From The Ballast: Editorial By Wes Ekstedt, 13-year member of Local 445 (Galesburg, Illinois) 

After the election, I feel as though most of us went through a period of reflection. I know I did. It wasn’t so much because Trump won the presidency again, but what that election meant. It seems as though the working class of this country has lost its faith in government and wanted a change, and I honestly don’t blame them. With the increasing reach of corporate power, workers are desperate and hopeful for a change from the status quo. 

Throughout the last few decades, we have seen the reach of corporate interests increase and the consequences have had a negative influence on the working class. We have seen it glaringly on the rails. Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) has taken over most of the Class 1 railroads. We have seen longer trains, furloughed workers, decreased time for inspections, increased derailments and deferred maintenance, all while efficiency and customer satisfaction hit all-time lows. Besides a few improvements in the FRA like the two-person crew rule, it is really hard to think positively about the future of our rails. With the power of the rail lobby, it is difficult to have faith that things will get better. 

Some may think that Trump will help with these changes. Some may think the Democrats are the answer to positive change. I believe both of those groups are wrong. I truly hope that the Trump administration does decide to help correct the dangers of PSR or that future Democrats help make the difference, but I have a strong feeling that the only solution can be found in ourselves. 

Many union men and women have put faith in the politicians for far too long. We need to look inwards. We have allowed the corporate railroads and politics to divide us. I see it when a fellow union member criticizes his or her GC for “selling out” without giving the effort to speak to them about what has happened in the last few negotiations. I have seen it when a union member steams over something that wasn’t even in the actual agreement. I see it when members don’t attend union meetings and allow rumors to influence their opinions on officers. For far too long I have seen empty union halls and fractured solidarity. We are quick to blame anyone but ourselves. 

In the next five to ten years, we will have battles that will decide not only the safety of our profession, but the existence of our positions. We will not win those battles if we continue to allow these divisions amongst ourselves. I am not saying that we all have to vote for the same party or make every union meeting, but we need to inform ourselves on which representatives support our union and our jobs. We need to email our representatives about our issues. We need to make at least a few union meetings every year. We need to ask our officers about what is in our agreements before we vote. We need to take our grievances and questions to our officers rather than believing the first rumor we hear. 

We as union members need to look inwards for our solutions. Without solidarity, I fear the worst in our future. By staying with our status quo, we can only expect more of the same. As your brother, I ask that you attend a few union meetings this year. Watch out for your brothers and sisters. Stay informed on your agreements and encourage fellow members to do the same. Take initiative when you can and encourage your officers when you see them. We have more power than we realize, as long as we have solidarity. We can absolutely win now and in the future as long as we lean on each other. What will be your first step to making this unity possible?