WATCH: Railroaders Meet Life’s Risks Head-On

As a fourth-generation railroader who hired on with Union Pacific in 2002, Brother Chris Christianson (Local 1545, Monroe, LA) knows firsthand the threats rail workers face.

These dangers have been emphasized even more through his roles as the Louisiana Safety & Legislative Director and as a member of our union’s National Safety Team.

“I like to protect the members or help protect the members,” he said. “I’ve seen friends die out here. I’ve seen friends lose limbs. That’s one of the reasons why I’m in the position I’m in.”

Another of Brother Christianson’s many roles is serving as the is the Southwest Regional Insurance Manager for American Journey Financial Life (AJFL).

One of the most important benefits available to SMART-TD members and their families, AJFL provides insurance plans and products tailed to the needs of workers, from accidental death and dismemberment plans to Cancer Hospital Indemnity policies, and more.

Brother Christianson believes that it’s very important to have union members market these products to other union members, rather than just some run-of-the-mill insurance agent.

“As a state director, I deal with safety, and the railroad is very, very dangerous,” he explained. “With the products that I sell, I can help protect families from financial crisis in the event something happens.”