BLE keeps on growing

Total membership now tops 56,000

Membership in the BLE is on a 12 consecutive month growth spurt and has broken the 56,000-member plateau.

Factoring in the 2,400 members of the American Train Dispatchers Department of the BLE, overall BLE membership is approximately 56,242.

The BLE currently has 53,842 active and retired members, which is 1,100 more than at this time in 1996.

"Our increased membership not only reflects the current growth mode of the rail industry," BLE President Clarence Monin said, "it also shows that members in the field are beginning to recognize the BLE as the premier rail labor organziation for the craft of the locomotive engineer.

"We are proud to welcome these new members into our Brotherhood."

An agreement with the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe brought 150 new members into the ATDD in December.

Membership growth in the BLE can be partially attributed to organizing victories on the Wisconsin Central, Indiana Railroad and the Central of Georgia during 1997. ·

BLE CALENDAR

APRIL 26-MAY 1 BLE Local Chairman Workshop. Held at the George Meany Center for Labor Studies in Silver Spring, Md., the expanded local chairman training workshop is a valuable training tool for all new and experienced local chairmen. Additional classes are scheduled and will be announced at a later date. For further details, contact Carolyn Copeland of the BLE Education & Training Department at: (216) 241-2630, ext. 253.

JUNE 14-18 BLE-GIA Southeastern Meeting Association. Held at the Drawbridge Inn in Ft. Mitchell, Ky., just a few miles south of Cincinnati, Ohio. SMA Chairman Jerry L. Wyatt announced possible convention activities may include a trip to Kings Island amusement park, a Cincinnati Reds baseball game, the Cincinnati Zoo, thoroughbred racing and riverboat dining. For registration, contact Drawbridge Inn at (800) 354-9793 (in Kentucky please call (800) 352-9866). To contact Brother Wyatt, call (606) 331-5859, or write: 3061 Lindsey Dr., Edgewood, KY 41017-3252.

JULY 30-AUGUST 2 BLE-GIA Eastern Union Meeting Association. Arrangements Chairman Mike O'Bryan welcomes everyone to Boston, "the birthplace of the revolution" and home of Bunker Hill and Paul Revere's Ride. A golf tournament is tentatively planned, and prizes will be given for early registrants. Registration and the initial reception for the 1998 EUMA will be held on July 30, with meetings running through the August 2. A banquet will be on the evening of August 2, and breakfast will be provided on the departure day of August 3. For reservations, contact the Boston Park Plaza Hotel at (800) 225-2008. To contact Brother O'Bryan, call (508) 366-7527, or write: 23 Stevens Rd., Westborough, MA 01581-1429.

AUGUST 18-21 BLE-GIA Southwestern Convention Meeting. San Antonio, Texas will play host to the 1998 SWCM. Chairman Bob Bitterman said the Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel is within walking distance to the historic Alamo, and the Hard Rock Cafe and Planet Hollywood restaurants. Registration information packets won't be available until late spring/early summer of 1998. In addition, on-site registration will be available in San Antonio on August 18.

IWC set for Tucson, May 26-30

TUCSON, Jan. 13 International Western Convention Chairman Ken Kroeger has announced updated plans for the 1998 convention in Tucson, Ariz.

A special rate of $85 per night has been secured at the Westward Look Resort, providing fantastic views of the Catalina Mountains. The convention is slated for May 26-30, and the special room rate at the hotel is good two days prior and two days after the convention. Reservations can be made by calling (800) 722-2500.

Registration and the golf tournament will begin on May 27, and a cocktail party will be held that evening. The convention's opening session is on May 28, and closed sessions will follow for all BLE and GIA members in attendance.

On May 29, the closed sessions continue. Afternoon presentations will be provided by FELA, FRA, job insurance and the Railroad Retirement Board.

An all-day Haz-Mat training class is scheduled for May 30, and workshops will be held for division presidents, local chairmen and secretary-treasurers. There will also be a Mobilization Training workshop and a Peer Support workshop, followed by a banquet that evening.

For registration information, contact Kroeger at (520) 575-1002, or fax (520) 575-1705, or write 8720 N. Myrtle, Tucson, AZ 85704. ·

Advisory Board December Activity

By action of the delegates at the Fifth Quinquennial Convention, summaries of BLE Advisory Board members' activities are published monthly:

International President Clarence V. MoninInternational Office: General supervision of BLE activities, meetings; Speech at Transportation Workers Union international convention, Las Vegas; FRA rail safety advisory committee, Baltimore; TTD executive council, Washington D.C.; CSX general chairmen, SENSE program; TTD general mtg.; SWCM, El Paso; Canadian National executives mtg.; FRA administrator's roundtable on harassment; BMWE-Amtrak, D.C.; National Legislative Board, D.C.; Div. 583 retirement, Winnipeg; Special Reps mtg.
First Vice-President & Alternate President Edward DubroskiInternational Office. Assisted president supervising BLE activities; Publications Committee; U.S. Nat'l Legislative Board; Div. 75 mtg. and Christmas party; Washington D.C. wage committee; SEPTA strike, Philadelphia; UP Safety Committee, Omaha; Div. 157 Christmas party; vacation.
General Secretary-Treasurer Russell W. BennettInternational Office: Supervision of BLE and BLE Building Assn.; Financial depts.; Records Dept.; BLE Job Bank; Publications Committee; AFL-CIO Investment Strategices seminar, George Meany Center; Mtg. concerning new S-T computer software w/ Elaine Reese & Mike Adams, UP-West GCofA; vacation.
Vice-President Paul T. SorrowInternational Office, Assisted president and first vice-president in performing duties in connection with Chief of Staff position; Assisted NS, CSX & GTW GCofA; Work in connection with NS/CSX/Conrail transaction as the coordinating officer; Attended special meeting of Div. 463; Attended mtgs. on ID Service between Clifton Forge & Richmond, Va., CSX-W.
Vice-President Joseph A. Cassidy Jr. Springfield Terminal Rwy.; Mendocino Coast arbitration; SEPTA GCofA; NMB mtg.; Elgin, Joliet & Eastern contract negotiations; Metropolitan Transportation Authority mtg.; New York & Atlantic Rwy mtg.; Div. 71 mtg.; Mtg. w/ SEPTA management; Belt Railway of Chicago, trail of engineer; Long Island Railroad; Port Authority Trans. Hudson.
Vice-President & U.S. Nat'l Legislative Representative Leroy D. JonesWashington D.C. Office; UP SAC-P meetings; STB hearing on UP; Postal Workers' Union holiday festivities; AFL-CIO meeting w/ Russion Transportation Delegation; TTD/Rail Division mtg.; Amtrak Board of Directors dinner; TTD retirement luncheon for BRS V-P Bill Radziewicz; IBEW meet-and-greet; FRA passenger equipment working group mtgs.; FRA mtg. on positive train control; Mtgs. w Cong. Gephardt (D-MO), Cong. Kennedy (D-RI), congressional candidate Lily Eskelsen, Utah; High Speed Rail gov't relations committee mtg.
Vice-President James L. McCoy Union Pacific SAC-P mtgs.; St. Louis Hub negotiations; BLE-P&L section 6 notices; UP-SP merger; PLB 5942; Div. 131 mtg.; CC&P Section 6 negotiations; Eastern Idaho-BLE negotiations; Kentucky State Legislative Board Christmas party; IC GCofA assistance; Kansas City Southern; METRA; Terminal Railway of St. Louis; UP-SP merger.
Vice-President William C. WalpertInternational Office; BLE Education & Training Dept.; Kentucky State Legislative Board Christmas party; Internal Organizing, Mobilizing & Strategic Planning Dept.; Publications Committee; Public Relations Dept.; BLE Information & Technology Council; BLE Safety Task Force; BLE Special Reps.; National Mobilization Team; Wisconsin Central General Committee meeting; Organizing; Strategic planning; Div. 182 Christmas party; International Office Christmas dinner.
Vice-President Edward W. Rodzwicz Conrail/NS/CSX merger; Wisconsin Central, formation & election of officers, General Committee elected, GCofA bylaws formulated; Div. 52 mtg.; CR/NS/CSX Finance Docket 33888; SBA894; Conrail GCofA; Vacation.
Vice-President Don M. Hahs BNSF properties & merger; UP/SP merger; SP system; Tacoma Belt; Sec. 4 negotiations, yard consolidation, Okla. City & Enid, Okla.; ATSF Div. 130 mtg.; PLB5444; UP-East St. Louis Hub negotiations; Sec. 4 arbitration, Clovis to Alliance; Div. 811 & 182 Christmas parties; Div. 595, Div. 442 mtgs.; Telephone conference, UP/SP merger, special board of adjustment.
Vice-President Richard K. RadekInternational Office; BLE Decertification Helpline services; Director of Arbitration Dept; Member National Railroad Adjustment Board (NRAB); Rail Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC); National Wage & Rules panel; Engineer Certification trials/proceedings (Part 240.409), various railroads (UP-E, METRA); NRAB arbitrations; Arbitration seminar; General Chairman's workshop; NRAB executive session; PLB5193, PLB screening, misc. hearing prep.; General assistance, GTW.
Vice-President & Canadian Director Gilles HalléOttawa Office; RCTC-CP negotiations; Mtg. w/ President Monin; CN-BLE dinner; Mtg. w/ Mike Simpson; Via Rail negotiations; BLE Ottawa office Christmas party.
Vice-President & Canadian National Legislative Representative T. George HuckerOttawa Office; Canadian National Legislative Board mtgs.; CLRB mtgs.; Union Pacific fatigue mtg.; BC Federal Labour mtgs.; CP Rail West/East merger mtgs.; St. Lawrence & Hudson labour relations; CP Rail senior management mtgs.; CP Rail National Life mtgs.

the Locomotive Engineer newsletter
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
Since 1863, a Tradition of Forward Thinking

BLE Publications Committee:
Clarence V. Monin, International President
Edward Dubroski, First Vice-President & Alternate President
Russell W. Bennett, General Secretary-Treasurer
Leroy D. Jones, Vice-President & U.S. National Legislative Representative
William C. Walpert, Vice-President & Editor

John Bentley Jr., Associate Editor

THE LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER NEWSLETTER
is published monthly by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers,
1370 Ontario Street, Mezzanine,
Cleveland, OH 44113-1702.

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