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Walter Barrows

Area 2 Director

Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia

Phone: (847) 682-5267
Email: wabarrows@icloud.com
Location: Canton, Ohio

Born in Cleveland, OH, on November 18, 1955, he started his railroad career in 1974 with the Norfolk & Western Railroad and held numerous positions in the railroad’s signal department, including Signal Maintainer and Signal Test Man.

In the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS) Locals 199 and 228, he held various positions including Local Chairman, Local President, and Recording-Financial Secretary.  He also served the BRS as the General Chairman and General Secretary-Treasurer for the Norfolk Southern General Committee.  Prior to being elected to BRS’ National Secretary-Treasurer postion, he served as a Trustee on BRS’ Grand Board of Trustees.  He served as National Secretary-Treasurer of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen from 1999 – 2011.

Mr. Barrows has served as a labor member on joint health care subcommittee to oversee the National Railroad Health and Welfare Plan and was recognized by rail labor as a leader in railroad health care issues.  In the 2011 round of national railroad bargaining, he chaired the health care committee for the six unions in the Rail Labor’s Bargaining Coalition.

In 2004, the Nation’s railroad unions elected him as a one of three labor trustees overseeing the Railroad Retirement’s National Railroad Retirement Investment Trust Fund.  In 2011, following the unanimous recommendation of the 12 rail labor unions and confirmation by United States Senate, President Obama appointed him as the Labor Member of the Railroad Retirement Board.

He retired in 2019 after 45 years in the industry.

He joined NARVRE in December 2018 and was elected as Legislative Representative for Unit 19 in Cleveland, Ohio.   At the NARVRE’s 42nd National Convention, in Oakland CA, he was elected Area 2 Director.

Mr. Barrows currently resides Canton Ohio.  He and his wife, Linda, were married in 1975 and have three grown children, Tanya, Melissa, and Andrew and eight grandchildren.