November 19, 2024 • 30 mins
John Risch was the highest-ranking union official ever to be elected from the state of North Dakota.
He served the nation’s railroad workers at the national level full time in Washington DC from August 2009 through September 2019. Risch was elected national legislative director of the SMART Transportation Division (formerly the United Transportation Union) in 2014. He led the union in developing, communicating and executing the legislative, regulatory, safety and political positions. As national director he testified before Congress and at regulatory forums. He was also a presenter at numerous transportation, labor and Wall Street analyst forums.
Risch is a native of Mandan, N.D. He was the North Dakota State Legislative Director for the United Transportation Union from 1986 to 2009, while also working as a locomotive engineer. He is retired member of Local 1344 at Mandan. Risch began his railroad career on Burlington Northern Railroad, working in the track department for two summers while attending college. In the fall of 1978, he hired out in train service and in 1979, he entered engine service in what is now BNSF Railway. He was a long-time international union officer, serving on the union’s executive board from 1991 until 2009.
While serving as the UTU North Dakota State Legislative Director, he testified hundreds of times at the state legislature. His focus at the state legislature included railroad, labor, tax, insurance and other issues important to working people. He was appointed by Governor George Sinner to the Education Action Commission and Occupational Therapy Board.
He was also appointed chairperson of the state’s Minimum Wage Commission twice, once by a Democratic labor commissioner and once by a Republican labor commissioner. In that role, he led efforts to raise the minimum wage and improve conditions of the workplace, including extending minimum wage coverage to farm workers, something the federal law and most states exempt from coverage.
Risch is a graduate of Bismarck State College and earned a bachelor’s degree in Labor Studies while working full time on the railroad from Antioch University of Yellow Springs, Ohio, where he studied collective bargaining, labor history, labor law, world labor movements and other issues related to labor.
The North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party honored Risch in 2018 with the Governor Art and Grace Link Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes those who have dedicated a lifetime of service to the people of North Dakota, have represented excellence in the field of public service and have left a laudable legacy benefiting future generations. Risch also wrote a regular newspaper column for The Bismarck Tribune from 1991 until 1993, where he focused on labor, economic and tax issues.
He served the nation’s railroad workers at the national level full time in Washington DC from August 2009 through September 2019. Risch was elected national legislative director of the SMART Transportation Division (formerly the United Transportation Union) in 2014. He led the union in developing, communicating and executing the legislative, regulatory, safety and political positions. As national director he testified before Congress and at regulatory forums. He was also a presenter at numerous transportation, labor and Wall Street analyst forums.
Risch is a native of Mandan, N.D. He was the North Dakota State Legislative Director for the United Transportation Union from 1986 to 2009, while also working as a locomotive engineer. He is retired member of Local 1344 at Mandan. Risch began his railroad career on Burlington Northern Railroad, working in the track department for two summers while attending college. In the fall of 1978, he hired out in train service and in 1979, he entered engine service in what is now BNSF Railway. He was a long-time international union officer, serving on the union’s executive board from 1991 until 2009.
While serving as the UTU North Dakota State Legislative Director, he testified hundreds of times at the state legislature. His focus at the state legislature included railroad, labor, tax, insurance and other issues important to working people. He was appointed by Governor George Sinner to the Education Action Commission and Occupational Therapy Board.
He was also appointed chairperson of the state’s Minimum Wage Commission twice, once by a Democratic labor commissioner and once by a Republican labor commissioner. In that role, he led efforts to raise the minimum wage and improve conditions of the workplace, including extending minimum wage coverage to farm workers, something the federal law and most states exempt from coverage.
Risch is a graduate of Bismarck State College and earned a bachelor’s degree in Labor Studies while working full time on the railroad from Antioch University of Yellow Springs, Ohio, where he studied collective bargaining, labor history, labor law, world labor movements and other issues related to labor.
The North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party honored Risch in 2018 with the Governor Art and Grace Link Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes those who have dedicated a lifetime of service to the people of North Dakota, have represented excellence in the field of public service and have left a laudable legacy benefiting future generations. Risch also wrote a regular newspaper column for The Bismarck Tribune from 1991 until 1993, where he focused on labor, economic and tax issues.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to These Are Your Neighbors? A podcast hosted by
the City of Bismarck Human Relations Committee and produced by
Dakota Media Access. The purpose of the podcast is to
show the diversity of your neighbors and to encourage inclusivity
among the Bismarck community.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Welcome to These Your Neighbors a podcast hosted by TiO
Jorgison and Sargianawitski, both members of the City of Bismarck's
Human Relations Committee. Thank you for joining us as we
interview our neighbors who are subject matter experts in diversity, inclusion, accessibility,
and equality.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Our guest today is Commissioner John Risch. Risch is a
native of man Dan and earned a bachelor's degree in
labor studies while working full time on the railroad. He
was the North Dakota State Legislative Director for the United
Transportation Union from nineteen eighty six to two thousand and
nine while also working as a locomotive engineer. A retired
member of Local one three four to four at Mandan,
(01:06):
Risch began his railroad career on Burlington Northern Railroad, working
in the track department for two summers while attending college.
He was a longtime International Union officer, serving on the
union's executive board from nineteen ninety one until two thousand
and nine. John Risch was the highest ranking union official
ever to be elected from the state of North Dakota.
(01:26):
He served the nation's railroad workers at the national level
full time in Washington, d C. From August two thousand
and nine through September of twenty nineteen. He was elected
as National Legislative Director of the Smart Transportation Division in
twenty fourteen, where he led the union in developing and
communicating the legislative, regulatory, safety, and political positions. As National Director,
(01:51):
he testified before Congress and at regulatory forums. He was
also appointed chairpersons of the state's Minimum Wage Commission twice,
once by both the Democratic and a Republican labor Commissioner.
He led efforts to raige the minimum wage and improve
conditions of the workplace. The North Tokota Democratic Party honored
rish in twenty eighteen with the governor our Engracelink Lifetime
(02:13):
Achievement Award. The award recognizes those who have dedicated a
lifetime of service to the people of North Dakota have
represented excellence in the field of public service. And have
left a lot of a legacy benefiting future generations. Welcome Commissioner, good.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
To be here, Thank you for joining us. So what
made you return to our great city of Bismarck.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Well, actually I never left. I've lived in the South
Bismarck at a home in Soft Bismark now for more
than thirty five years. I worked in Washington, d C
for a decade, but I also I traveled back and forth,
and I might add, at my own expense, and came
back to civilization here in Bismarck as often as I could.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
So how often were you in DC and how often
were you in Bismarck then.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Well, generally speaking congresses in session three weeks out of
the month. So I try and get back one of
those weeks and work from home one week a month,
and think it takes break for breaks, for holidays and
things of that nature.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
And how many years did you do that?
Speaker 4 (03:11):
About ten years exactly in Washington, DC full time.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
That's I suppose it's kind of like culture shock too,
coming back and forth, you know, completely different lifestyles in
the two places.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Well, I was fortunate that I retired after forty two
years and three months in the railroad industry right before
COVID hit, So it was a lot better out here.
Things were shut down substantially more in DC than they
were here in Bismarck.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Yeah, so you mentioned you retired after forty two years.
What made you start working for the railroad.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Well, I grew up in a poor household and manned
in and I started working full time when I was thirteen. Actually,
all of a sudden there was an opportunity to get
a job in the track department on the railroad. That
means going from three dollars and twenty five cents an
hour to five dollars in thirty five cents an hour,
but incredibly hard work in the track department. So that's
(04:04):
why I went to work on the railroad. It was
hard to get on, but I did get on. I
worked two summers there while going to Bismarck Junior College
at the time, and then I got in as a
train service person brakeman, and by the time I was
twenty one, I was a locomotive engineer. So that was
a pretty rapid pace.
Speaker 5 (04:26):
I'll let you go into the next question.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
So any breakdown then, what is a locomotive engineer? Like,
what are your duties as that position.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Well, locomotive engineer is the person that actually operates the train.
He drives the train, He drives the locomotive's in charge
of the locomotive. You also have a conductor who's actually
in charge of the train. Make sure all the paperwork
is done right, and make sure that you're following all
the procedures. And of course we double check each other
constantly as far as procedures and getting the train from
(04:56):
point A to point B.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
So is there certain like cities that you consistently travel.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
To correct Yeah, it's not like a truck driver driving
across the country. The routes are really complicated. I kind
of look at them like an obstacle. Course. You have
to know every bump in the road, every speed restriction, everything.
So I would go from Mandan to Glendive or Mandan
to Dilworth at times. Actually, earlier in my career I've
(05:25):
worked out of mind on it. I was able to
operate Amtrak, which was a real treat.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
I took Amtrak for the first time last summer out
to Seattle. It was a whole experience. It was pretty
pretty neat. Okay, this is a random question, but how
do you steer a.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
Train, is there a steering wheel or is it like
a no, you.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
Don't steer a train and they go forward or backwards,
and that's it. There's no steering wheel. My father was
a truck driver and he'd always say, well, it can't
be too complicated. There's not even a steering wheel on
a thing. In contrast, I'm a volunteer at the zoo
and I drive the train there, and I always say,
that's the first train I've ever driven that has a
steering wheel on it.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
So okay, And I was going to ask you about
that that we've how did you get involved being a
conductor for the Dakota Zoo.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
And actually I'm an engineer at the Dakota Zoo, volunteer
engineer at Dakota Zoo. My niece, Jana Wistov, has four children,
and she kept pestering me, you'd be the best engineer
ever at the zoo. And I dress up with bib overhaul's,
a red bandana, a stripe hat, and I do a
lot of things in life, but I don't think anything
more endurable, enjoyable than interacting with the children at the
(06:36):
Dakota Zoo. It's just a hoot. I have a great time,
the children have a great time, and encourage anybody listening
to this please come run ride my train. But not
anymore this year. It's down for the season.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
So how often were you volunteering at the zoo?
Speaker 4 (06:49):
Then I generally do it on weekends or when there's
a special event like a picnic, right after the picnic
or after the breakfast or things like that. I try
and focus on times where it's the busiest.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
So then do you have to have it memorize your script,
like when you're driving people around. I've always wondered.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
That, Well, that's an interesting thing because actually the director
of the zoo, he does give you a script, but
I completely vary from the script. What I do. What
I've done is I interact with officials at the North
Dakota Game of Fish Department, ask all kinds of questions
about animals here in North Dakota, the history, what's happened
to him? And I always play off North Dakota and
(07:27):
these animals, well, how they where they're at in North Dakota,
where their populations are, and try and educate people in
that regard.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
That's all I'm thinking about the because I'm from mine.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Not so.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
I'm thinking of the little train they have at the
zoo there, and I think it was just more of
a like drive around and see the zoo thing, not
a whole bunch of information.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
So you're right in the train with me, you gonna
You're gonna get a whole spiel. I've got some funny
lines and all kinds of things.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Awesome, there's a lot of good information I've spent a
while since I've ran in the train. But I'm like,
do they memorize this? Do they give them a script?
Speaker 4 (07:59):
A fall?
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I'm like, if they memorized all this, they know a
lot of information.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Mine's a lot different from the regular script.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Often we'll drive the train the summer, We'll we'll do
a like Onseene or on set up podcast.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
So when Tia Ringerbios she talked about labor studies, was
your degree path? I didn't even know that was a
degree path anybody could have. Can you explain that and
how the path worked for you and then also how
you've used it?
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Well, you know, I was elected at a very young
age to a local union office, and I quickly became
aware that listen, this is complicated stuff. And we need
to be better equipped to deal with regulatory agencies, the
government management, things of that nature. And so I decided
to finish my bachelor's degree in labor studies, which is
kind of unusual, but it's fascinating, and it gave me
(08:52):
a better opportunity. It was personal for me to finish
my bachelor's degree, Plus it gave me a better opportunity
to represent my members. Plus I don't and I don't
think it hurt me when I was running for higher
offices having a degree in labor studies.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
So what does y'all use it for then, assigned from
just the political piece of it and being elected, or
does you use it for anything else.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
I've always been a railroad worker or a trade union representative,
never sought any other position other than that.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
So yeah, this whole this is brand new to Sergiana
and I. So, how does labor then tie into unions?
Speaker 4 (09:29):
Ooh, good question. Of course. A lot of times you
say labor unions get together. Labor is generally any kind
of work. Unions are when workers get together and form
a union and try and improve their position in the workplace,
better wages, better working conditions. But the most significant thing
about being a union member and having a union contract
(09:53):
is it gives you a legal right to your job.
It's in the contract. You can't be disciplined or discharged
except for cap So that's the most important aspect of
being a union member.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
So then when people say labor unions, it pretty much
translates to labor because it's typically one work field and
then unions, so they're not two separate.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
But labor is a different Yeah, and we're all engaged
in that. I was breaking leaves this morning.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Yeah, it's labor.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yeah, some labor. So it seems that people are either
very pro union or anti union. Why do you think
it's so polarizing there's not a lot of in between.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
Well, that's an interesting question. Actually, union the public perception
of unions are probably at a fifty year high right now.
We've never had a majority of Americans workforce in trade unions.
I think the high point was probably nineteen fifty four,
when about thirty eight percent of the workforce we're in
labor unions. One of the reasons unions are sometimes unpopular
(10:57):
is when it's very difficult for workers to former union
in the workplace because of employer resistance. There's a whole
industry out there called union avoidance industry. And if somebody,
an employer, says, oh, my workers are trying to organize
and they hire one of these high end law firms,
they'll come in and do all kinds of nasty things
or play videos and captive meetings and things that disparaging
(11:22):
organized labor in general. So it's difficult, but it can
be done. Look at the nurses here at CHS. They
organize a union just a couple of years ago. They
just got a new contract, decent contract. Good for them.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Yeah, I was just going to say, the one thing
that I remember as far as a union coming together
was the nurses at CCHI. I remember that whole thing.
So is it not very common then for new fields
to have unions like that coming here in especially North Dakota.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
No, no, no, No, North Dakota's fine. Like everybody else,
workers are organizing across the country. I just think about
Bismarck right here, Bobcats unionized, the post offices unionize, the railroad,
the refinery. Every time I hire an electrician, a plumber,
a heating cooling guy, they're all unionized. A lot of
those shops are unionized, right here in Bismarck and Manda,
(12:11):
So we have quite a number of public employees are unionized.
Schools are unionized, the teachers are so.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Yeah, my stepdad was head custodian for many years up
in for minor public schools and he's very, very pro union. Sure,
that's really about the most knowledge I've had about the
topic up until right now. You did mention the legal
right when it comes to being one of the benefits.
(12:39):
What are some other of the pros to being a
part of a union.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Well, I think it's actually pro for the workers and
pro for the owner of the business because the workers
can get together and decide what their priorities are. Whoever
they elected is their union representative can go to the
management and say this is what we really think. Instead
of management saying, oh, this is what you're going to get.
The workers can come together and decide with their proposal.
(13:04):
They go through collective bargaining to reach an agreement. Boeing
just settle their agreement out there. They went on strike
for a while. Thirty eight percent increase in wages, Nothing
wrong with that.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
So you said that you believe it's pro owners, then
why do so many have that union avoidance tendencies.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Well, I think when employers oftentimes don't really you know,
it's new to them. It's scary for them. They've never
had an union before. So they hire a law firm,
and this law firm comes in and said, boy, what
you need is you need this law firm to protect you.
And oftentimes these law firms will say, well, we'll do this,
(13:46):
that and the other, even though it's against the law.
One of the problems in American labor law is the
penalties are so low that if you're your business and
you want to avoid your union, go ahead and break
the law. And the old saying is, oh, we broke
the law, send us a bill, because that's about what
it amounts to. So it's difficult but not impossible. And
(14:06):
I'd encourage anybody listening to this. You want to improve
your lot in life, you want to improve your job,
change the job you got, so.
Speaker 5 (14:17):
I want to do follow or follow up.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
You said penalties are low for breaking the laws. Is
it typically just a fine or can there actually be
like criminal like time in jail or prison.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
I've never heard of any criminal penalties. Is always always
financial or they sometimes will have to reinstate terminated workers.
It's a caince the law. Right At the very first
words of the Fair Labor Standards Act, it says employees
right to organize shall not be infringed upon by their employer.
Right there. I mean it's pretty clear day. But you
(14:51):
know they are infringed upon oftentimes when they're trying to
organize a union.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
So then in a right to work state, how are
you like, how are unions impacted or protected in a
right to work state?
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Then, well, the right to work state only has to
do with union membership. Nobody. It doesn't give anybody any
right to work. Right to work is thirteen B of
the Fair Labor Standards Act. I think it is, And
what it says is that employers and unions cannot agree
on what's called a union shop agreement requiring everyone to
(15:26):
be pay dues. Nobody is ever required to be a member.
I mean, that's the first amendment thing. You don't have
to be a member, but when you have a union
shop agreement, you would be required to pay dues even
though you chose not to be a member, because you
benefit from all the negotiated wages and benefits.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
So aside from the fields that you already mentioned. Are
there any other fields that are more likely to have unions?
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Building trades are always heavy. Traditionally manufacturing has been strong
service employees. There's no reason the Starbucks are doing some
organizing around the country, are organizing some places. No reason
why Walmart here in Bismarck couldn't organize if they wanted to.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
So could if there a large entity like a Starbucks
or a Walmart? Could one location have a union? But
not say, could Mandam but not Bismarck.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Sure, it's based on the individual workplace.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Okay, that's super interesting. So now not only are you
like super knowledgeable about unions, but you were also one
of the highest ranking union officials ever to be.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
Elected from the state of North Dakota. Like, what did
that entail? What did you do in that role?
Speaker 4 (16:41):
Well, I started at the local level, working on safety
and legislative issues, and then I became the state legislative
director for our union, working part time while working as
a railroad engineer. So I lobbied at the North Dakota legislature.
I met with the federal Railroad Administration, was our regulatory agents,
public service commissions, things like that, and then I was
(17:03):
there was a death in Washington, d C. And I
was appointed as the assistant in Washington, d C. Then
later on was appointed as or elected to the top official.
When I was in Washington, d C. I oversaw the regulatory,
legislative political I testified. I used to go up to
New York once a year and speak to the finance guys.
(17:25):
I did a lot of transportation form things of that nature,
a lot of work on rulemaking processes and interacting with
that it. Wrote a lot of comments to the federal
agencies of proposed rules.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
It makes sense though, like now that I actually sit
and think about how being involved in unions, you would
be involved or communicating with so different so many different
departments or what's the word I'm looking for.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
A different.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Labor like, I don't know, but so many different avenues.
Speaker 5 (17:58):
We'll just leave it there.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
So you talked about testifying on the local level and
then on the national level. Can you talk about different
things that you testified on. Any bills that you testified
on stand out in your career.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Well. I used to testify mostly on labor related issues,
transportation related issues, and then I focused on tax issues
as well. One of the things about the North God
to legislature, we really don't have people representing regular people.
You've got the business interests, you've got to trade organizations,
you've got the chambers and all of these things. And
(18:33):
when it comes to tax policy affecting individuals, I mean individual,
legislators are concerned about it and they work on it,
but there's really no lobbying effort like Common Cause or
something like that up at the North Dakota Legislature. So
I often testified on tax related issues and even insurance
related issues at the legislative session. One of the things
(18:54):
I guess I'm proud about is get we receive funding
or we change the funding formula at the legislature to
allow money for quiet zones. Rail quiet zones, the railroad
industry is required under North Akota state law to pay
like two percent under all the fuel they use a
two percent fuel tax and it goes into the highway fund. Well,
(19:17):
you know I used to. When I testified, I said,
you know, I drove these trades for twenty five years.
I've yet to drive one down a highway. So we
were able. I worked with Senator Nethane of Jamestown able
to pass legislation that redirected that two percent to rail safety,
and that's how we got a quiet zone in Jamestown,
quiet zone in Bismarck, and got to shut off some
(19:37):
of these obnoxiously loud train whistles.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
So I guess rail safety is another thing that I
never really thought about. How do you have an idea
how that's improved over, say, since the beginning of your career,
to where we're at now with rail safety.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Well, I'll say that rail safety has improved dramatic. We
used to have a far more injuries when I hired
out in the late seventies than we do today. Our
track infrastructure in North Dakota has never been in better
shape than it is today, incredibly good shape. We now
have something called positive train control through this line right
(20:16):
through here Bismarck here that prevents trains from running into
each other. So rail safety has improved, but we can't
let our guard down. There's other opportunities to make it
even safer, So keep working on that. Although I'm retired,
somebody else will be working on this.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Somebody.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
Well, now that you're retired, you are still serving the community.
You were just recently elected to the city Commission. What
made you decide to run.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Well, that's a good question. I went through the Citizens Academy,
and anybody listening, there's now an application process for what
we call the Bismarck Citizens Academy, and if you sign
up and there's a limited number, twenty people will be accepted.
You'll go to these classes. It'll be one Thursday night
for I think twelve thursdays, and you've toured individual departments
(21:03):
of the city. And I was in the very first
Citizens Academy and I really enjoyed it. And the city
is really complicated. We have like six hundred and fifty employees,
all these different departments, water, sewer, police, fire, airport, all
of these things. It's complicated stuff, and I was just
fascinated by it. And at the same time, I was
really impressed with how many good, talented, dedicated Bismarck City
(21:29):
employees we have. So that perked my interests. And then
I think the thing that drove me over the edge
was watching what happened with the event center and the
termination of the head of the events center, the putting
them back. It didn't follow the proper procedures, and I said, well,
what are you guys doing. It doesn't have to be
this complicated. We don't need all this drama. And I
(21:51):
decided to throw my hat in a ring.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
So then why do you think it's important for people
to pay attention to local government?
Speaker 4 (22:00):
Well, you probably get no, not probably. You can have
a lot bigger impact on local government than you can
on state and national government, and a lot of things
the local government does has a big impact on you.
I mean, I want my garbage holt, I want my
streets plout, I want a library that's nice. You know,
I want a situation like this with the CODA community
(22:21):
access and this sort of thing. These are important things
for our community. So you know, I'd encourage all Bismark
citizens to demand and citizens whatever follow what's going on
at the city give us advice. You can go to
our website and texts or I'm not text, but email
any of the commissioners or the mayor with recommendations. And
(22:41):
I really appreciate it when people say, hey, did you
know about this? Well, no, I didn't know about that,
because there's so many things going on that I really
appreciate when citizens actually interact and look at things. One thing,
our budget is so complicated, and I got elected towards
the end of the budget process. But he's got some
recommendations on how we can maybe not do something or
(23:04):
we're still doing and costing us a bunch of money.
I mean, I want to take care of our employees.
They need to be pai paid well. We need to
provide these services. But to do that, we want to
do things as efficiently as we can. If there's way
ways we can improve it, I'm all in on that.
So I want your advice.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
And people can attend city commission meetings and testify if
they want on what's on the agenda, and then they
also can watch back. Every city commission meeting is and
County commission meetings are taped and then going to code
Media Access after the point. And then there's a codemedia
access to City Current which has a breakdown of City Commission.
So there's plenty avenues for people to see what's going
(23:43):
on in local government, and I think it's very important
for people.
Speaker 4 (23:45):
To do that. Yeah, this the quota community access is
really a good thing. I'm amazed at how many people
I talk to. You know, the commission meeting maybe got
twenty five people in the room, but all these people
are watching it at home and I'm going, that's pretty good.
At least you're keeping up with things.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Yeah, it's been I think, especially since we sit on
the City of Bismarcks Human Relations Committee. It's not always
possible to make it there, but just to be able
to watch and catch up has been has been really great.
You kind of touched on this about, you know, young
or people getting.
Speaker 5 (24:19):
Involved at the local level.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
Either why do you think it's important for people to
vote at every level or how would you encourage you know,
someone maybe who's younger that thinks it's not that important.
What's happening with the county or city commission elections?
Speaker 4 (24:36):
Well, that's interesting. Well, we're taping this on election date,
November fifth, and on my shirt here, I've got a
I voted thing. I'm sixty six years old. I have
never missed an election. I voted every single election possible
since I was eighteen years old. In fact, I first
ran for office when I was eighteen years old. I
ran for the Mandan school Board and my motto was
(24:57):
who would know more about the schools than I? I
just got out. But it's a I don't know. People
get busy, they have a lot of jobs. And children
and things like that, and it's difficult to keep up
with all this stuff, and we have a lot of
people unfortunately that are disengaged. They think it doesn't matter. Well,
it does matter, because if we have all these people
(25:18):
that don't engage, the people that do engage have a
lot more say and a lot more influence. So I
just encourage people of all walks of life. Watch it
on Community Access. You see what are your commissioners or
county city commissioner or whatnot. Interact with them, ask them
things or make suggestions. You got a problem in your neighborhood,
(25:40):
we want to know about it. Engage.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
It's gotten so much easier to vote over the years
with early voting. I've voted like two saturdays ago, so
that was what word bex for me. I had time
to vote, and so I think that's kind of a lot easier.
And then with the mail in votes and all of that,
so like everyone should of course go out and vote.
So your entire life was in service to the public.
Why do you think it's important for people to serve?
Speaker 4 (26:05):
Well, I think it's important for people to serve in
whatever way they can. There's a lot of people in
need and there's a lot of people out there that
have the ability to help these people in need. So
whether or not you volunteer at your church or nonprofit
that's doing good for somebody, or the zoo, drive the
train at the zoo, whatever the case may be, you know,
(26:27):
get involved. And when I think about the volunteer work
I do, I get a lot more joy out of
it and satisfaction than the people I'm actually helping. It's
just something personally satisfying to do some things that are
positive for the community.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
So that kind of leads us to you being awarded
the Governor are in Gracelink Lifetime Achievement Award. Can you
just talk about what it meant to receive that, Well.
Speaker 4 (26:54):
It was a tremendous honor Governor Link. First, Lady Gracelink,
I knew him, worked with him, met with him many times,
and uh, pillars of our community. I call them pillars
of decency and public service. If you ever, I think
it's online, you can listen to Governor Link's famous speech
(27:15):
when the landscapes are quiet again, and he was talking
about the coal industry coming in and developing coal and
he's all in on that. But we want to make
the landscape right against when it's quiet again. It's just
a famous speech, prince of a guy. And I was
honored to receive this award. I don't know that I
deserved it, but it was. It was a real honor
(27:37):
to receive it. It was that it had a banquet,
A couple of us senators were there, and it was
I'm flattered and honored. I haven't been chosen.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
So was it for your work in the railroad or
your work outside of the railroad, or a combination of
both that you received it for.
Speaker 4 (27:52):
I think I think it was my work defending workers,
my work perhaps on the minimum wage commissions. I was
on Education Action Commission, I was on different commissions and
things working to try and protect workers' interests, things of
that nature.
Speaker 5 (28:08):
And then is that.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Something that's awarded annually or as annually.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
Yeah, it's really cool.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
All Right, we're already to our last question, and we
asked the same question to everyone. So my last question
for you is how would you encourage your neighbor to
create an atmosphere of inclusion, equality, diversity and accessibility.
Speaker 4 (28:28):
Well that's a pretty big question, but I think we
can all do our small part. In that regard. When
I drive the train, I see somebody that doesn't look
like me. I'm an adult, white male sixty six years old, right.
I see people of color, or somebody that's got pink
hair or whatever the case, baby not like me at all.
(28:48):
I try and pay special attention to them, greet them more,
and interact with them. Something really neat happened at our church.
And I attend a Lutheran church. It's lily white for
the most part. But one of our older couples, we're
the sponsors of this young black woman to be baptized
in the church, and I thought, wow, that's a neat thing.
(29:09):
So I made a point, of course of saying thank
you for becoming a member of the church and being baptized.
I think we can all do our small part as
individuals to combat some of this nastiness going on and
just be kind of people. We're all in this together,
you know, we're almost.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
Three are definitely well. Thanks to everyone for tuning in too.
These are your neighbors with our guests. Commissioner John Rush,
thank you for wanting to get to know your neighbors
as we hold these important and necessary conversations. If you
found this conversation as important as we do. Please make
sure to share it with your neighbors.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
Thank you for tuning into These Are Your Neighbors, a
podcast hosted by the City of Bismarck Human Relations Committee
and induced by Dakota Media Access. The purpose of the
Bismarck Human Relations Committee is to create an atmosphere of inclusion, equality,
and accessibility through education and outreach to recognize the value
(30:14):
of a diverse community. For more information about the Human
Relations Committee, visit bismarckand dot gov.
Welcome to These Are Your Neighbors? A podcast hosted by
the City of Bismarck Human Relations Committee and produced by
Dakota Media Access. The purpose of the podcast is to
show the diversity of your neighbors and to encourage inclusivity
among the Bismarck community.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Welcome to These Your Neighbors a podcast hosted by TiO
Jorgison and Sargianawitski, both members of the City of Bismarck's
Human Relations Committee. Thank you for joining us as we
interview our neighbors who are subject matter experts in diversity, inclusion, accessibility,
and equality.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Our guest today is Commissioner John Risch. Risch is a
native of man Dan and earned a bachelor's degree in
labor studies while working full time on the railroad. He
was the North Dakota State Legislative Director for the United
Transportation Union from nineteen eighty six to two thousand and
nine while also working as a locomotive engineer. A retired
member of Local one three four to four at Mandan,
(01:06):
Risch began his railroad career on Burlington Northern Railroad, working
in the track department for two summers while attending college.
He was a longtime International Union officer, serving on the
union's executive board from nineteen ninety one until two thousand
and nine. John Risch was the highest ranking union official
ever to be elected from the state of North Dakota.
(01:26):
He served the nation's railroad workers at the national level
full time in Washington, d C. From August two thousand
and nine through September of twenty nineteen. He was elected
as National Legislative Director of the Smart Transportation Division in
twenty fourteen, where he led the union in developing and
communicating the legislative, regulatory, safety, and political positions. As National Director,
(01:51):
he testified before Congress and at regulatory forums. He was
also appointed chairpersons of the state's Minimum Wage Commission twice,
once by both the Democratic and a Republican labor Commissioner.
He led efforts to raige the minimum wage and improve
conditions of the workplace. The North Tokota Democratic Party honored
rish in twenty eighteen with the governor our Engracelink Lifetime
(02:13):
Achievement Award. The award recognizes those who have dedicated a
lifetime of service to the people of North Dakota have
represented excellence in the field of public service. And have
left a lot of a legacy benefiting future generations. Welcome Commissioner, good.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
To be here, Thank you for joining us. So what
made you return to our great city of Bismarck.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Well, actually I never left. I've lived in the South
Bismarck at a home in Soft Bismark now for more
than thirty five years. I worked in Washington, d C
for a decade, but I also I traveled back and forth,
and I might add, at my own expense, and came
back to civilization here in Bismarck as often as I could.
Speaker 2 (02:52):
So how often were you in DC and how often
were you in Bismarck then.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Well, generally speaking congresses in session three weeks out of
the month. So I try and get back one of
those weeks and work from home one week a month,
and think it takes break for breaks, for holidays and
things of that nature.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
And how many years did you do that?
Speaker 4 (03:11):
About ten years exactly in Washington, DC full time.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
That's I suppose it's kind of like culture shock too,
coming back and forth, you know, completely different lifestyles in
the two places.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Well, I was fortunate that I retired after forty two
years and three months in the railroad industry right before
COVID hit, So it was a lot better out here.
Things were shut down substantially more in DC than they
were here in Bismarck.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Yeah, so you mentioned you retired after forty two years.
What made you start working for the railroad.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Well, I grew up in a poor household and manned
in and I started working full time when I was thirteen. Actually,
all of a sudden there was an opportunity to get
a job in the track department on the railroad. That
means going from three dollars and twenty five cents an
hour to five dollars in thirty five cents an hour,
but incredibly hard work in the track department. So that's
(04:04):
why I went to work on the railroad. It was
hard to get on, but I did get on. I
worked two summers there while going to Bismarck Junior College
at the time, and then I got in as a
train service person brakeman, and by the time I was
twenty one, I was a locomotive engineer. So that was
a pretty rapid pace.
Speaker 5 (04:26):
I'll let you go into the next question.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
So any breakdown then, what is a locomotive engineer? Like,
what are your duties as that position.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Well, locomotive engineer is the person that actually operates the train.
He drives the train, He drives the locomotive's in charge
of the locomotive. You also have a conductor who's actually
in charge of the train. Make sure all the paperwork
is done right, and make sure that you're following all
the procedures. And of course we double check each other
constantly as far as procedures and getting the train from
(04:56):
point A to point B.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
So is there certain like cities that you consistently travel.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
To correct Yeah, it's not like a truck driver driving
across the country. The routes are really complicated. I kind
of look at them like an obstacle. Course. You have
to know every bump in the road, every speed restriction, everything.
So I would go from Mandan to Glendive or Mandan
to Dilworth at times. Actually, earlier in my career I've
(05:25):
worked out of mind on it. I was able to
operate Amtrak, which was a real treat.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
I took Amtrak for the first time last summer out
to Seattle. It was a whole experience. It was pretty
pretty neat. Okay, this is a random question, but how
do you steer a.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
Train, is there a steering wheel or is it like
a no, you.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
Don't steer a train and they go forward or backwards,
and that's it. There's no steering wheel. My father was
a truck driver and he'd always say, well, it can't
be too complicated. There's not even a steering wheel on
a thing. In contrast, I'm a volunteer at the zoo
and I drive the train there, and I always say,
that's the first train I've ever driven that has a
steering wheel on it.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
So okay, And I was going to ask you about
that that we've how did you get involved being a
conductor for the Dakota Zoo.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
And actually I'm an engineer at the Dakota Zoo, volunteer
engineer at Dakota Zoo. My niece, Jana Wistov, has four children,
and she kept pestering me, you'd be the best engineer
ever at the zoo. And I dress up with bib overhaul's,
a red bandana, a stripe hat, and I do a
lot of things in life, but I don't think anything
more endurable, enjoyable than interacting with the children at the
(06:36):
Dakota Zoo. It's just a hoot. I have a great time,
the children have a great time, and encourage anybody listening
to this please come run ride my train. But not
anymore this year. It's down for the season.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
So how often were you volunteering at the zoo?
Speaker 4 (06:49):
Then I generally do it on weekends or when there's
a special event like a picnic, right after the picnic
or after the breakfast or things like that. I try
and focus on times where it's the busiest.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
So then do you have to have it memorize your script,
like when you're driving people around. I've always wondered.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
That, Well, that's an interesting thing because actually the director
of the zoo, he does give you a script, but
I completely vary from the script. What I do. What
I've done is I interact with officials at the North
Dakota Game of Fish Department, ask all kinds of questions
about animals here in North Dakota, the history, what's happened
to him? And I always play off North Dakota and
(07:27):
these animals, well, how they where they're at in North Dakota,
where their populations are, and try and educate people in
that regard.
Speaker 5 (07:35):
That's all I'm thinking about the because I'm from mine.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Not so.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
I'm thinking of the little train they have at the
zoo there, and I think it was just more of
a like drive around and see the zoo thing, not
a whole bunch of information.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
So you're right in the train with me, you gonna
You're gonna get a whole spiel. I've got some funny
lines and all kinds of things.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Awesome, there's a lot of good information I've spent a
while since I've ran in the train. But I'm like,
do they memorize this? Do they give them a script?
Speaker 4 (07:59):
A fall?
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I'm like, if they memorized all this, they know a
lot of information.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Mine's a lot different from the regular script.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Often we'll drive the train the summer, We'll we'll do
a like Onseene or on set up podcast.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
So when Tia Ringerbios she talked about labor studies, was
your degree path? I didn't even know that was a
degree path anybody could have. Can you explain that and
how the path worked for you and then also how
you've used it?
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Well, you know, I was elected at a very young
age to a local union office, and I quickly became
aware that listen, this is complicated stuff. And we need
to be better equipped to deal with regulatory agencies, the
government management, things of that nature. And so I decided
to finish my bachelor's degree in labor studies, which is
kind of unusual, but it's fascinating, and it gave me
(08:52):
a better opportunity. It was personal for me to finish
my bachelor's degree, Plus it gave me a better opportunity
to represent my members. Plus I don't and I don't
think it hurt me when I was running for higher
offices having a degree in labor studies.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
So what does y'all use it for then, assigned from
just the political piece of it and being elected, or
does you use it for anything else.
Speaker 4 (09:13):
I've always been a railroad worker or a trade union representative,
never sought any other position other than that.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
So yeah, this whole this is brand new to Sergiana
and I. So, how does labor then tie into unions?
Speaker 4 (09:29):
Ooh, good question. Of course. A lot of times you
say labor unions get together. Labor is generally any kind
of work. Unions are when workers get together and form
a union and try and improve their position in the workplace,
better wages, better working conditions. But the most significant thing
about being a union member and having a union contract
(09:53):
is it gives you a legal right to your job.
It's in the contract. You can't be disciplined or discharged
except for cap So that's the most important aspect of
being a union member.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
So then when people say labor unions, it pretty much
translates to labor because it's typically one work field and
then unions, so they're not two separate.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
But labor is a different Yeah, and we're all engaged
in that. I was breaking leaves this morning.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Yeah, it's labor.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yeah, some labor. So it seems that people are either
very pro union or anti union. Why do you think
it's so polarizing there's not a lot of in between.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
Well, that's an interesting question. Actually, union the public perception
of unions are probably at a fifty year high right now.
We've never had a majority of Americans workforce in trade unions.
I think the high point was probably nineteen fifty four,
when about thirty eight percent of the workforce we're in
labor unions. One of the reasons unions are sometimes unpopular
(10:57):
is when it's very difficult for workers to former union
in the workplace because of employer resistance. There's a whole
industry out there called union avoidance industry. And if somebody,
an employer, says, oh, my workers are trying to organize
and they hire one of these high end law firms,
they'll come in and do all kinds of nasty things
or play videos and captive meetings and things that disparaging
(11:22):
organized labor in general. So it's difficult, but it can
be done. Look at the nurses here at CHS. They
organize a union just a couple of years ago. They
just got a new contract, decent contract. Good for them.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Yeah, I was just going to say, the one thing
that I remember as far as a union coming together
was the nurses at CCHI. I remember that whole thing.
So is it not very common then for new fields
to have unions like that coming here in especially North Dakota.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
No, no, no, No, North Dakota's fine. Like everybody else,
workers are organizing across the country. I just think about
Bismarck right here, Bobcats unionized, the post offices unionize, the railroad,
the refinery. Every time I hire an electrician, a plumber,
a heating cooling guy, they're all unionized. A lot of
those shops are unionized, right here in Bismarck and Manda,
(12:11):
So we have quite a number of public employees are unionized.
Schools are unionized, the teachers are so.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Yeah, my stepdad was head custodian for many years up
in for minor public schools and he's very, very pro union. Sure,
that's really about the most knowledge I've had about the
topic up until right now. You did mention the legal
right when it comes to being one of the benefits.
(12:39):
What are some other of the pros to being a
part of a union.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Well, I think it's actually pro for the workers and
pro for the owner of the business because the workers
can get together and decide what their priorities are. Whoever
they elected is their union representative can go to the
management and say this is what we really think. Instead
of management saying, oh, this is what you're going to get.
The workers can come together and decide with their proposal.
(13:04):
They go through collective bargaining to reach an agreement. Boeing
just settle their agreement out there. They went on strike
for a while. Thirty eight percent increase in wages, Nothing
wrong with that.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
So you said that you believe it's pro owners, then
why do so many have that union avoidance tendencies.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Well, I think when employers oftentimes don't really you know,
it's new to them. It's scary for them. They've never
had an union before. So they hire a law firm,
and this law firm comes in and said, boy, what
you need is you need this law firm to protect you.
And oftentimes these law firms will say, well, we'll do this,
(13:46):
that and the other, even though it's against the law.
One of the problems in American labor law is the
penalties are so low that if you're your business and
you want to avoid your union, go ahead and break
the law. And the old saying is, oh, we broke
the law, send us a bill, because that's about what
it amounts to. So it's difficult but not impossible. And
(14:06):
I'd encourage anybody listening to this. You want to improve
your lot in life, you want to improve your job,
change the job you got, so.
Speaker 5 (14:17):
I want to do follow or follow up.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
You said penalties are low for breaking the laws. Is
it typically just a fine or can there actually be
like criminal like time in jail or prison.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
I've never heard of any criminal penalties. Is always always
financial or they sometimes will have to reinstate terminated workers.
It's a caince the law. Right At the very first
words of the Fair Labor Standards Act, it says employees
right to organize shall not be infringed upon by their employer.
Right there. I mean it's pretty clear day. But you
(14:51):
know they are infringed upon oftentimes when they're trying to
organize a union.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
So then in a right to work state, how are
you like, how are unions impacted or protected in a
right to work state?
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Then, well, the right to work state only has to
do with union membership. Nobody. It doesn't give anybody any
right to work. Right to work is thirteen B of
the Fair Labor Standards Act. I think it is, And
what it says is that employers and unions cannot agree
on what's called a union shop agreement requiring everyone to
(15:26):
be pay dues. Nobody is ever required to be a member.
I mean, that's the first amendment thing. You don't have
to be a member, but when you have a union
shop agreement, you would be required to pay dues even
though you chose not to be a member, because you
benefit from all the negotiated wages and benefits.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
So aside from the fields that you already mentioned. Are
there any other fields that are more likely to have unions?
Speaker 4 (15:50):
Building trades are always heavy. Traditionally manufacturing has been strong
service employees. There's no reason the Starbucks are doing some
organizing around the country, are organizing some places. No reason
why Walmart here in Bismarck couldn't organize if they wanted to.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
So could if there a large entity like a Starbucks
or a Walmart? Could one location have a union? But
not say, could Mandam but not Bismarck.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
Sure, it's based on the individual workplace.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Okay, that's super interesting. So now not only are you
like super knowledgeable about unions, but you were also one
of the highest ranking union officials ever to be.
Speaker 5 (16:36):
Elected from the state of North Dakota. Like, what did
that entail? What did you do in that role?
Speaker 4 (16:41):
Well, I started at the local level, working on safety
and legislative issues, and then I became the state legislative
director for our union, working part time while working as
a railroad engineer. So I lobbied at the North Dakota legislature.
I met with the federal Railroad Administration, was our regulatory agents,
public service commissions, things like that, and then I was
(17:03):
there was a death in Washington, d C. And I
was appointed as the assistant in Washington, d C. Then
later on was appointed as or elected to the top official.
When I was in Washington, d C. I oversaw the regulatory,
legislative political I testified. I used to go up to
New York once a year and speak to the finance guys.
(17:25):
I did a lot of transportation form things of that nature,
a lot of work on rulemaking processes and interacting with
that it. Wrote a lot of comments to the federal
agencies of proposed rules.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
It makes sense though, like now that I actually sit
and think about how being involved in unions, you would
be involved or communicating with so different so many different
departments or what's the word I'm looking for.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
A different.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
Labor like, I don't know, but so many different avenues.
Speaker 5 (17:58):
We'll just leave it there.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
So you talked about testifying on the local level and
then on the national level. Can you talk about different
things that you testified on. Any bills that you testified
on stand out in your career.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Well. I used to testify mostly on labor related issues,
transportation related issues, and then I focused on tax issues
as well. One of the things about the North God
to legislature, we really don't have people representing regular people.
You've got the business interests, you've got to trade organizations,
you've got the chambers and all of these things. And
(18:33):
when it comes to tax policy affecting individuals, I mean individual,
legislators are concerned about it and they work on it,
but there's really no lobbying effort like Common Cause or
something like that up at the North Dakota Legislature. So
I often testified on tax related issues and even insurance
related issues at the legislative session. One of the things
(18:54):
I guess I'm proud about is get we receive funding
or we change the funding formula at the legislature to
allow money for quiet zones. Rail quiet zones, the railroad
industry is required under North Akota state law to pay
like two percent under all the fuel they use a
two percent fuel tax and it goes into the highway fund. Well,
(19:17):
you know I used to. When I testified, I said,
you know, I drove these trades for twenty five years.
I've yet to drive one down a highway. So we
were able. I worked with Senator Nethane of Jamestown able
to pass legislation that redirected that two percent to rail safety,
and that's how we got a quiet zone in Jamestown,
quiet zone in Bismarck, and got to shut off some
(19:37):
of these obnoxiously loud train whistles.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
So I guess rail safety is another thing that I
never really thought about. How do you have an idea
how that's improved over, say, since the beginning of your career,
to where we're at now with rail safety.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
Well, I'll say that rail safety has improved dramatic. We
used to have a far more injuries when I hired
out in the late seventies than we do today. Our
track infrastructure in North Dakota has never been in better
shape than it is today, incredibly good shape. We now
have something called positive train control through this line right
(20:16):
through here Bismarck here that prevents trains from running into
each other. So rail safety has improved, but we can't
let our guard down. There's other opportunities to make it
even safer, So keep working on that. Although I'm retired,
somebody else will be working on this.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Somebody.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
Well, now that you're retired, you are still serving the community.
You were just recently elected to the city Commission. What
made you decide to run.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Well, that's a good question. I went through the Citizens Academy,
and anybody listening, there's now an application process for what
we call the Bismarck Citizens Academy, and if you sign
up and there's a limited number, twenty people will be accepted.
You'll go to these classes. It'll be one Thursday night
for I think twelve thursdays, and you've toured individual departments
(21:03):
of the city. And I was in the very first
Citizens Academy and I really enjoyed it. And the city
is really complicated. We have like six hundred and fifty employees,
all these different departments, water, sewer, police, fire, airport, all
of these things. It's complicated stuff, and I was just
fascinated by it. And at the same time, I was
really impressed with how many good, talented, dedicated Bismarck City
(21:29):
employees we have. So that perked my interests. And then
I think the thing that drove me over the edge
was watching what happened with the event center and the
termination of the head of the events center, the putting
them back. It didn't follow the proper procedures, and I said, well,
what are you guys doing. It doesn't have to be
this complicated. We don't need all this drama. And I
(21:51):
decided to throw my hat in a ring.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Awesome.
Speaker 2 (21:55):
So then why do you think it's important for people
to pay attention to local government?
Speaker 4 (22:00):
Well, you probably get no, not probably. You can have
a lot bigger impact on local government than you can
on state and national government, and a lot of things
the local government does has a big impact on you.
I mean, I want my garbage holt, I want my
streets plout, I want a library that's nice. You know,
I want a situation like this with the CODA community
(22:21):
access and this sort of thing. These are important things
for our community. So you know, I'd encourage all Bismark
citizens to demand and citizens whatever follow what's going on
at the city give us advice. You can go to
our website and texts or I'm not text, but email
any of the commissioners or the mayor with recommendations. And
(22:41):
I really appreciate it when people say, hey, did you
know about this? Well, no, I didn't know about that,
because there's so many things going on that I really
appreciate when citizens actually interact and look at things. One thing,
our budget is so complicated, and I got elected towards
the end of the budget process. But he's got some
recommendations on how we can maybe not do something or
(23:04):
we're still doing and costing us a bunch of money.
I mean, I want to take care of our employees.
They need to be pai paid well. We need to
provide these services. But to do that, we want to
do things as efficiently as we can. If there's way
ways we can improve it, I'm all in on that.
So I want your advice.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
And people can attend city commission meetings and testify if
they want on what's on the agenda, and then they
also can watch back. Every city commission meeting is and
County commission meetings are taped and then going to code
Media Access after the point. And then there's a codemedia
access to City Current which has a breakdown of City Commission.
So there's plenty avenues for people to see what's going
(23:43):
on in local government, and I think it's very important
for people.
Speaker 4 (23:45):
To do that. Yeah, this the quota community access is
really a good thing. I'm amazed at how many people
I talk to. You know, the commission meeting maybe got
twenty five people in the room, but all these people
are watching it at home and I'm going, that's pretty good.
At least you're keeping up with things.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
Yeah, it's been I think, especially since we sit on
the City of Bismarcks Human Relations Committee. It's not always
possible to make it there, but just to be able
to watch and catch up has been has been really great.
You kind of touched on this about, you know, young
or people getting.
Speaker 5 (24:19):
Involved at the local level.
Speaker 3 (24:21):
Either why do you think it's important for people to
vote at every level or how would you encourage you know,
someone maybe who's younger that thinks it's not that important.
What's happening with the county or city commission elections?
Speaker 4 (24:36):
Well, that's interesting. Well, we're taping this on election date,
November fifth, and on my shirt here, I've got a
I voted thing. I'm sixty six years old. I have
never missed an election. I voted every single election possible
since I was eighteen years old. In fact, I first
ran for office when I was eighteen years old. I
ran for the Mandan school Board and my motto was
(24:57):
who would know more about the schools than I? I
just got out. But it's a I don't know. People
get busy, they have a lot of jobs. And children
and things like that, and it's difficult to keep up
with all this stuff, and we have a lot of
people unfortunately that are disengaged. They think it doesn't matter. Well,
it does matter, because if we have all these people
(25:18):
that don't engage, the people that do engage have a
lot more say and a lot more influence. So I
just encourage people of all walks of life. Watch it
on Community Access. You see what are your commissioners or
county city commissioner or whatnot. Interact with them, ask them
things or make suggestions. You got a problem in your neighborhood,
(25:40):
we want to know about it. Engage.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
It's gotten so much easier to vote over the years
with early voting. I've voted like two saturdays ago, so
that was what word bex for me. I had time
to vote, and so I think that's kind of a lot easier.
And then with the mail in votes and all of that,
so like everyone should of course go out and vote.
So your entire life was in service to the public.
Why do you think it's important for people to serve?
Speaker 4 (26:05):
Well, I think it's important for people to serve in
whatever way they can. There's a lot of people in
need and there's a lot of people out there that
have the ability to help these people in need. So
whether or not you volunteer at your church or nonprofit
that's doing good for somebody, or the zoo, drive the
train at the zoo, whatever the case may be, you know,
(26:27):
get involved. And when I think about the volunteer work
I do, I get a lot more joy out of
it and satisfaction than the people I'm actually helping. It's
just something personally satisfying to do some things that are
positive for the community.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
So that kind of leads us to you being awarded
the Governor are in Gracelink Lifetime Achievement Award. Can you
just talk about what it meant to receive that, Well.
Speaker 4 (26:54):
It was a tremendous honor Governor Link. First, Lady Gracelink,
I knew him, worked with him, met with him many times,
and uh, pillars of our community. I call them pillars
of decency and public service. If you ever, I think
it's online, you can listen to Governor Link's famous speech
(27:15):
when the landscapes are quiet again, and he was talking
about the coal industry coming in and developing coal and
he's all in on that. But we want to make
the landscape right against when it's quiet again. It's just
a famous speech, prince of a guy. And I was
honored to receive this award. I don't know that I
deserved it, but it was. It was a real honor
(27:37):
to receive it. It was that it had a banquet,
A couple of us senators were there, and it was
I'm flattered and honored. I haven't been chosen.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
So was it for your work in the railroad or
your work outside of the railroad, or a combination of
both that you received it for.
Speaker 4 (27:52):
I think I think it was my work defending workers,
my work perhaps on the minimum wage commissions. I was
on Education Action Commission, I was on different commissions and
things working to try and protect workers' interests, things of
that nature.
Speaker 5 (28:08):
And then is that.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Something that's awarded annually or as annually.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
Yeah, it's really cool.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
All Right, we're already to our last question, and we
asked the same question to everyone. So my last question
for you is how would you encourage your neighbor to
create an atmosphere of inclusion, equality, diversity and accessibility.
Speaker 4 (28:28):
Well that's a pretty big question, but I think we
can all do our small part. In that regard. When
I drive the train, I see somebody that doesn't look
like me. I'm an adult, white male sixty six years old, right.
I see people of color, or somebody that's got pink
hair or whatever the case, baby not like me at all.
(28:48):
I try and pay special attention to them, greet them more,
and interact with them. Something really neat happened at our church.
And I attend a Lutheran church. It's lily white for
the most part. But one of our older couples, we're
the sponsors of this young black woman to be baptized
in the church, and I thought, wow, that's a neat thing.
(29:09):
So I made a point, of course of saying thank
you for becoming a member of the church and being baptized.
I think we can all do our small part as
individuals to combat some of this nastiness going on and
just be kind of people. We're all in this together,
you know, we're almost.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
Three are definitely well. Thanks to everyone for tuning in too.
These are your neighbors with our guests. Commissioner John Rush,
thank you for wanting to get to know your neighbors
as we hold these important and necessary conversations. If you
found this conversation as important as we do. Please make
sure to share it with your neighbors.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
Thank you for tuning into These Are Your Neighbors, a
podcast hosted by the City of Bismarck Human Relations Committee
and induced by Dakota Media Access. The purpose of the
Bismarck Human Relations Committee is to create an atmosphere of inclusion, equality,
and accessibility through education and outreach to recognize the value
(30:14):
of a diverse community. For more information about the Human
Relations Committee, visit bismarckand dot gov.
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