James A. Stem, Jr., Alternate National Legislative Director of the 125,000-member United Transportation Union was born June 19, 1948 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Stem began his railroad career in 1966 as a trainman for the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in Raleigh and joined the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. He has worked as a trainman, switchman, hostler helper, hostler, fireman and locomotive engineer and currently holds seniority as a locomotive engineer on CSX between Richmond, Va., and Abbeville, S.C.

Stem became interested in the union movement and became active in Local 1129 in Raleigh. He worked part-time as a special UTU organizer from 1973 through 1976 and was elected as secretary-treasurer of Local 1129 in 1975. He has also held the elected positions of local chairman and legislative representative and has served as a delegate to five UTU International Conventions from 1979 to 1995.

Stem was elected as North Carolina State Legislative Director in 1984 following the retirement of Woodrow Gunter, and served in that position through September 1999. He was appointed Alternate National Legislative Director following the retirement of Gene Plourd in April 1998 and was reelected to that position at the UTU Conventions in 1999 and 2003.

Stem is active in the Baptist Church, the Masonic Lodge and the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. He and his wife Bonnie have two daughters and a son and reside in Alexandria, Virginia.