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Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division
Founded	July 1887
Location	United States;
Members	36,025 (2014)
Affiliations	International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Website	www.bmwe.org

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWE; later the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, BMWED) is a national union representing the workers who build and maintain the tracks, bridges, buildings and other structures on the railroads of the United States.

History

In July 1887, American labor leader John T Wilson at age 26 founded the organization at Demopolis, Alabama.^[2]^[3] He was also the Grand Lodge President of the organization for 19 years before dying after being shot in the head by his brother.^{[citation needed]}

Wilson met with other section foreman to discuss mutual problems of low wages, the hazards of their work, and the insecurity of their families. They decided to form, the Order of Railroad Trackmen to assist fellow railroad workers in times of sickness and financial trouble.^[4] Once an international union with over 350,000 members in the United States and Canada, automation, the rise of the trucking and airline industries, coupled with railroad mergers have depleted the ranks of the BMWED to under 40,000 members.

In 2004 the BMWE merged with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and consolidated its strength with that of the 1.4-million-member Teamsters Union.^[5] They are in the Teamster Rail Conference along with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.

In April 2024, the BMWE announced its support to fire Norfolk Southern Railway CEO Alan Shaw, who was targeted for removal in an investor-led effort to replace the company's management and several of its directors. CNBC called the union's support of the plan "a significant endorsement in an industry unusually dependent on union support."^[6]

Organized labor is divided on the plan to get rid of Alan Shaw, with BMWE and BLET Teamsters voicing their opposition to Shaw, while AFL-CIO came out in support of Shaw.^[6]

Leadership

Tony Cardwell was elected as President of the BMWED in June 2022, also elected was Staci Moody-Gilbert the first woman Vice President and Reese Saulter the first African American Vice President. ^[7]

Organization

Grand Lodge President

1887: John T Wilson^[8]

1908: A. B. Lowe^[8]

1914: T. H. Gerrey^[8]

1914: A. E. Barker^[8]

1920: E. F. Grable^[8]

1922: Fred Fljozdal^[8]

1940: E. E. Milliman^[8]

1947: T. C. Carroll^[8]

1958: Harold C. Crotty^[8]

1978: Ole M. Berge

1986: Geoffrey Zeh

1990: Mac A. Fleming

2004: Freddie Simpson

2022: Tony Cardwell

BMWE accomplishments

Right of Representation, Rules Agreements, Overtime Pay, Unemployment Benefits, Paid Vacations, Union Shop, Off-Track, Vehicle Accident, Insurance Coverage, Accidental Death, Dismemberment and Loss of Sight Benefits, Job Security, Health Insurance, Checkoff of Dues, Dental Insurance, Bereavement Leave, Protection against Discrimination, Eight-hour day, Retirement Benefits, Sickness benefits, Forty-hour Week, Holiday Pay, Life Insurance, Improved Wage Rates, Travel Time and Away-From-Home Expenses, Jury Duty Pay, Supplemental Sickness Benefits, Early Retiree Major Medical Benefits, Personal Leave

Employe spelling

When the union was started in the late 1800s, employe and employee were both valid spellings. The union has never changed the spelling out of respect for its past.

References

^ US Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. File number 000-062. Report submitted June 18, 2014.
^ Hertel, D.W. (1955). History of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes. Washington D.C.: Ransdell INC. p. 3.
^ History and Structure of the BMWED (PDF). 2006.
^ Hertel, D.W. (1955). History of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes. Washington D.C.: Ransdell INC. p. 3.
^ Staff Reports (26 October 2004). "Rail union approves merger with Teamsters". www.journalstar.com. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2004.
^ ^a ^b Goswami, Rohan (2024-04-25). "Teamsters union endorses activist Ancora in Norfolk Southern proxy fight". CNBC. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
^ "BMWED RAIL TEAMSTER CONVENTION WRAPS WITH MIXED RESULTS". www.tdu.org. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Notable Names in American History. Clifton, New Jersey: James T. White & Company. 1973. p. 557. ISBN 0883710021.