Labor Day

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

Labor Day is more than a long weekend, and it shall not be used by management to congratulate themselves for the hard work and exceptional results that YOU deliver. It is a hard-won reminder that working people, through organization, solidarity, and courage, secured dignity, fairness, safety, and respect on the job. We honor those gains best by defending them every day.

For the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, Labor Day means:

• Dignity at work. Respect for our professional judgment, fair scheduling and due process, and the right tools, training, and staffing to do the job right the first time.
• Railroad safety in action, not on paper. Real safety is built in the field: testing and maintaining signals and interlockings, safeguarding grade crossings, and keeping ATC, PTC, fiber networks, and the entire Engineering apparatus up to high standards. It is not virtual ops meetings, dashboards, or glossy charts. It is the expert work you perform, day and night, in all conditions.
• Wages that keep up with the high cost of living. On Long Island and across our region, costs are high. Compensation must reflect both that reality and the expertise of our craft, so we can recruit, retain, and fairly reward the people who keep the railroad safe and moving.

This holiday, take pride in the skill and professionalism you bring to every shift: on the tracks, in the relay rooms, in the towers and shops, and across every department our craft touches. The BRS will continue to press for what you have earned: dignity on the job, safety that is lived and not laminated, and wages that match the value of your work.

In solidarity,

Michael Sullivan,
General Chairman