By Dennis R. Pierce
BLET National President
CLEVELAND, November 26 — As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I would like to express my thanks to all BLET members, officers and staff for their hard work and dedication throughout 2014.
Earlier this year, the BLET held its Third National Convention in Las Vegas and all BLET members should be proud of the results. Our delegates put in long hours poring over many important changes to strengthen our Bylaws and our Brotherhood. They are part of a long line of delegates who proudly carry the torch of Brotherhood that was first lit by the brave founders who established our great union in 1863. I am thankful for our delegates and am proud of the work they accomplished while in session.
I am thankful for our Brotherhood’s Advisory Board. I am thankful for all of our Local Division officers. These men and women are some of the hardest working individuals in the entire Brotherhood, and they deserve our respect and gratitude — not only during the holiday season — but all year long. I am also thankful for the officers and staff serving General Committees of Adjustment and State Legislative Boards throughout the country.
Many of our leadership’s union duties are performed at the expense of time with their families, and after long hours and grueling shifts in the locomotive cab. You may not often hear the words “thank you,” but rest assured that your efforts are not overlooked. I appreciate your efforts and am truly thankful for the daily sacrifices you make to help your fellow Brothers and Sisters.
Also deserving of recognition and thanks are our staff at National Division headquarters in Cleveland and our National Legislative office in Washington, D.C. And I would be remiss if I did not thank the members and officers of our BLET Auxiliary, who play a valuable role in support of our Brotherhood.
I’m also thankful for our military veterans and those active duty soldiers currently serving in our nation’s armed forces.
Finally, Thanksgiving can be an especially challenging time of year for BLET members and their families. Many members will find themselves in the cab of a locomotive or at an away-from-home terminal instead of at the dinner table with loved ones. Please join me in keeping all hardworking BLET members — and their families — in our thoughts and prayers for a safe holiday.
On behalf of the BLET Advisory Board, I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.