CLEVELAND, August 11 — Tulsa, Oklahoma, will be the host city for members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) attending the 80th annual and final Southwestern Convention Meeting (SWCM) from September 13-17, 2015.
Delegates to the Third National Convention in 2014 voted to change the BLET’s regional meeting structure so that there will be only two regional meetings per year beginning in 2016. As a result, the 80th SWCM coming up in September will be the final SWCM. Arrangements Chairman Dana Marlow, along with the members of the SWCM Arrangements Committee, is planning a convention filled with educational opportunities and entertaining leisure time activities. Brother Marlow is 1st Vice Chairman of the Union Pacific-Southern Region General Committee of Adjustment.
Guests will stay at the Hard Rock Resort (777 West Cherokee St., Catoosa, OK, 75015) and reservations can be made online or by calling (800) 760-6700. Be sure to mention Attendee Code SWCMSEPT2015 and reference that you are part of the BLET’s SWCM in order to receive the group rate of $109 per night. Hotel reservations must be made by August 23, 2015. Upon request, the hotel offers transportation to the Tulsa International Airport.
To register for the SWCM, please visit the SWCM website to download and print registration forms. The early registration deadline is August 31, 2015. After that, registration fees will increase by $25 per person.
Registration begins on Sunday, September 13. The annual SWCM Texas Hold’em Poker Tournament begins that evening at 7 p.m. This year, each table will have a professional dealer. Money from the tournament goes toward the annual SWCM scholarship fund. Poker tournament registration forms are available here, and the deadline to register is August 30.
On Monday, September 14, the annual SWCM golf tournament will be held on the grounds of the Hard Rock. Please note there is a dress code for the golf course that includes no denim and shirts must have collars. For non-golfers, tours are available of the Will Rogers Museum, Will Rogers birthplace, and the J.M. Davis Arms and Historical Museum. A welcome reception follows on Monday evening.
The SWCM continues with opening ceremonies the morning of Tuesday, September 15. There will be a closed meeting for BLET members and an open meeting hosted by the BLET Auxiliary during the afternoon. Entertainment that evening includes dancing and dinner at Oklahoma Joe’s, known for its world famous barbecue.
Workshops for Local Chairmen, Legislative Representatives and Secretary-Treasurers will be held throughout the day on Wednesday, September 16. There will also be a health & welfare workshop and presentations by representatives of the United Healthcare and the Railroad Retirement Board. The 80th SWCM concludes the evening of September 16 with a banquet.
For more details, please visit the 2015 SWCM website or contact Brother Marlow by email.