CLEVELAND, September 18 — Limited space remains for a BLET Local Chairman Workshop, which will be conducted by the Education & Training Department, on the campus of the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Md. The workshop begins on Sunday, November 2, and ends the evening of Thursday, November 6.
Instead of open registration on a first come, first served basis, which has been done in past years, preference will be given this year to Local Chairmen on the waiting list on a first come, first served basis. This change is due in part to the large number of new Local Chairmen who were elected during the recent Triennial Elections. Vice Local Chairmen are still encouraged to register, with the understanding that they will be put on a waiting list and will be given a slot in the class if there is room available. Class size is limited to 22.
There was a waiting list from the first local chairman workshop earlier this year and these individuals are being contacted. There may be some openings in this workshop as several people have responded that they will not be able to attend.
Local Chairmen must register for the November workshop online through the BLET website at: https://www.ble-t.org/lc.
If you registered for the workshop earlier this year and were put on the waiting list you do not have to register again.
If you have not registered in the past and register now and do not get in the workshop, then you will be placed on the waiting list for future workshops.
Among other assignments, the workshop will include BLET organizational structure and functions, representing members at disciplinary and decertification hearings, union leadership skills, claim and grievance handling, and writing and editing skills. Participants also will learn how to effectively use the BLET arbitration database. A highlight of the workshop is when attendees participate in a simulated disciplinary hearing.
Members will have to sign up for their rooms in advance and provide a credit card number to reserve a room. Those who do not show up will be charged for the first night’s stay. Members will be provided with instructions on how to make room reservations after registering for the workshop through the BLET website and being confirmed for the workshop.
Workshop instructors will include: BLET National Secretary-Treasurer William C. Walpert; BLET Vice-President Richard K. Radek; Special Representative & Coordinator of Education and Training Ken Kroeger; Assistant Director of Arbitration Doug Davidson; and BLET Arbitration Department Manager Greg Ross.
The BLET National Division pays the costs of books, equipment, tuition and a Thursday evening graduation banquet. BLET members who attend are responsible for their transportation costs as well as their room and board.
Upon successful completion of the course, attendees will qualify for a $109 per day stipend from the North American Railway Foundation (NARF). The stipends will be paid directly to their Division Secretary Treasurer.
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 10 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.
For more information, please contact Ken Kroeger of the BLET Education & Training Dept. at (216) 272-0986 or kroeger@ble-t.org.