Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Miscellaneous Records

Collection Number: 5005

Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library

This collection was processed with the help of generous funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:

Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Miscellaneous Records, 1925-1969

Collection Number:

5005

Creator:

Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees (BMWE)

Quantity:

1 linear ft.

Forms of Material:

Records (documents).

Repository:

Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library

Abstract:

Consists chiefly of working agreements, protective agreements, mediation agreements and legislative materials from the labor organization, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees.

Language:

Collection material in English

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees was organized by workers responsible for the physical condition of operational railway rights of way. It was founded in Alabama in 1887 as the Order of Railroad Trackmen.

In 1892, the Order merged with the Brotherhood of Railway Section Foremen of North America, a related organization, to form the Brotherhood of Railway Track Foremen of America. In 1896, the membership of the union was opened to white track laborers as well as foremen and the organization became known as the Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen of America. In 1918, the Trackmen reintegrated a secessionist faction that had existed as a separate group since 1914 and became known as the United Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees and Railway Shop Laborers. The union adopted its current name in 1925 as part of an effort to settle jurisdictional problems with other American Federation of Labor unions.

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Inclusive date range: 1925-1969

Bulk dates: 1962-1969

This collection includes protective agreements covering employees in the event of the merger of the Norfolk and Western Railroad with the Nickel Plate Railroad (1962), the Great Northern, Pacific and Burlington Lines (1968), the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central Railroad (1964); working agreements between Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees and Norfolk and Western Belt Line Railroad (1969), Clinchfield Railroad (1965), Pittsburgh and Shawmut (1967), Toledo Terminal and Railroad Company (1969), and Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad (1969). It also includes legislative materials, including the Brotherhood manual for state and provincial legislative representatives (1963), minutes and bylaws of the Ontario Legislative Committee (1966-1969) regarding protection of level crossing, national transportation policy, insurance, election of provincial legislative representatives, compensation cases (McGilliuray Report), and the Workmen's Compensation Act. The records also include the history and bylaws of the Cooperative Legislative Committee (Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, Railroad Trainmen, Railroad and Steamship Clerks, and Order of Railway Conductors and Brakemen) and the minutes of the Ohio State Legislative Convention of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees (1966) regarding elections of state legislative representatives.

Additional materials include a booklet entitled "Milestones of Progress: A Brief History of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees;" the Washington Job Protection Agreement of 1936; a vacation agreement (1941) between Eastern, Western, and Southeastern Carriers Conference Committees and employees represented by 14 co-operative railroad labor organizations. Additionally there are committee and referee decisions docket 1-146, a union shop agreement (1952); a reference manual on the mediation agreement of 1965 (job security) and other mediation agreements (1964-1965); and an award and interpretation of Arbitration Board No. 298 regarding travel time and away from home expenses.

SUBJECTS

Names:

American Association for Social Security

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (U.S.)

Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen

Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees.

Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen

Brotherhood of Railway, Airline and Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and Station Employes

Burlington Northern, Inc.

Co-Operative Legislative Committee, Transportation Brotherhoods, State of Ohio

Nickel Plate Railroad

Order of Railway Conductors and Brakemen

Pennsylvania Railroad

Subjects:

Labor laws and legislation--Canada.

Labor laws and legislation--United States.

Labor unions--United States--Political activity.

Railroads -- Employees

Arbitration, Industrial. Railroads. United States.

Job security. Railroads. United States.

Mediation and conciliation, Industrial. Railroads. United States.

Washington Job Protection Agreement.

Workers' compensation. Railroads. United States.

Form and Genre Terms:

Records (documents)

INFORMATION FOR USERS

Access Restrictions:

Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference archivist for access to these materials.

Restrictions on Use:

This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and Procedures for Document Use.

Cite As:

Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Miscellaneous Records #5005. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.

RELATED MATERIALS

CONTAINER LIST

Container		Description	Date
Box 1	Folder 1	Akron, Canton and Youngstown Railroad Agreement	1969
Box 1	Folder 2	Clinchfield Railroad Agreement	1964
Box 1	Folder 3	Great Northern Pacific and Burlington Lines Merger Agreement	1966
Box 1	Folder 4	Norfolk and Portsmouth Belt Line Railroad Agreement	1965
Box 1	Folder 5	Norfolk and Western Agreement	1962
Box 1	Folder 6	Pittsburg and Shamut Railroad Agreement	1967
Box 1	Folder 7	Pennsylvania and New York Central Railroads Agreement	1964
Box 1	Folder 8	Toledo Terminal Railroad Agreement	1969
Box 1	Folder 9	Mediation Agreement, Case No. A-5987	1959
		Between Eastern, Western, and Southeastern Carriers' Conference Committees and employees represented by Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees.
Box 1	Folder 10	Reference Manual on the Mediation Agreement of February 7, 1965	1965
Box 1	Folder 11	Vacation Agreement	1941-1954
Box 1	Folder 12	Washington Job Protection Agreement	1936
Box 1	Folder 13	Washington Job Protection Agreement	1967
Box 1	Folder 14	Washington Job Protection Agreement (Copy 2)	1967
Box 1	Folder 15	Rates of Pay. Central Western Region Volume 2	1925
Box 1	Folder 16	Award and Interpretations of Arbitration Board No. 298	1967-1969
Box 1	Folder 17	Legislative Committees	1940-1969
Box 1	Folder 18	Manual for State and Provincial Legislative Representatives	1963
Box 1	Folder 19	Milestones of Progress	1969
		A Brief History of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, Founded 1887
Box 1	Folder 20	Railroad Retirement Act and Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act	1968
Box 1	Folder 21	Railway Labor Act	1926

Contents

Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Miscellaneous Records

Collection Number: 5005

Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library