BRAC, Philadelphia Division, Union Local President Robert Curran Papers
Collection Number: 6187
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:
BRAC, Philadelphia Division, Union
Local President Robert Curran Papers, 1956-1968
Collection Number:
6187
Creator:
Brotherhood of Railway, Airline,
and Steamship Clerks. Freight Handlers, Express and Station Employees
(BRAC);
Curran, Robert
Curran, Robert
Quantity:
0.5 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 papers of Robert E. Curran,
chairman and president of Local 390, BRAC for the employees of the Reading Company,
Philadelphia Division.
Language:
Collection material in English
The Brotherhood of Railway and Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express, and
Station Employees [BRAC] was founded in 1899 by 33 railroad clerks meeting in
Sedalia, Missouri. They initially called the organizations "Order of Railroad Clerks
of America," but renamed itself the "Brotherhood of Railway Clerks" to be in line
with the nomenclature of the other railway labor organizations. Under that name,
BRAC took part in the Illinois Central Shopmen's Strike of 1911. In 1919, the union
once again changed its name and became the "Brotherhood of Railway and Steamship
Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and Station Employes" to better represent its
growing membership.
The name was expanded again in 1967 when Convention delegates added the word
"Airline," making the new organizational name "Brotherhood of Railway, Airline,
Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and Station Employes." The union was
still referred to familiarly as BRAC.
Finally, in 1987, after absorbing members from a half dozen other unions that merged
with BRAC, the organization adopted its current name, the Transportation
Communications International Union [TCU]. TCU merged with the International
Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in mid-2005, and as of 2017 TCU/IAM
represents approximately 46,000 members who primarily work in the railroad industry.
BRAC was the largest single railroad organization for employees who devoted a
majority of their time to clerical work of any description. This included: chief
clerks; foremen; train announcers; gatemen; checkers; parcel, baggage, and storeroom
employees; dock and pier workers; train and engine crew callers; timekeepers;
paymasters; freight inspectors; rate and tariff compilers; weigh masters; ticket
clerks and sellers; operators of all office and station equipment devices; telephone
and switchboard operators; and all employees occupying or performing duties similar
to those mentioned. After three months of experience in clerical work, employees of
both genders became eligible for membership. The union secured increases in wages
and better working conditions for its members.
Source: About TCU
Source: TCU History
Inclusive date range: 1966-1968
Bulk dates: 1966-1968
This collection consists of the files of local chairman and president of Local 390,
BRAC, for employees of the Reading Company, Philadelphia Division.
The records in this collection consist primarily of personnel files: both
disciplinary files where employees were found to be in violation of the collective
bargaining agreements, and processed claims where employee grievances were redressed
by the company. Also found in this collection are vacation agreements between BRAC
and Reading, and employee requests for time off. Finally, this collection contains
seniority rosters for various classes of employees, containing the names of people
employed in various positions represented by BRAC.
Of particular interest in this collection are the files relating to the
implementation of automated processes into the workplace. The Reading Company
purchased and installed IBM 1050 TRACE (Teleprompting Random Access Communication
Exchange) machines. This resulted in changes to the workplace, both in that
employees needed to be trained on how to use the new machines in their daily work
and in changes to job titles and responsibilities, all of which had to be negotiated
between the Reading Company and BRAC representatives. Additionally, discipline
proceedings were initiated against employees who made mistakes when transmitting
data via the TRACE punch cards on the IBM computers.
Names:
Curran, Robert E.
Brotherhood of Railway, Airline, and Steamship
Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and Station Employes
Reading Company
Subjects:
Automation
Automatic machinery
Railroads -- Employees -- Labor unions -- United
States
Arbitration, Industrial -- United States
Collective bargaining -- Railroads -- United
States.
Labor discipline
Employee fringe benefits
Vacations, Employee -- United States
Health insurance
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:
BRAC, Philadelphia Division, Union Local President Robert Curran Papers #6187.
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University
Library.
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Container
|
Description
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Date
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| Box 1 | Folder 1 | 1966-1968 | |
|
Arranged alphabetically by last name of employees. RESTRICTED.
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| Box 1 | Folder 2 | 1968 | |
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File(s) C-D. Correspondence from the BRAC Independent Presidents' Club,
Railway Clerk Political League, BRAC Grand Lodge, BRAC Pennsylvania State
Legislative Committee
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| Box 1 | Folder 3 | 1967 | |
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File(s) E-F. Circa 1967.
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| Box 1 | Folder 4 | 1966 | |
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File(s) G-H. Contains TRACE (Teleprompting Random Access Communication
Exchange) cards and correspondence in re the creation of new positions for
clerks who work with the computer punch cards.
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| Box 1 | Folder 5 | 1967-1968 | |
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File(s) I-J. Claims arranged alphabetically by last name of employee. Two
cases of multiple claims being resolved together are at the front of the
file.
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| Box 1 | Folder 6 | 1968 | |
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File(s) M-N. Contains financial information for all the BRAC Locals on the
Philadelphia Division of the Reading System for the third quarter of
1968.
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| Box 1 | Folder 7 | 1956-1966 | |
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File(s) O-P. Booklets from BRAC and the Railroad Retirement Board
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| Box 1 | Folder 8 | 1968 | |
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File(s) Q-R. Seniority rosters and negotiated lists.
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| Box 1 | Folder 9 | 1967-1968 | |
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File(s) S-U. Car Cleaning Schedules; BRAC System Board Correspondence,
By-Laws, and the Minutes of 32nd Annual Meeting.
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| Box 1 | Folder 10 | 1966-1968 | |
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File(s) V-Z. Vacations requests, assignments, and agreements between BRAC and
the Reading Company; mailer from BRAC about the Wage and Rules Movement
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