Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Local 807 (Auburn, NY) Records
Collection Number: 5467
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).Title:
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen Local 807 (Auburn, NY) Records, 1919-1973
Collection Number:
5467
Creator:
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen (BLF&E)
BLF&E Local 807
Quantity:
4.5 linear ft.
Forms of Material:
Records (documents).
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor- Management Documentation and
Archives, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
This collection consists of the records of Brotherhood of
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, Local 807, located in
Auburn, New York. Consists chiefly of correspondence regarding employee claims and grievances, the wage-rules movement, mergers, and routine business matters; also, routine administrative documents, forms, certificates and schedules, and financial records.
Auburn, New York. Consists chiefly of correspondence regarding employee claims and grievances, the wage-rules movement, mergers, and routine business matters; also, routine administrative documents, forms, certificates and schedules, and financial records.
Language:
Collection material in English
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen was founded on December 1, 1873 in Port Jervis,
New York by Erie Railroad firemen in order to provide mutual support for railroad
firemen. Their first convention was in 1874, at which they adopted their first
constitution. The Brotherhood initially emphasized insurance, but by the late
nineteenth century had branched out into labor-management relations.
In 1907, the organization changed its name to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
and Enginemen [BLF& E], reflecting the changes in its membership as former
firemen were promoted to engineers and permitting locomotive engineers to join its
ranks. In 1969, the union merged with the Order of Railway Conductors and Brakemen,
the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, and the Switchmen's Union of North America to
form the United Transportation Union [UTU].
Lodge 807 of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, now defunct, was
located in Auburn, New York. It was composed of employees of the Lehigh Valley
Railroad Company [LVRR] working on the Lehigh Valley, Auburn, Cortland, and
Auburn-Ithaca branches. These employees were represented by Lodge 807 until its
dissolution in 1966 at which point they were represented by Lodge 379, located in
Sayre, Pennsylvania. After the merger of the railroad brotherhoods, they were
represented by UTU Local 810. Finally, in the 1970s, the operating employees joined
the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers [BLE], Division 380, Auburn-Cortland
Division.
Inclusive date range: 1919-1973
Bulk dates: 1925-1958
This collection consists of the records of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and
Enginemen [BLFE], Local 807, located in Auburn, New York. The members of this Lodge
were employees on the Lehigh Valley Railroad [LVRR] on the Lehigh Valley, Auburn,
Cortland, and Auburn-Ithaca branches. This collection, when examined along with
Collection 5869, offers a mostly complete historical portrait of a BLFE Lodge and a
glimpse into the day to day work of railroad employees in upstate new York during
the first half of the 20th Century.
This collection contains the log books of Local 807's recording secretary, which
contains the records of the Lodge's meetings, members, dues, and elections. The
collection also contains the minutes of meetings for the General Grievance Committee
of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, which offers a broader view of both the BLFE and the
LVRR system. The records from the General Grievance Committee also contain the
records of an on-going dispute between the Auburn and Cortland factions of the Local
807 firemen and enginemen regarding their seniority districts, work rosters, mileage
equity, and rights to specific runs on branch lines. The two factions, each
responsible for separate branch lines, had their rosters merged in 1932. This led to
an ongoing conflict between the members of Local 807 for the remainder of its
existence. As the LVRR was forced to abandon branch lines in the mid-20th Century,
these disputes grew more contentious, finally culminating in having the
International President decide on the matter (see box 6, folders 6 and 7). Extensive
records of mileage worked by the various employees were kept by the local to argue
their individual cases. The situation was further exacerbated by conflicts between
the BLFE and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers [BLE], and who had the standing
to represent the LVRR employees. As a result, there were multiple local chairmen,
both de facto and official, who worked on behalf of their own factions. As a result,
the correspondence files have a great deal of crossover between the LVRR General
Grievance Committee and the various Lodge officials, who all kept separate
correspondence files but were oftentimes writing to each other.
These correspondence files make up the bulk of this collection. Major correspondents
include: William H. Sullivan and Louis Edelmayer (BLFE general chairmen, Lehigh
Valley System); James R. Lathrop, Harry Glowacki, William Welhaf, and F.W. Fehr
(local chairmen, Lodge 807); J.N. Haines, C.W. Wagner, and various officials of the
Lehigh Valley Railroad; and the financial secretaries of Lodge 807. Subjects
discussed include grievance cases, violations of the union shop agreement (1956),
the abandonment of lines, discontinuance of passenger service, fringe benefits,
vacation agreements, and internal union issues, including the Auburn and Cortland
conflict. The correspondence files of the financial secretaries contain records of
the expenses of running a BLFE Lodge. The monthly financial reports are also found
in this collection as well as the annual filings with the IRS and the Railroad
Retirement Board. The financial records also contain complete membership lists,
information of insurance policies, and applications for membership.
Additional documents include various union organizers' forms, rosters for LVRR
divisions, contracts and agreements between the BLFE and the LVRR, and publications
of the BLFE.
Collections consisted of numerous partially processed correspondence folders,
arranged in no coherent order, and by both date range and by name of correspondent.
In both cases, numerous papers were found in files that fit neither the date range
nor the name of the correspondent. The collection has been re-processed and arranged
to create a coherent file structure based on the contents of the papers.
Names:
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen.
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen.
Local 807 (Auburn, N.Y.)
Lehigh Valley Railroad
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
Subjects:
Railroads--Employees.
Railroads--Employees--New York (State)--Auburn.
Grievance procedures. Railroads. New York (State)
Locomotive engineers
Locomotive firemen
Railroads--Employees
Labor Unions--Mergers--United States
Labor Unions--Consolidations--United States
Arbitration, Industrial -- United States
Form and Genre Terms:
Records (documents)
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 Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Local 807 (Auburn, NY) Records
#5467. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell
University Library.
Related Collections:
5141: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Records
5141 G: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Graphics
5141 MB: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Memorabilia
5176: Grand Lodge of the Ladies Society of the Former Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Records
5467: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Local 807 (Auburn, NY) Records
5475: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen General Chairman, Boston and Maine Railroad Records
5611: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Honorary Register of Disabled
5646: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Additional Records
5869: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Local 807 (Auburn, NY) Additional Records
6176: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Additional Records
5141: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Records
5141 G: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Graphics
5141 MB: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Memorabilia
5176: Grand Lodge of the Ladies Society of the Former Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Records
5467: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Local 807 (Auburn, NY) Records
5475: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen General Chairman, Boston and Maine Railroad Records
5611: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Honorary Register of Disabled
5646: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Additional Records
5869: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Local 807 (Auburn, NY) Additional Records
6176: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen Additional Records
Container
|
Description
|
Date
|
|
Box 1 | Folder 1 | 1919-1937 | |
Officer Roll, Minutes, and Member Lists
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 2 | 1945-1950 | |
Officer Roll, Minutes, and Member Lists
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 3 | 1951-1961 | |
Officer Roll, Minutes, and Member Lists
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 4 | 1925-1951 | |
1925-1930, 1934, 1936-1940, 1943-1945, 1946, 1948, 1951
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 5 | 1925-1938 | |
Regarding mileage disputes and employ of enginemen and firemen from the two
branches, headquartered in Cortland and Auburn, New York.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 6 | 1927-1943 | |
Conflict between Auburn and Cortland employees re mileage, seniority, and
rostering.
|
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Box 1 | Folder 7 | 1937-1958 | |
In re disputes between Auburn and Cortland divisions; and between committees
of enginemen and firemen. Reports are in regards to the merger of the Auburn
and Cortland rosters in 1932 on the LVRR.
|
|||
Box 1 | Folder 8 | 1938-1958 | |
In re disputes between Auburn and Cortland divisions; and between committees
of enginemen and firemen. Reports are in regards to the merger of the Auburn
and Cortland rosters in 1932 on the LVRR.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 1 | 1927-1945 | |
Correspondence mostly in regards to the merger of the Auburn and Cortland
rosters in 1932 on the LVRR and dispute between the two branches.
|
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Box 2 | Folder 2 | 1947-1951 | |
Correspondence mostly in regards to the merger of the Auburn and Cortland
rosters in 1932 on the LVRR and the dispute between the two branches
|
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Box 2 | Folder 3 | 1951-1956 | |
Includes series of letters between Sullivan, Lathrop, Wagner, and Fiske re a
fireman (Ryan) who is in violation of the Union Shop Agreement.
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 4 | 1950-1953 | |
Dispute regarding seniority districts and rosters of firemen
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 5 | 1929-1941 | |
Docketed grievances; decisions; general bulletins for distribution
|
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Box 2 | Folder 6 | 1942-1945 | |
Docketed grievances; decisions; general bulletins for distribution. (W. H.
Sullivan takes over as BLFE General Chairman in October of 1945)
|
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Box 2 | Folder 7 | 1946-1952 | |
Between C.L. Wagner, chief of personnel LVRR, and W.H. Sullivan, general
chairman, BLFE
|
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Box 2 | Folder 8 | 1947-1948 | |
Docketed cases, decisions, bulletins, personal correspondence
|
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Box 2 | Folder 9 | 1949-1950 | |
Docketed cases, decisions, bulletins, personal correspondence
|
|||
Box 2 | Folder 10 | 1951-1954 | |
Docketed cases, decisions, bulletins, personal correspondence
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 1 | 1955 | |
January-June, 1955. Docketed cases, decisions, bulletins, personal
correspondence
|
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Box 3 | Folder 2 | 1955 | |
July-December, 1955. Docketed cases, decisions, bulletins, personal
correspondence
|
|||
Box 3 | Folder 3 | 1955-1958 | |
Docketed cases, decisions, bulletins, personal correspondence
|
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Box 3 | Folder 4 | 1945 | |
Box 3 | Folder 5 | 1946 | |
Box 3 | Folder 6 | 1947 | |
Box 3 | Folder 7 | 1948 | |
Box 3 | Folder 8 | 1948 | |
Box 4 | Folder 1 | 1935 | |
Box 4 | Folder 2 | 1936 | |
Box 4 | Folder 3 | 1937 | |
Box 4 | Folder 4 | 1938 | |
Box 4 | Folder 5 | 1939 | |
Box 4 | Folder 6 | 1940 | |
Box 4 | Folder 7 | 1941 | |
Box 4 | Folder 8 | 1942 | |
Box 4 | Folder 9 | 1943 | |
Box 4 | Folder 10 | 1944 | |
Box 5 | Folder 1 | 1946-1948 | |
Box 5 | Folder 2 | 1949-1950 | |
Box 5 | Folder 3 | 1951-1952 | |
Box 5 | Folder 4 | 1953 | |
Box 5 | Folder 5 | 1955 | |
Box 5 | Folder 6 | 1956 | |
January-May, 1956
|
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Box 5 | Folder 7 | 1956 | |
April-June, 1956
|
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Box 5 | Folder 8 | 1956 | |
July-December, 1956
|
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Box 5 | Folder 9 | 1957 | |
January-June, 1957
|
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Box 6 | Folder 1 | 1957 | |
July-December, 1957
|
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Box 6 | Folder 2 | 1958 | |
Box 6 | Folder 3 | 1950-1953 | |
July 1950-June1953
|
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Box 6 | Folder 4 | 1953 | |
July-December1953
|
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Box 6 | Folder 5 | 1954-1955 | |
Box 6 | Folder 6 | 1952 | |
February-May, 1952. Includes newspaper clippings and ICC filings
|
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Box 6 | Folder 7 | 1952-1955 | |
Including correspondence regarding the changes in Seniority Districts and
mileage equity for firemen and enginemen from Auburn and Cortland and briefs
filed by the Auburn Lodge to support their seniority rights over the Sayre
Lodge.
|
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Box 6 | Folder 8 | 1941-1950 | |
Box 7 | Folder 1 | 1943-1949 | |
Box 7 | Folder 2 | 1949 | |
Box 7 | Folder 3 | 1949-1951 | |
Box 7 | Folder 4 | 1952-1957 | |
Box 7 | Folder 5 | 1944-1949 | |
Approval of Application for Insurance Certificates; Acceptance of Application
for Memberships; and Re-Admissions of Former Members
|
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Box 7 | Folder 6 | 1949-1951 | |
Acceptance of Application for Memberships; and Re-Admissions of Former
Members
|
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Box 7 | Folder 7 | 1946 | |
Box 7 | Folder 8 | 1947 | |
Box 7 | Folder 9 | 1948 | |
Box 7 | Folder 10 | 1949 | |
Box 7 | Folder 11 | 1950 | |
Box 7 | Folder 12 | 1951 | |
Box 7 | Folder 13 | 1952 | |
Box 7 | Folder 14 | 1953 | |
Box 8 | Folder 1 | 1954 | |
Box 8 | Folder 2 | 1955 | |
Box 8 | Folder 3 | 1956 | |
Box 8 | Folder 4 | 1957 | |
Box 8 | Folder 5 | 1945-1957 | |
Box 8 | Folder 6 | 1947-1954 | |
Quarterly payroll forms; mailers and instructions; blank forms; promotional
materials.
|
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Box 8 | Folder 7 | 1944-1956 | |
Box 8 | Folder 8 | 1954-1958 | |
Death benefits, insurance pay-outs, and applications
|
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Box 8 | Folder 9 | 1958-1961 | |
1958, 1961
|
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Box 8 | Folder 10 | ||
Undated
|
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Box 8 | Folder 11 | 1958 | |
Box 8 | Folder 12 | ||
Blank books of tear-out forms. Undated.
|
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Box 8 | Folder 13 | 1948-1950 | |
Box 8 | Folder 14 | 1950 | |
Box 8 | Folder 15 | 1948 | |
Box 8 | Folder 16 | 1948-1955 | |
Box 9 | Folder 1 | 1958 | |
Box 9 | Folder 2 | 1922-1963 | |
Box 9 | Folder 3 | 1963 | |
Box 9 | Folder 4 | 1957 | |
Box 9 | Folder 5 | 1973 | |
Letter from LVRR employees at Geneva, New York regarding track condition
|