Summer 2003
Volume 110 - No. 2
Summer 2003
Volume 110 - No. 2
President's Message
Proud to be BLE!
Each time I see the slogan: "Proud to be BLE," I think of
how true that really is. I am very proud to be a member of this organization
and I think a lot of people share that sentiment with me.
I am proud, as many of you are, of the 140 years of tradition in this organization. The BLE has a long history in the North American labor movement. The very fact of our existence so many years after our founding is a testament to the members of this organization.
The respect that this organization has garnered over these years was evident in the honors that we received in celebration of our recent anniversary. On the occasion of our 140th anniversary, we were honored by the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The City of Marshall, Mich., where the BLE was founded by 12 locomotive engineers from the Michigan Central Railroad, declared the week of May 4-10 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Week. These honors were given as a mark of respect for this organization.
The brave men who founded this organization 140 years ago established a tradition of looking forward towards the future that has continued today. The BLE, from these first members, has always looked to the future in all of the decisions that were made and established an organization that was made to last. It is difficult sometimes to foresee the future, but the leaders of this organization have always tried to protect our members and withstand the tides of change.
To that end, I am proud of the way that the BLE continues to adapt to change. I am proud of the work that has gone into the possible merger with the Teamsters. The decision to enter into this merger was not an easy one. The BLE has had a tradition of independence that has lasted throughout the past 140 years and the organization has resisted other attempts at mergers. However, the leaders of the BLE looked to the future and saw that America was changing. The transportation industry is changing and we needed to change too. We needed more leverage and more power in order to get things done and we felt that the IBT was a good fit. A union that cuts across the entire spectrum of transportation would be a powerful one. Many people had long dreamed of a merger that could cut across the boundaries between the different modes of transportation and we are trying to fulfill this dream. We realized that we needed to change with the times and as a step in the right direction.
While there are a lot of changes in the organization, the things that we are most proud of stay the same. One thing that is staying the same is our long tradition of democracy in this organization, which sets us apart from others. Democracy will be evident in many ways in the coming months. Soon, you will be voting on division officers. These elections are very important. The officers that will be elected have, both past and present, provided the backbone for our organization. The division officers are the building blocks on which this organization stands.
You will also have an opportunity very shortly to vote on the BLE's merger with the Teamsters. This will be a proud demonstration of the democracy that we hold dear in this organization and I ask each of you to proudly exercise this right and vote. Let your voices be heard.
It is important for you to do your part in this process, and that requires more than just voting yes or no. Members of the joint BLE-IBT subcommittees invested countless hours of effort, research and negotiation to bring you the documents you will receive in the mail. That was their job - now you owe it to them to do your job. Review the merger agreement closely. You must understand the documents if you are to make an informed vote on the future direction of this great Brotherhood.
The members of this organization have great pride in the BLE, but they also have great pride in their workplaces, their families, their homes and their hobbies. In this issue of the Locomotive Engineers Journal, we are highlighting a few of our extraordinary members and their families. The men and women featured in this publication are just a small percentage of our extraordinary membership, but the work they do and the lives that they live represent the things in our membership in which we have the most pride.
They represent the aspect of the BLE that I am the most proud of - the membership. Our membership, past and present, has worked to make the world a better place. It is made up of amazing men and women, of artists and authors, and other extremely talented individuals. It is made up of people whose families are extraordinary. Our members are volunteers in their communities, even though the hours they work are not always the easiest. They work hard for their families. They are outstanding individuals and I admire them.
Whenever I see that slogan, "Proud to be BLE," I think of the
interesting, extraordinary individuals who are this organization. The members
make me "Proud to be BLE."
© 2003 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers