BLET Journal

As an International Officer of the Grand International Auxiliary (GIA), I am frequently asked this question, especially at the annual regional conventions. Perhaps a little history will explain what today’s GIA is all about. The Grand International Auxiliary to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers was formed back in the late 1880s when the spouses of…

I have admitted to a few that, yes, because of my conservative upbringing, for most of my life I voted Republican – not straight ticket, but for the most part, Republican.  My Dad was President of the Texas State Rifle Association, so I grew up with guns, and was a good Presbyterian.  The Republican Party I grew…

A few days ago I received a phone call from a GIA friend.  She told me her husband had been hurt on the job.  She said that her husband at first thought he would be okay but now he wasn’t feeling so good.  He will probably be laid up for quite a while.  When I asked her if she…

 In a departure from the usual information contained in the GIA section of the Journal, I felt compelled to tell you about some folks down in Texas.  While the incident itself is a state issue, the core cause and implications reach nationwide.  Some of the references to political parties may rile a few, but that is not the…

In any fight, the only way to gain support for a cause is from the bottom up.  The more people who know about and support an issue, the broader the base becomes to support a growing cause. Locomotive engineers are faced with a number of issues that are important:  van safety standards, cab conditions, fatigue and rest…

My husband has been a locomotive engineer for 27 years and most of that time he has worked on the road.  All those years of being on the road were hard on him and our family.  The long hours on the road – and staying in less than the greatest hotels – were a part of railroad…