BALTIMORE, Md., July 29 — More than 200 members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen convened here today for opening ceremonies of the 75th annual convention of the Eastern Union Meeting Association (EUMA).
EUMA Chairman Mark Kenny opened the ceremonies while Arrangements Chairman Fred Cox welcomed all members and their families to Baltimore on behalf of BLET Division 52.
After presentation of the flags by the color guard and the singing of the national anthem, Brother Cox led the group in a prayer. Anita Caruso, National President of the BLET Auxiliary, led a ceremony to remember BLET members killed in the line of duty. An empty chair, as well as other tools of the engineers’ craft, were left at the front of the meeting hall to symbolize the Organization’s departed Brothers and Sisters.
Guest speakers included Ernie Grecco, President of the Metropolitan Baltimore Council of the AFL-CIO, and Donna F. Edwards, U.S. Representative for Maryland’s 4th Congressional District. Rep. Edwards, who sits on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, spoke about the need to put Americans back to work with good-paying middle class jobs rebuilding the nation’s crumbling infrastructure. She also spoke about national health care improvements, raising the minimum wage, and the importance of the upcoming 2014 elections.
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce introduced members of the BLET Advisory Board and National Division staff who were in attendance. President Pierce also spoke about the Organization’s 150th anniversary and introduced the commemorative video presentation, which was well received by the audience. The video is available on the National Division’s YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/BLETUnion.
The afternoon concluded with a closed meeting for BLET members and open meetings for the BLET Auxiliary. Members will enjoy numerous educational opportunities throughout the remainder of the week. Workshops will feature specialized training for BLET Legislative Representatives, Secretary-Treasurers and Local Chairmen. The Local Chairman class will include information about electronic tape reading. There will also be an informational presentation on the BLET health & welfare plan as well as a workshop on the BLET’s national mobilization network.