CLEVELAND, July 25 — The BLET Education and Training Department is proud to conduct an extended workshop for Local Chairman at the Maritime Institute in Linthicum Heights, Md., from October 6 through October 12, 2013.
As with the most recent Local Chairman workshop, this one has been extended by one day. The course will begin Sunday evening, October 6, and will run all day Monday through Friday, concluding with a banquet on Friday night, October 11. Check out and travel day is on Saturday, October 12.
National Secretary-Treasurer William C. Walpert, who heads the BLET’s Education & Training Department, said the decision to expand the course came after he and other workshop instructors reviewed commentary and feedback from past workshop attendees, who expressed a desire to meet for one more day.
Attendance at the workshop is limited to the first 22 who register. NST Walpert said the class is open to all Local Chairmen, but he encouraged new Local Chairmen to attend, particularly those elected during the recent triennial election cycle.
Among other topics, the workshop will cover BLET organizational structure and functions, representing members at disciplinary and decertification hearings, union leadership skills, claim and grievance handling, and writing and editing skills. A highlight of the workshop is when attendees participate in a simulated disciplinary hearing.
Those wishing to attend must register for the workshop online through the BLET website at:
www.ble-t.org/lc.
Those who successfully complete the course will qualify for a $123 per day stipend from the North American Railway Foundation. The stipends will be paid directly to the Secretary-Treasurer of the respective divisions.
NARF is a non-profit operating foundation formed by the Brotherhood’s Relief and Compensation Fund (BR&CF) to support rail history, education, safety and technology in the United States and Canada. With initial funding and continued Board of Directors stewardship coming from the BR&CF, NARF has supported many non-political projects throughout the United States and Canada over the past 15 years. The primary focus of these efforts has been in support of organized rail labor — giving back to all of the men and women of the railroad community across North America.
Workshop instructors will include: National Secretary-Treasurer Walpert; BLET Vice President & Arbitration Director Marcus J. Ruef; Assistant Director of the BLET Arbitration Department Doug Davidson; and Special Representative and Coordinator of Education & Training Jason Wright.
The BLET National Division pays the costs of books, equipment, tuition and a Friday evening graduation banquet. BLET members who attend are responsible for their transportation costs as well as their room and board. Members will be provided with instructions on how to make room reservations after registering for the workshop through the BLET website.
Again, registration for the Local Chairman workshop is on a first-come, first-served basis with class size limited to the first 22 who register. For more information, please contact Jason Wright at (216) 296-4447 or wright@ble-t.org.