OUR ACTUAL EXPERIENCES RIDING IN CONTRACT CREW TRANSPORTATION VANS AS WE EXPLAIN THE SERIOUS DANGER WE FACE DAILY FROM THESE NEGLIGENT UNREGULATED OPERATORS!

 

Throughout the session you can view ALL information about this bill and its progress at:

http://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1105&Year=2017

 

This link will remain active and links to all action on the bill can be found here.

 

Even video recordings of committee hearings can be viewed here!

 

Here is a link to the initial bill as filed last week:

 

http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2017-18/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/1105.pdf

 

This link is static – no changes will be made to the document associated with this link – as the bill progresses, every time amendments are adopted the revised bill will be assigned a new web link.

This bill has 27 legislators who are sponsors out of a total of 98 members of the state House of Representatives – over a quarter of the house membership has signed on!  The sponsors include both the Chairperson and the Ranking Republican on the House Transportation Committee; additionally, the Chairpersons of the following Committees are included in the list of bill sponsors:

House Appropriations Committee

House Community Development, Housing and Tribal Affairs Committee

House Education Committee

House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee

House Public Safety Committee

House State Government Committee

 

 

I am optimistic that we are finally reaching the legislative critical mass needed to secure passage of the Crew Hauler Safety Legislation this year!

 

Please contact me if you have questions or need further information.

 

Fraternally,

 

Shahraim C. Allen

Chairman

Washington State Legislative Board

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen

220 South 27th Street

Tacoma, WA 98402

shahraim@gmail.com – email

253-961-1021 – cell