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Amtrak Police Lodge 189 Joins FOP Legal Plan

Early in 2003 the Amtrak Police contacted the FOP department of Labor Services inquiring about information on how to organize. There was an upcoming election against their current union and they thought that the FOP may be better suited in representing their organization.

The first thing that the Amtrak Police had to do was charter an FOP lodge. They decided to charter the lodge in New Jersey as this is where their current organization’s headquarters was located. With membership across the country and a majority of them in the northeast corridor New Jersey made the best sense. Joe Zawacki became president of FOP lodge 189. It was now going to be his duty to get the FOP message out to the Amtrak officers.

Joe with the assistance of Ed Giordano, New Jersey Labor Committee, traveled the country promoting the FOP and its strong member benefits. Their goal was to explain to the officers of the Amtrak police that the FOP could provide them both labor representation and legal defense services. It was made clear by Amtrak that the representing organization MUST be able to provide both services.

The first issue was easy to sell. The Fraternal Order of Police is the largest labor organization that represents officers. The second issue was just as easy as the FOP owns and operates the Legal Defense Plan.

When the votes were in the FOP won overwhelmingly. 357 members of FOP Amtrak Lodge 189 joined the FOP and the Legal Defense Plan. Another excellent example of a new member recruitment tool the Legal Defense Plan is and how it provides a spectacular service to its members.