Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (U.S.). Division 150 (Saint Paul, Minn.).

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE), North America�s oldest rail labor union, was founded in Marshall, Michigan on May 8, 1863, as the Brotherhood of the Footboard. Its name was changed in 1864 to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. The BLE is an affiliate member of the AFL-CIO and the Canada Labour Congress.

Local units of the BLE are known as Divisions. Each Division elects four primary local officers (president, local chairman, secretary-treasurer and legislative representative). All the local chairmen on a particular railroad constitute the BLE General Committee of Adjustment on that system; this General Committee is autonomous and responsible for negotiating, making, interpreting, and enforcing contracts between engineers and their railroad. Officers of the International Office, which is located in Cleveland, Ohio, include the international president, first vice-president, general secretary-treasurer and nine regional vice-presidents, who assist and offer resources to the general committees. One American vice-president serves as the BLE�s U.S. national legislative representative, administering the Washington, D.C., office and coordinating federal activities of the BLE and its various state legislative boards.

Division 150 was organized on June 7, 1872, at St. Paul. Its first members were H. E. Emerson, W. J. Ferguson, George S. Chrysler, C. F. Yeager, George Pennock, C. W. Deering, and W. D. Hawkins. Officers in earlier years included chief engineer; first and and second engineers; first, second, and third assistant engineers; guide; and chaplain.

Information on the national BLE organization was taken from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers website. Information about Division 150 was taken from the records.