In July, BLET National President Mark Wallace and First Vice President Gary Best met with Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS) as part of a series of high-level meetings on Capitol Hill. President Wallace and First Vice President Best advocated on behalf of BLET members and spoke to Senator Marshall about the top legislative and political priorities of the BLET and Teamsters Rail Conference.
Senator Marshall is a key supporter of BLET and Teamster issues, including being an original cosponsor of the Railway Safety Act and a cosponsor of the Faster Labor Contracts Act. Wallace thanked Senator Marshall for his ongoing opposition to the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger.
“Senator Marshall is a champion of BLET’s issues,” said President Wallace. “Senator Marshall understands the fact that BLET’s issues are not Republican or Democrat but rather common sense issues that deserve the support of Members of Congress in both parties. We will always support those elected officials who support us. Given his support for BLET members and Teamsters members in Kansas, BLET is proud to endorse Senator Marshall for his re-election in November.”
President Wallace and First Vice President Best also shared with Senator Marshall the BLET’s concerns regarding the safety and deskilling issues associated with software systems like Trip Optimizer and Zero-to-Zero. Their meeting also touched upon the dangers of UP’s waiver request to operate its Integrated Train Operations (ITO) system on main line tracks through communities in states like Kansas.