CLEVELAND, October 15 — The BLET’s Education and Training Department is hosting an expanded Secretary-Treasurer Training Class at the Standard Building in the 2nd floor Training Center in Cleveland from December 14-17, 2015.
All Division Secretary-Treasurers, Division Presidents, State Legislative Board Secretary-Treasurers and General Committee of Adjustment Secretary-Treasurers are invited to attend. Attendance is limited to the first 15 who register so those who are interested should register as soon as possible. You must register for the workshop online through the BLET website at: www.ble-t.org/st.
The workshop will begin at 4 p.m. on Monday, December 14, with an orientation and introduction along with two hours of evening classes. Full-day sessions will follow from Tuesday, December 15, through Thursday, December 17. Thursday’s class will conclude at 6 p.m. and will be followed by an informal banquet at 6:30 p.m. Hotel check-out and travel day will be on Friday, December 18. The training will take place in the Training Center at BLET National Division headquarters (1370 Ontario St., Cleveland, Ohio).
Secretary-Treasurers will receive training in a number of areas, including how to use the BLET National Division’s web-based system for membership reporting, OLMS tax compliance tips, Division Trustee reporting, and computer skills (Word, Excel, Search Engines, etc.). During the almost four day session, members will also learn proper record keeping techniques, minute-taking, and methods for filing various Department of Labor and Railroad Retirement reports. The class will also focus on filing Internal Revenue Service Federal tax reports such as CT-1, 941, W-2, W-3, and W-4. It will also focus on essential items such as 990 authorizations, bonding, check registers, banking, and other related items. S-Ts will also receive training on tools that make their jobs easier. A goal for instructors is to do everything they can to make the S-T’s job as easy as it can be.
Workshop instructors and guest speakers will include: Dennis R. Pierce, BLET National President; Stephen J. Bruno, National Secretary-Treasurer; James P. Louis, Vice President and Department Head of Education and Training; Megan Mead, Director of the Compliance Department; Jason Wright: Special Representative and Director of the Education & Training Department; Louise Reich, Director of the Record Department; Walt Schmidt, Director of Online Services; Paul Aird, Special Representative and Director of Organizing and Director of Mobilization–Western Region; and Matt Kronyak, Special Representative and Director of Mobilization–Eastern Region.
Upon successful completion of the course, attendees will qualify for a $140 per day stipend from the North American Railway Foundation (NARF). Depending on the class, the stipends will be paid directly to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Division, General Committee of Adjustment, or State Legislative Board.
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 over the past 19 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.
Attendees must register for the workshop online no later than November 17 through the BLET website at: www.ble-t.org/st.
After registering online, workshop attendees will receive an e-mail confirmation that will include hotel registration information. The BLET National Division pays the costs of books and equipment, while Secretary-Treasurers who attend are responsible for their own transportation costs as well as their room and board.
For more information, please contact Jason Wright at (216) 296-4447 or wright@ble-t.org.