The Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen (BRT) was founded at Oneonta, New York, in 1883 as a protective and insurance organization for its members. In the late 1950s it affiliated itself with the AFL-CIO. In 1969 the BRT merged with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, the Order of Railway Conductors and Brakemen, and the Switchmen's Union of North America to form the United Transportation Union.
The Grand Lodge (general office) of the BRT was located at Cleveland, Ohio. Individually-numbered subordinate BRT lodges, which apparently were organized or grouped together by carrier, were located in cities and towns along the various companies' lines. Each subordinate lodge was headed by a "local chairman." There were at least 13 subordinate BRT-Chicago Great Western lodges located in Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri.
The local chairmen referred their members' claims and grievances to the chairman of the General Grievance Committee (frequently referred to in the records as the "general chairman"), who in turn submitted the claims to the appropriate officers of the Great Western, appealing if necessary to the Vice President - Personnel or to the National Railroad Adjustment Board for favorable resolution. Grievance Committee chairmen represented in this collection include J. P. McFarland, Chicago (.-1924); E. H. Varchminn, St. Paul (1924-1929); B. W. Fern, St. Paul (1929-1943); Carl Hammer, St. Paul (acting chairman) (1944-1947); Ralph C. Wirth, Elmhurst, Ill. (1947-1963); and Robert E. Stahley, St. Paul (1963-.). The chairmen's counterparts at the Chicago Great Western included personnel officers R. E. Kennedy (.-1943) and Harry Boller (1945-1946), and personnel officer (later Vice President - Personnel) D. K. Lawson (1947-.). Presidents of the national BRT organization included W. G. Lee (.-1924), A. F. Whitney (1928-1949), W. P. Kennedy (1949-1962), and C. Luna (1963-.). All of the above dates are approximate.
The Chicago Great Western Railway Company (CGW) was incorporated in 1892. Predecessor lines date back to as early as 1854. The CGW was a 1,500-mile midwestern carrier put together and expanded by A. B. (Alpheus Beede) Stickney of St. Paul. It served and stretched between the Twin Cities, Chicago, St. Joseph, Kansas City, and Omaha. Headquarters of the CGW were moved from St. Paul to Chicago after Stickney's departure from the firm around 1909. In 1968 the CGW was merged into the Chicago and North Western Railway Company (known after 1972 as the Chicago and North Western Transportation Company), a competitor which subsequently abandoned most of the Great Western trackage.
From the guide to the General Grievance Committee Records., 1917-1981 (bulk 1930-1966)., (Minnesota Historical Society)
