Neil P. Speirs Collection of U.S. Railroad Retirement Board Memorabilia

Collection Number: 6215 MB

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:

Neil P. Speirs Collection of U.S. Railroad Retirement Board Memorabilia, 1953-1977

Collection Number:

6215 MB

Creator:

Speirs, Neil P.;
U.S. Railroad Retirement Board

Quantity:

1 linear ft.

Forms of Material:

Memorabilia.

Repository:

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

Abstract:

This collection contains the memorabilia of Neil P. Speirs, former president of the Switchmsn's Union of North America [SUNA], assistant president of the United Transportation Union [UTU], and labor member of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board.

Language:

Collection material in English

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Neil P. Speirs was born in Alberta, Canada, on December 25, 1912 and moved to the United States with his parents in 1919. He became a naturalized citizen in 1942. Mr. Speirs graduated from the University of Idaho in 1934, having majored in business and education.

Mr. Speirs began his railroad career with Southern Pacific Railroad, working in the railroad's train yards. He was first elected to the local Grievance Committee of Adjustment for the Switchmen's Union of North America [SUNA], Local 98 (San Francisco, CA) in 1950. In 1952, he was elected as a full-time officer, serving as chairman of the General Grievance Committee of Adjustment, Southern Pacific Railroad [SP]. Mr. Speirs served in this capacity until 1955, when he was elected to serve as SUNA International Vice-President. In 1959, he was elected to be President of SUNA and served as President until January 1, 1969.

On January 1, 1969 SUNA, along with the Order of Railway Conductors and Brakemen, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, and the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen formed the United Transportation Union [UTU]. Upon the merger, Mr. Speirs became Assistant President of UTU.

In 1969, President Richard Nixon appointed Mr. Speirs as the Labor Member of the Railroad Retirement Board. In 1974, President Gerald Ford re-appointed him to that position. He retired from the Railroad Retirement Board in 1977, but served on the Arbitration Panel of the National Mediation Board on a part-time basis until 1978.

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Inclusive date range: 1953-1977, undated

Bulk dates: 1953-1977

This collection contains memoribilia collected by Neil P. Speirs over the course of his career. Numerous pins, both pin-back buttons and enameled stick pins, from SUNA are located in this collection. These pins either mark important milestones of Speirs' membership in SUNA or publicize SUNA initiatives and camapigns. Other SUNA memoribilia found in this collection include a commemorative plate and a zippered vinyl pouch. Because of his position as the president of SUNA and as assisstant president of UTU, Mr. Speirs also collected numerous guest badges and medals for the conventions of other unions. Also found in this collection are three enamel pins from the National Railway Workers' Union of Japan [NRU], given to Mr. Speirs during a visit NRU members made to SUNA headquarters in Buffalo, NY. A medal commemorating the founding of the UTU, with a portrait of Mr. Speirs on the front, is found in this collection. Finally, a pen used by President Lyndon B. Johnson to sign an act to facilitate research into high-speed ground transportation.

SUBJECTS

Names:

Speirs, Neil P.

Subjects:

United States. Railroad Retirement Board

AFL-CIO

Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America

Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees

Brotherhood of Railway Clerks

International Brotherhood of Firemen and Oilers

Switchmen's Union of North America

United Transportation Union

Brotherhood of Railway Carmen of North America

Gompers, Samuel, 1850-1924

Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973

Meany, George, 1894-1980

Schnitzler, William F.

Luna, Charles

Gilbert, H. E.

Lane, C. F.

Form and Genre Terms:

Memorabilia

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:

Neil P. Speirs Collection of U.S. Railroad Retirement Board Memorabilia #6215 MB. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.

RELATED MATERIALS

CONTAINER LIST

Container		Description	Date
Box 1	Folder 1	Samuel Gompers Coins - Amalgamated Meat Cutters & Butcher Workmen of N.A.
		2 coins
Box 1	Folder 2	President Lyndon B. Johnson's Pen	1965
		"One of the pens used by the President, September 30, 1965, in signing S. 1588, An Act to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to undertake research and development in high-speed ground transportation, and for other purposes.
Box 1	Folder 3	Speirs' UTU Commemorative Medal	1969
		3 medals with portraits of the presidents of the four unions which united to form the UTU: N. P. Speirs, Charles Luna, H. E. Gilbert, C. F. Lane
Box 1	Folder 4	International Brotherhood of Firemen and Oilers special guest medal and Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen pin	1971
		Special guest medal from the 26th Convention of the International Brotherhood of Firemen and Oilers, held in Miami Beach, Florida, May 3-7, 1971.
Box 1	Folder 5	Brotherhood of Railway Carmen convention guest medals	1973
		2 guest medals for the 25th Convention of the Brotherhood of Railroad Carmen of America, Kansas City, Missouri, July 30-August 11, 1973
Box 1	Folder 6	Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees convention guest medals	1970-1974
		Two guest medals from Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employs conventions. One is from the 36th Regular Convention, Detroit, Michigan, 1970; the other is from the 37th Regular Convention, Denver, Colorado, 1974
Box 1	Folder 7	UTU pins, tie clips, golf divot tool, golf ball markers
Box 1	Folder 8	AFL-CIO Convention Badges and cuff links	1959-1977
		Conventions: San Francisco, California, 1959; New York, New York, 1963; San Francisco, California, 1965 (2 badges); Bal Harbour, Florida, 1967; Los Angeles, California, 1977
Box 1	Folder 9	SUNA - badges and pin-back buttons	1959
		Member badge (front) Maple Leaf Lodge No. 84, Switchmen's Union of North America, Oelwein, Iowa (back) In Memoriam, Maple Leaf Lodge No. 84, Switchmen's Union of North America, Oelwein, Iowa; Vice-president badge and Delegate badge from 6th Quadrennial Convention, June, 1959; 2 pin-back buttons;
Box 1	Folder 10	SUNA and National Railway Workers' Union of Japan [NRU] buttons	1953-1966
		pin-back and enamel buttons; 3 buttons from the NRU. See collection 6215 P, box 1 folder16, for a photograph of their visit to SUNA headquarters in Buffalo, NY
Box 1	Folder 11	SUNA plate
Box 1	Folder 12	SUNA zippered case
Box 1	Folder 13	UTU Plaque honoring N.P. Speirs on his retirement	1974
		see letter in collection 6215, box 1, folder 10
Box 1	Folder 14	N.P. Speirs stamp; UTU paper weight

Contents

Neil P. Speirs Collection of U.S. Railroad Retirement Board Memorabilia

Collection Number: 6215 MB

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