CLEVELAND, May 23 — Founded as the Brotherhood of the Footboard on May 8, 1863, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen is the oldest union in North America. The union celebrated its 150th anniversary with ceremonies in Detroit, Mich. — the city where the Brotherhood of the Footboard was founded — from May 5-9, 2013.
As part of the Detroit festivities, the BLET unveiled a commemorative 30-minute video highlighting the union’s achievements over the past 150 years. The video is now available on YouTube in three segments. To view, visit the BLET National Division’s YouTube page:
www.youtube.com/user/BLETUnion
Available in three parts, the video covers early railroading from the late 1820s and early 1830s, factors that led to the formation of the Brotherhood of the Footboard in 1863, and the Brotherhood’s many achievements for its members from 1863 to the present. Funding for the video was provided by the North American Railway Foundation.