Hi John,
My name is Lauren Sims and I work for Hallcon, transporting railway workers to and from rail yards. I am a proud chief steward at UE Local 1077.
I got involved with UE Research and Education Fund’s Green Locomotive Project because of health concerns. I live about 100 feet from the railroad. I have four kids and all four suffer from asthma and other environmental allergies. Since we moved to our home, I visited the ER with my kids more times than I can count. I even had to call the paramedics one time for my grandson. And we’re the lucky ones. So many of my neighbors in West Long Beach, CA (Carson and Wilmington) are getting cancer, on top of the asthma and allergies.
For years, I wondered why the kids were so sick, when my husband and I don’t even have asthma. It didn’t take much to realize, we have something in common with the rest of our neighbors - we live near the railroad tracks. I remember a UE meeting in San Bernardino, where we examined the facts about the effects of railroad pollution on our health. Ryan, the meeting’s organizer, told us how railroad work affects the life expectancy of workers after retirement. I couldn’t believe it.
John, when I got involved with the union I realized what was really happening to my family and my community. Railroad bosses don’t want to spend money on new green locomotives that will reduce pollution and harm to our communities. So what do they do? They sell us a zero-sum story, telling us we need to choose between our health and our jobs. If we want to work and provide for our families, we have to ignore the effects of the railroad on our health. As a union member, I learned this is not true. In fact, environmental protections that force railroads to switch to green locomotives will create more jobs. Someone has to build those green locomotives, and they’ll still need the rest of us to drive them and transport them on their shifts.
The Green Locomotive Project opened my eyes. But I know that’s just the starting point. If we want to change regulations and force railroads to cut into their profits to buy new locomotives, we need to talk with our neighbors and share the real story with them. This work takes time and it takes patience. I remember one gentleman whose door I knocked on nearly slammed it in my face. But I kept talking with him, and I asked about his family’s health, and I invited him to a meeting. I didn’t think he would come. But on the day of the meeting, Grumpy was the first person there, because he does want clean air, just like the rest of us.
John, I know our organizing works. But I also know we need more boots on the ground to bring this message to as many people as possible. Help us train our members to organize their communities.
In solidarity,
Lauren Sims,
Chief Steward, UE Local 1077
