Brother T. M. Preston (Division 236, Portland, Ore.), Alternate
Secretary-Treasurer.
BLET National Vice-Presidents E. L. Pruitt and D. R. Pierce were in
attendance, and addressed the delegates on various facets of issues of
national importance.
Designated Legal Counsel (DLC) Joe Weninger (Crow Law Firm, Sacramento,
Calif.) discussed the Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) and the need
for proper personal injury reporting; and DLC Paul Bovarnick (Rose,
Senders & Bovarnick, Portland, Ore.) gave a presentation on recently
enacted Congressional legislation giving whistleblower protection to
railroad workers.
Union Pacific Railroad Employees Health System (UPREHS) President Dell
Butterfield gave a presentation on the status of the association and some
of the activities and benefits that have come available to the members.
Brotherhood's Relief & Compensation Fund (BRCF) President Mark Robb
discussed the status of that organization and issues of discipline on the
various carriers throughout the country.
Newly-elected Chairman Jim Dayton brings a wealth of experience and
knowledge to this position, having served the Brotherhood in many
capacities, including Local Chairman of Local Division 236, General
Chairman of the former Union Pacific Oregon Division (1980-1987), BLE
International Vice-President (1987-1991), Vice General Chairman-at-Large
and Second Vice-Chairman of UPWRGCA (1991-2000).
Chairman Dayton was elevated to First Vice-Chairman of UPWRGCA following
Chairman Donnigan's ascension in August of 2000; and he was reelected by
acclamation at UPWRGCA's 2004 quadrennial convention held in West
Yellowstone, Mont. Chairman Dayton also served as a regional mobilization
coordinator for International Division of the BLE from 1991-2000. Chairman
Dayton and his wife, Peggy, reside in Dayton, Oregon.
Chairman Donnigan's railroad career spans more than 34 years. He hired on
with Union Pacific as a clerk in 1974, and entered the engine service
crafts in 1977. His career as a union officer began as Local Chairman of
Division 228 in 1982, General Chairman of the Idaho GCA from 1986 to 1991,
and First Vice-General Chairman of UPWRGCA following the merger of the
four General Committees that now comprise UPWRGCA.
Brother Donnigan was elevated to the Chair of UPWRGCA following the
untimely death of Chairman M. A. Mitchell in August of 2000; and was
reelected by acclamation at UPWRGCA's 2004 quadrennial convention held in
West Yellowstone.
Among his many accomplishments are the successful and difficult
negotiations that resulted in the various agreements that implemented the
Union Pacific-Southern Pacific merger; and the recently completed rewrite
of the more than 30-year-old Idaho Agreement, bringing that most important
document in line with the plethora of changes in national, local and
merger agreements that came subsequent to that 1977 agreement.
UPWRGCA consists of 19 different divisions with more than 1,200 BLET
Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen members throughout Washington, Oregon,
Idaho, Montana, Utah and Nevada, employed by the Union Pacific, Eastern
Idaho, and Portland Terminal railroad companies.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen is a Division of the
Rail Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
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