CLEVELAND, November 23 — The Advisory Board of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) named General Counsel Harold A. Ross an Honorary Member at a retirement dinner in his honor on November 17.
Brother Ross becomes the 15th Honorary Member in the history of the BLET and its predecessor organizations, and was recognized for his many years of exemplary service to the organization and its membership.
“I am proud to have been chosen as one of the limited number of people to receive this honor and am pleased to call my friends in the BLET ‘Brother,’” Brother Ross said.
In more than 40 years of distinguished legal service to the Brotherhood, Brother Ross twice argued before the Supreme Court of the United States, winning Landers v. Amtrak and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers on April 27, 1988 and ICC v. Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers on June 8, 1987.
“Most lawyers are fortunate to simply appear before the U.S. Supreme Court just once, but Harold Ross, either as lead counsel or as second seat, has the distinction of winning several Supreme Court cases,” BLET National President Don Hahs said. “He has a reputation throughout the railroad industry as one of the foremost authorities on the Railway Labor Act.”
Brother Ross graduated from Harvard Law School in 1956 before serving in the U.S. Army at Fort Polk, La. His work for the Brotherhood began during Guy Brown’s term as Grand Chief Engineer in November of 1958. After a brief hiatus, Brother Ross returned to the Brotherhood in 1963 and began serving as its General Counsel on Sept. 1, 1967.
“We have always put up a good fight and I continue to believe in the Brotherhood,” Brother Ross said. “I hope it lasts another two centuries.”
Brother Ross remains close friends with the Brotherhood’s 13th Honorary Member, long-time BLE Employee Ra Tully. Other Honorary Members include J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Hollywood producer Jay Sommers; Railroad artist Howard Fogg; Railroad photographer and BLE Public Relations Director Richard J. Cook; and 50-year BLE Building Association Employee Audré H. “Aud” Balogh.
“On behalf of all men and women of the Brotherhood, I extend best wishes to Brother Ross and his wife Elaine for many wonderful years together in a healthy and happy retirement,” President Hahs said.