Back in April, The Valley Labor Report hosts Jacob Morrison and Adam Keller had the opportunity to interview two railroad union candidates seeking to challenge the current leadership in an upcoming election; both running for different leadership positions in the International Association of Machinists (IAM) District Lodge 19, which is devoted to the rail workers, Reece Murtagh and Nathaniel Tinsley shared the same general frustration with the incumbents: unsatisfactory performance and response during and to the major conflict with the railroads over sick days and improved working conditions that nearly led to a rail strike at the end of last year. Both took it upon themselves to do more than just criticize the leadership; what if they put their money where their mouth is and actually reformed the leadership, and the union, altogether? And so they, joined by a few other dissatisfied members, set themselves up as the challenging slate and run for leadership in the next election.
The District 19 election took place just a couple weeks ago on June 9, and initially upon tallying the votes it seemed to be a clean sweep for the incumbents, however controversy quickly arose, followed by a protest against the final results. At 790 votes, Murtagh, who hoped to reform things from the top-of-the-top by running for the position of President/Director General Chairman, which is the highest office of leadership in the union, came within just six votes of securing the win and replacing the incumbent, Andrew Sandberg, who finished with 796 votes. But following the publishing of the election results, Murtagh and the challenger slate blasted the election as being wrought with all kinds of violations, including void ballots, and called upon the U.S. Department of Labor to intervene.
And indeed, the USDOL has stepped in and is conducting a complete recount at an attorney’s office in Denver. According to the challengers, the recount began last Tuesday, June 27, with the results of the recount expected to be published imminently.
For our full discussion on this election, watch the full video on YouTube: