During one week in July this year, we visited five Local Lodge meetings and one DPG (production gang) dinner meeting and asked BMWE members who work for Norfolk Southern one question -- What did you choose as your number one issue on the bargaining survey? Following are some of the responses.

Saturday, July 10, 1999, Erie, Pennsylvania, Lodge 1997. Standing, left to right, Rick Gaugh, Bret Boblentz, Lodge Secretary-Treasurer Don Cunningham, John Grace, Art Grace, Everett Aninch, Ellis T. Brady, Al Stanonik, Tom Eller. Seated, Grand Lodge Vice President Henry Wise, General Chairman Paul Beard, Lodge President Bob Rockie, Local Chairman Don Swoger, John Burras.

Art Grace, a machine operator with 28 years service, was married but said, "the railroad took care of that." Grace wants "55 and out" and also more vacation.

"The railroad also took care of my marriage," said Don Cunningham, a crossing watchman, machine operator and laborer with 30 years on the railroad. He wants "30 and out."

John Grace wants "more money." Grace is a machine operator with 21 years service, is married and has two children.

"It's a toss up between wages and better insurance," said Rick Gaugh who has a 13-year old daughter with asthma. Gaugh, a track inspector, has 23 years on the railroad.

Ellis T. Brady, a 20-year truck driver, also wants to see "insurance and wages improved" plus a "differential for having a CDL license." Brady is married and has two sons.

"Better hospitalization," said Bret Boblentz, who has three years as a machine operator.

Everett McAninch wants "better living conditions -- eliminate camp cars." McAninch is single and is a machine operator with 31 years of service.

"More men per track mile," said Bob Rockie, who may be the last crossing watchman in the country. Rockie, who has 30 years on the railroad, is married with two children.

John Burras says he also wants "55 and out, but I don't want to lose any medical benefits." Burras, a B&B foreman with 10 years service, is married and has two children.

"Wages," Al Stanonik simply said. A widower with two children, Stanonik is a bridge carpenter with 31 years on the railroad. He also noted he wants "to see Labor Party candidates running for office."

IMAGE 02 - Sunday, July 11, 1999, near Cleveland, Ohio, Lodge 2307. Left to right, William Wiley, Santiago Zamora, Donald A. Crist, Alfred White, Terry Burrell, Gary Buckley, Tim Hoffman, A. T. Johnson, Henry Wise, Paul Beard, Robert Vaughn, Paul Palmer, Dennis Yelenic, Charlie Lamuth, George Hommel, Willie West.

"More money" said Buckley, Crist, Hoffman, Hommel, Palmer, West, White and Yelenic. "Get rid of lump sums and get a real raise," added Hoffman.

"55, 30 and out," said Burrell, Johnson, Vaughn, Wiley and Zamora.

"Sick days," said Lamuth, "instead of having to use vacation or personal days."

Other issues discussed by the members, almost all of whom had 25 years or more on the railroad, included, "better travel expenses; job protection; more personal days; Martin Luther King Day; better eye care."

All of the members attending the meeting said they had experience living in camp cars and agreed that experience was "Terrible with a capital T!" During the lively conversation about camp cars, their comments included, "try sleeping with eight guys snoring; stinky feet; short beds; someone tired and tipsy trying to light the propane; when flat wheels roll past it makes you jump right out of bed."

IMAGE 03 - Monday, July 12, 1999, Bellevue, Ohio, Lodge 1664.

"I think everybody wants early retirement," said Gary Meyers, "but I don't think they want to give up anything." Meyers, a member of Lodge 2307, is a foreman and has 23 years on the railroad. He wants workers to get sick days.

Kenneth Cofer is married and has four children and two grandchildren. A tamper operator with 26 years of service, Cofer wants "better medical and dental coverage."

"More money," said James Cole, a welder with 20 years of service.

Russell G. (Rusty) Rouse, a newlywed, wants early retirement. A welder helper with 32 years on the railroad, Rouse says he has "eight years to go."

"Better wages," said Henry (Hank) Lasch. "The cost of living keeps going up and up. You make a buck but you're spending three for the same item. I would like early retirement but I think it would cost too much. My wife is handicapped and it would put us in the hole. Maybe if it was age 60 with a good insurance plan." Lasch has 30 years on the railroad.

Thomas Patrick, an assistant foreman with 26 years of service, "voted for an early out."

"Early retirement with insurance," said James West, a ballast regulator operator with 32 years on the railroad.

Phil Rowe, a truck driver with 26 years service, is married and has two children. He wants "30 and out but I don't think we'll get it. I think we should do away with lump sums and would like to see more money for truck drivers."

"Sick days," said Merle Rufer, a foreman who plans to retire next year after 34 years on the railroad. Rufer is married and has three children and four grandchildren.

Mike Garcia is a speed swing operator with 33 years of service. Married with two children and one grandchild, Garcia wants, "early retirement, more pay, sick days."

"Sick days," said Alan Brooks, a laborer with 26 years on the railroad.

Bill Rohrbacher also wants sick days and a differential in pay for truck drivers. Rohrbacher has 26 years of service and is married with three children and eight grandchildren.

"Hire more men and sick days," said Eugene Crum, a section laborer with 30 years of service.

George Hartman, a laborer with 26 years, thinks job security is the biggest issue and "we also need more manpower and sick days."

"More money, manpower and sick days," said Jim Polachek, a truck driver/laborer, who would also like to see a differential for having a CDL.

Darrell La Venia, a 10-year local chairman for the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen, has 26 years on the railroad. Married with two children, LaVenia, age 43, would like to see "early retirement."

"Sick days and more money for CDLs," said Red Eskins, who is married with three children and has "33 years, six months and 14 days on the railroad."

Jim Geiger, a backhoe operator with 27 years of service, also wants sick days.

"I want to retire from the railroad," said Jeff Haughawout, "so I think job security is the most important issue." Haughawout has 30 years of service, is married and has two children in college.

Peter J. Peterson is a welder helper with 32 years on the railroad. He has five children and seven grandchildren. "I want to see better health care coverage," he said. "I don't like managed care, I want my choice of doctors. We should also have sick days."

Jeff Hall, a former member of the BMWE now with the Machinists' Union (IAM), has 26 years on the railroad. Hall talked about the hardships involved in having only seven workers cover the territory from Chicago to Buffalo, New York since the Southern and Norfolk & Western consolidated.

IMAGE 04a - IMAGE 04b - IMAGE 04c - IMAGE 04d - IMAGE 04e - IMAGE 04f - IMAGE 04g - IMAGE 04h- Wednesday, July 14, 1999, Eaton, Ohio, Tie Gangs TS-34 and TS-36.

At a well-attended meeting of members from various lodges working on traveling gangs, spirited discussions were held on a number of important issues.

A majority of the members raised their hands when asked if they wanted early retirement. But in the discussion, roughly half said they were willing "to give up a percentage of future wage increases" like Craig Wood, age 37, Anthony Gallaway, age 45, and 27 others. The other half seemed to agree with David Beale who said, "why should I give up wage increases for early retirement? What do I tell my children who will be close to poverty?"

"Better wages and travel expenses," were also at the top of the list almost everyone agreed. Speakers on these subjects included Chris Tatum, a tamper operator from Columbia, Missouri who was 466 miles from home, and is married with five children and seven grandchildren; Ryan Kauzlarich, who was 277 miles from his home and three children; and Jay Getch, a machine operator who was 360 miles from his home in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and three children, ages 10, 2, and three months. However, Getch's number one issue was "improved health benefits, not managed care."

"We have to get out of trailers," said Jerry Malone. "We need paid motel and travel expenses."

"Without job security, nothing else matters," said Anthony Locke at the end of the meeting and everyone appeared to indicate their agreement.

IMAGE 05 - Thursday, July 15, 1999, Muncie, Indiana, Lodge 1362. Left to right, front, Gail McCord, Bruce Tatum, Jim Dalton, Aaron Bishop. Back, Paul Beard, Gary Griffin, Jimmy Traub, John Harris, Rick Sharp, Jack Tighe, Jeff Bainter, Wade Boils, Henry Wise, Jeff Crossland.

"30 and out," said Aaron Bishop, who is married with three children and has 214 months of service, "but we should not give up anything." John Harris agreed.

"I don't think that's feasible," said Jimmy Traub, who is married and has three teenage daughters. A tamper operator/laborer/foreman/truck driver/payroll clerk with 23 years of service, the most important issue to Traub is improving "health insurance benefits, then wages."

Gail McCord also wants to see health care improvements. "My wife has crippling arthritis and the costs of her care are way, way over what insurance covers."

"And they only pay 85% and that's 85% of what they think the costs should be," added Jeff Crossland, a machine operator with 23 years of service, who is married with two children.

Kirby Caudill's "number one issue is wages. I'm making $3 less than when I hired in with inflation. I'm losing every year. And no lump sums! You can't take back cost of living raises."

Caudill is a ballast regulator operator with 23 years on the railroad. He is married and has two children."

Gary Griffin thinks "you have to hit 30 and out in stages." "And contractors should have to pay into the railroad retirement system," added Jack Tighe.

IMAGE 06 - Friday, July 16, 1999, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, Lodge 1363. Left to right, Paul Hayden, Gary Archer, Regan Van Aken, Steve Treace, Lenny Luce, Tony Mendenhall, Jim Goble, Tim Smith, Dave Brown, Keith Clevanger, Kelly Johnson, Bill Fisher, Paul Beard, Henry Wise.

"My number one issue is travel expenses," said Regan Van Aken, who has to travel 70 miles one way to work as an extra gang laborer. Van Aken is married and has 10 years on the railroad.

"Job protection," said Dave Brown, a laborer with 18 years of service, Kelly Johnson, a tamper operator with 10 years, and Keith Clevanger, a truck driver/laborer with 18 years.

"Early retirement," said Tim Smith, age 40. A truck driver with 18 years on the railroad, Smith is "to some extent willing" to give up wage increases for early retirement. Lenny Luce, age 44, married with three children, agrees.

Tony Mendenhall, age 43, is married with four children. He has 25 years on the railroad and "is willing to give up something for early retirement."

"I'm not willing," said Paul Hayden, age 52, who has 30 years of service. "We shouldn't give them anything for early retirement," said Jim Goble, age 37, with 19 years on the railroad.

"I'm not willing to reduce wages," said Steve Treace, "but I would be willing to pay increased tier II taxes." Trace is 50 and has 30 years on the railroad. He is married and has four children.

Bill Fisher said there has to be "no contracting out. They need to hire more people, then you can retire early and the younger workers can help support the system. It's to their benefit too because they'll have jobs." Fisher is a welder helper with 25 years on the railroad.