CLEVELAND, May 6 — Seven members of the U.S. House of Representatives have issued congratulatory letters recognizing the 150th anniversary of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.
The bipartisan group of Representatives reflects a broad spectrum of the House and includes key leaders of rail and transportation committees.
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) wrote: “For the past century and a half, BLET members have worked towards the common goal of protecting safety, guarding their financial interests, giving themselves an effective voice on the job, and ensuring the dignity, respect and equality of railroad workers and all Americans.”
Bill Shuster (R-PA), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, wrote: “I am proud to recognize [BLET members] for their achievements and the strength of their organization and sincerely congratulate them on their 150th anniversary.”
Corrine Brown (D-FL), Ranking Member of the House Railroad Subcommittee, wrote: “As a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I can personally attest to the positive impact the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen has had on the development and passage of critical safety and workers rights legislation.”
Jeff Denham (R-FL), wrote: “As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials, I very much look forward to working with the leadership of BLET to craft bipartisan common sense legislation to create high paying American jobs in the rail industry. A vibrant rail network, the backbone of the American economy, is essential to ensure goods and services move about the country.”
Nick J. Rahall, II (D-WV), Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, wrote: “Legislation that the BLET worked to get passed formed the cornerstones of the railroad industry, from the Hours of Service Act in 1907 to the Federal Employers Liability Act in 1908, the Railway Labor Act in 1926, and the Railroad Retirement Act in 1937. Indeed, the organization’s actions did not just benefit railroad workers; the laws enacted often paved the way for changes in other industries.”
Richard M. Nolan (D-MN), a Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, wrote: “As a proud former Teamster, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen on the occasion of your 150th anniversary. No single entity has done more to build the middle class, advance economic and social justice, and improve the American quality of life than organized labor. And within the Labor movement, the BLET in particular has a history that is nothing short of extraordinary.”
Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) wrote: “When the organization was founded, locomotive engineers worked for low wages, often to the point of exhaustion because they were paid per run, in unsafe conditions and at the whim of railroad management. The thirteen individuals who together formed the BLET wanted to change these deplorable conditions, and the BLET has spent the past 150 years carrying out their mission of improving the safety and working conditions of its members and all American workers.”
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce thanked these members of the House of Representatives for honoring the Brotherhood and its members.
“The broad spectrum of bipartisan letters that we received is a testament to the Brotherhood’s even handed approach to supporting legislators who support our issues,” President Pierce said. “These leaders of key rail and transportation committees took the time to recognize our organization’s 150th anniversary, but more importantly, their letters recognize the vital role that our members play in the rail industry and the American economy.”
He also thanked all BLET members involved in securing these letters. The National Division will announce other congratulatory letters from additional members of the House as they become available.
The Brotherhood is returning to Detroit this week for its 150th Anniversary Celebration. A series of meetings and events will culminate with a celebratory banquet the evening of Wednesday, May 8. More information is available here: www.ble-t.org/blet150.
These proclamations and resolutions are available for download from the BLET National Division website:
www.ble-t.org/pr/pdf/150_proc_US_House.pdf