The BLET Education and Training Department will conduct a comprehensive training class for Local Chairmen, and Vice Local Chairmen with their respective Local Chairman’s consent. The class is designed to help Local Chairmen develop and hone the skills necessary to provide the best representation possible for their members. This workshop will be held at the BLET National Division Headquarters in Independence, Ohio, during the week of April 7, 2025.
Full-day classes will run from Tuesday, April 8 through Thursday, April 10. Hotel check-in/travel day is Monday, April 7 and hotel check-out/travel day is Friday, April 11. In addition to the in-person training, this class will also be available to remote participants in a hybrid training setting each day.
Among other topics, this class will cover the BLET organizational structure and functions, representation of members at disciplinary hearings, union leadership skills, time claim and grievance handling in accordance with the CBA. Additional course topics will include an overview of the Railway Labor Act, Section 3 and 6 Notices, and the arbitration process.
All participants (both in-person and remote) must register for the class at https://members.ble-t.org/EducationTraining/Register. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email that will contain more detailed hotel information and instructions for making your room reservation if attending in-person, or a Zoom meeting link if attending remotely. In-person attendees will stay at the Embassy Suites Hotel located at 5800 Rockside Woods Boulevard, in Independence, OH. If you have any problems securing your room in our reservation block, contact BLET Special Representative Matthew Kronyak at (201) 978-6436, or by email at: kronyak@ble-t.org.
Upon successful completion of the course, in-person attendees will qualify for a $110.00 per day stipend from the North American Railway Foundation. The stipends will be paid directly to the Local Division or General Committee of Adjustment, if applicable.
The North American Railway Foundation (NARF) is a non-profit 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. The primary focus of these efforts has been in support of organized rail labor — giving back to all the men and women of the railroad community across North America.
For more information, please contact David Estes, National Secretary-Treasurer and Director/Department Head of the BLET Education and Training Department, at (216) 241-2630 ext. 227, or by email at: estes@ble-t.org.