Metra's BMWED members elect Shanahan GM of new union

Metra's members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division-International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) have elected Rob Shanahan Jr. as the general chairman of the new Chicagoland Passenger Federation.

The new union aims to “end the three-way split of Chicago’s commuter railroad brotherhood members,” bringing them together as a single bargaining unit, BMWED officials said in a press release.

Members were formerly split among the Unified System Division, Burlington System Division and Alliance System Federation, which led to different dues structures and confusion, union officials said.

Members also elected Manuel Zavala as vice chairman and secretary-treasurer. In addition, the following members were elected to the board: Guillermo Ponce, Efrain Sainz, Art Perez, James Smith and Adolfo Nieto-Bustamente.