BLET Editor’s Note: The stories that follow highlight the contributions of the BLET and Rail Conference during the Teamsters International Convention held last week in Las Vegas. Pictured above are BLET members who were in attendance. All photos courtesy of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
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O’Brien-Zuckerman win historic reelection; Teamsters organize 100,000 new members in four years
Sean O’Brien and Fred Zuckerman have led the Teamsters since 2022
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters concluded its 31st International Convention last week, highlighted by the historic reelection of General President Sean M. O’Brien and General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman to another five-year term. The entire O’Brien-Zuckerman slate of candidates was reelected by acclamation at the convention — a first in Teamster history — as no opposition candidates received enough votes to meet IBT’s constitutionally required threshold that would trigger a direct election by the full union membership.
“This victory belongs to rank-and-file Teamsters,” General President O’Brien said. “When we were sworn into office four years ago, our leadership team committed to building a bigger, faster, stronger union, and that’s exactly what we’ve done.”
The convention, which was open to all IBT members, began on June 15, with ceremonies highlighting the fact that IBT had organized 100,000 new members since March 2022. The milestone is the result of an aggressive organizing strategy led by General President O’Brien and General Secretary-Treasurer Zuckerman, who made union growth a top priority and invested heavily in organizing, bargaining, and contract enforcement. But much work remains.
“Over the next five years, we have a lot of work ahead of us,” General President O’Brien said. “The Teamsters face big fights at UPS and Amazon, and we are prepared to tackle those head on with the militancy and organization that has defined our administration. We will keep growing and never stop working for the members.”
There were 1,572 delegates in attendance at the convention, representing 330 local unions and 1.3 million members. Please visit the Teamster website to see a gallery of photos from the convention.
O’Brien and Zuckerman made union growth a top priority and invested heavily in organizing, bargaining, and contract enforcement
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Teamster influence a major benefit to BLET and its members
The influence of the Teamsters has granted BLET and the Rail Conference unprecedented access to top levels of government.
Members of the BLET and Teamsters Rail Conference have gained major access and influence in the halls of government and renewed collective bargaining strength thanks to the backing of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
That’s according to BLET National President Mark Wallace in his remarks to the 1,572 assembled delegates at the Teamsters 31st International Convention last week.
“Now let me be clear — real clear,” said Wallace, who also serves as President of the Teamsters Rail Conference. “The BLET is not just affiliated with the Teamsters. We are not just aligned with the Teamsters. We are Teamsters. Today, when the BLET walks into Washington, D.C. — we don’t walk in alone. We walk in as Teamsters. Backed by the full strength of this International Union. That means access. That means influence. And that means results.”
Wallace said that same access and influence has helped BLET leaders secure White House-level meetings to advance rail safety issues and to defend Railroad Retirement. It has also helped protect American jobs at the southern border. The influence also brought U.S. Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) to a Rail Conference event on June 15 held in conjunction with the Teamster convention.
Wallace thanked General President Sean O’Brien, General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman, and Rail Conference Director Mike Smith for their efforts on behalf of BLET members. In his remarks, President Wallace also discussed the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger.
“When the UP-NS merger was proposed, BLET and BMWED stood shoulder to shoulder and opposed it. Because we are not going to sit back while decisions are made about our industry without us. You don’t get to decide the future of rail without the people who run it,” Wallace said.
Wallace concluded: “To General President Sean O’Brien, thank you for your leadership and for standing with rail workers. And to the members — the engineers, the workers, the men and women on the ground — this union is strong because of you.”
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General President O’Brien remarks highlight new era of cooperation
From left: BLET President Mark Wallace and BMWED President Tony Cardwell addressed Teamster delegates on behalf of the Rail Conference.
Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien took to the stage to introduce BLET President Mark Wallace and BMWED President Tony Cardwell during a Rail Conference-specific segment of the Teamsters 31st International Convention last week. During his remarks, General President O’Brien highlighted the new era of cooperation between the International Teamsters and the Rail Conference. A transcript of his remarks are copied below:
“Do you know what makes the Teamsters Union so strong? We’re strong because we touch and control every mode of transportation. Trucking. Maritime. Airline. And rail. And for too long, our brothers and sisters of the Teamsters Rail Conference were overlooked and taken for granted. Not anymore. Together, we’ve taken big steps towards realizing the vision that led the BLET and the BMWED to affiliate with the Teamsters in the first place.
“That is the reality. We’re stronger together. We’ve made a lot of progress. We’ve advanced a bipartisan agenda to support union railroaders. We’ve expanded our reach by organizing new carriers. And we’ve bargained industry-leading contracts, including by taking nasty employers to the picket line for the first time in decades.
“Our progress is in no small part thanks to two strong leaders who I am proud to introduce: Mark Wallace, President of the BLET and Tony Cardwell, President of the BMWED. Brothers Wallace and Cardwell have worked tirelessly to serve all 70,000 Teamster railroaders across North America. Their sweat and sacrifice has made the entire Teamsters union stronger.”
Click here to see the full video of General President O’Brien’s introduction and President Wallace’s speech.
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Rail Conference advances resolutions on UP-NS merger, technology and rail worker protection
BLET’s Chris Hyde speaks in favor of a Rail Conference resolution regarding technology and rail workforce protection. Zero-to-zero technology is a safety concern at CSX, where Hyde serves as General Chairman of the CSX-Eastern Lines General Committee of Adjustment.
Delegates representing the Teamsters Rail Conference advanced two rail industry-specific resolutions during the International Brotherhood of Teamsters 31st International Convention last week. Delegates voted unanimously to adopt both resolutions.
First, BLET General Chairman Scott Alexander (Union Pacific-Southern Region GCA) rose and spoke in favor of the resolution on rail mergers and industry consolidation. In light of the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger, the resolution notes that both recent and historical consolidations have resulted in reduced employment levels, increased workloads, degraded service, and heightened safety risks due to insufficient staffing the loss of institutional knowledge.
It also takes aim at the hollow “jobs for life” agreement that Union Pacific has reached with some labor unions. “The Teamsters Rail Conference will advocate before all regulatory bodies that approval of any rail transaction be conditioned upon enforceable labor protections, including the preservation of existing agreements, no less than New York Dock-level protective arrangements, and binding commitments to maintain or increase staffing levels sufficient to support safe operations.”
Read the entire Rail Conference Resolution on Rail Mergers and Industry Consolidation on the BLET National Division website (PDF)
BLET General Chairman Chris Hyde (CSXT-Eastern Lines) rose and spoke in favor of the second resolution regarding technology and workforce protection. It addresses BLET and BMWED concerns regarding automated technologies such as automated track inspection systems, remotely controlled locomotives, and zero-to-zero autonomous trains. The resolution condemns the rail carriers for seeking to use such technologies as a basis to reduce staffing levels, eliminate positions, and remove critical layers of human inspection and oversight.
The resolution resolves that technology in the rail industry must be deployed to assist and enhance the workforce, not to replace it; and that the Teamsters Rail Conference will oppose any effort by rail carriers to use technological implementation as justification for reducing staffing levels, eliminating crafts, or weakening collectively bargained protections.
Read the entire Rail Conference Resolution on Technology and Workforce Protection on the BLET National Division website (PDF).
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“Teamsters on the strike line” segment highlights BLET victories at NJ Transit, LIRR
General Chairman Haas, center with picket sign, during BLET’s strike at NJ Transit in 2025.
Successful BLET strikes at NJ Transit in 2025 and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) last month were featured during a segment titled “Teamsters on the strike line” during the Teamsters 31st International Convention.
Speaking to the full hall of delegates and guests, BLET General Chairmen Tom Haas (NJ Transit) and Gil Lang (Long Island Railroad) were among several Teamster leaders who were invited to speak about major Teamster strike actions that occurred over the past five years.
General Chairman Haas said the 2025 strike at NJ Transit was one of his proudest moments as a union member. “In the years I’ve been a Teamster, I’ve always been proud to be part of something bigger than myself. But until we went on strike, I never fully understood the meaning of solidarity. It was incredible — maybe a once in a lifetime experience.”
Describing the three-day strike at LIRR last month, General Chairman Lang said: “In three days, we proved something every employer in America should remember: When Teamster stand together, we don’t back down, we don’t break, and we don’t lose.”
General Chairman Lang, center with microphone, during the LIRR strike in May 2026.
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BLET locomotive simulators a big hit during Teamster convention
Members of the BLET hosted an informational booth featuring two locomotive simulators last week during the Teamsters 31st International Convention. The high-tech simulators provided fellow Teamster members, their families, and other guests who primarily work in non-railroad occupations with the opportunity to see what it’s like to sit at the throttle and run a freight train. There was a steady flow of participants throughout the week.
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Teamsters Digital Archives make public debut
In 2023, Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien launched a new project to document Teamsters history from 1975 to 1999. A collection of historic interviews — captured for the first time — detail the wins, losses, and challenges the Teamsters faced during a pivotal era. These include establishment of the government consent decree in 1989, the first democratic election of officers in 1991, the national freight strike in 1994, the memorable UPS strike in 1997, the election of James P. Hoffa in 1998, and so much more.
As part of the 31st International Convention, the Teamsters launched a new website last week with every single interview — raw and unedited.
To visit the Teamsters Digital Archive, please visit TeamsterHistory.org.