Thirteen Michigan Central Railroad engineers meet at the home of William D. Robinson of Marshall, Michigan, to discuss unjust pay cuts and other workplace grievances. They craft a plan for a Protective Association and put out a call for a general meeting. Engineers from five Michigan railroads gather in Detroit and, on May 8, 1863, form the Brotherhood of the Footboard. The name would change one year later to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, and again in 2004, to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen — the oldest labor organization in North America.

LE&CMPA President, H.L. Fidler, an original incorporator of the Association, enters the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1891, as a fireman, and after two years takes his promotion to engineer. He belongs to Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Division 79, Columbus, and Division 11, Indianapolis, and for fifteen years serves as general secretary and treasurer of the general committee of adjustment, Pennsylvania Lines West of Pittsburgh. President Harding appoints Fidler to the Federal Board for Vocational Education.

July 10, 1910 – Oct. 9,1934

Michigan authorizes Locomotive Engineers’ Mutual Protective Association to conduct business as a co-operative assessment insurer.

July 26

At the second members meeting, the Association adds conductors to its name, becoming the Locomotive Engineers & Conductors Mutual Protective Association.

July 23

Officers of the Association report income of $16,518.85, and claims totaling $11,914.31 at the third members meeting; a loss ratio of 72 percent. Membership stands at 1,673.

June 5

The Eight-Hour Day becomes law. In December of 1915, the railroad operating craft brotherhoods — BLE, BLF&E, ORC, BRT, and SUNA — demand an eight-hour day and inaugurate the greatest “United We Stand” concerted movement in the history of railroad labor. On July 1, 1916, the chief executives and general chairmen of the brotherhoods meet with the National Conference Committee of the railroad managers in New York City. Fifteen days of talks yield no movement. To avert a strike, President Wilson appears before a joint session of Congress and advocates speedy passage of the Adamson Act.

September 2

The Watson-Parker Bill, officially known as the Railway Labor Act, passes the House and Senate and is signed by President Coolidge. The law favors bargaining, mediation and arbitration
and seeks to avoid work stoppages. It still governs labor relations in the railroad and airline industries.

May 20

The Association’s Board raises policy limit for suspension or discharge to $1,000.

The Pilot reports members who go into any military service can have their policies furloughed and reinstated at the end of service without loss of policy seniority.

November

The Pilot reports increases in membership due to more severe discipline.

July

Brotherhoods Mutual Benefit of Detroit, known for offering railroad members the highest daily benefit, merges with LE&CMPA.

September 9

The Rifkind Commission issues recommendations affecting the railroad operating crafts: mandatory retirement at age 65; elimination of locomotive firemen; forced arbitration of train crew size disputes; introduction of technological changes without limitation; elimination of all arbitraries and special allowances, the dual basis of pay, and the speed basis of overtime; new wage structures; and many other radical ideas that depart from long-established industry norms and practices.

February

Due to heavy claims, the Association’s dividend is reduced to 5 percent. Dividends paid annually since 1949 return an average of 10.7 percent to members.

Congress passes the Staggers Rail Act, significantly deregulating American railroads. More than 100,000 miles of track are soon abandoned, leaving tens of thousands of railroad workers out of work, dislocated, and without labor protections.

Clarence Schaffner retires after serving as Association president for more than 35 years. Our longest-serving president, he was first appointed on October 10, 1945.

December 28, 1980

In its 75th year of business, the Association reports a surplus of $2,509,589.

October 8, 1985

President William Davis files with the State Insurance Commissioner to expand member coverage to 365 days at no extra cost, effective
April 1, 1998.

March

United Transportation Union members vote six-to-one in favor of a merger with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. The following December, BLE members vote 17,251-to-7,425 against.

October

LECMPA membership peaks at 33,000.

The Association continues to foster membership among UPS employees. UPS Driver Gilbert Clark of St. Louis, Missouri, is named Trucking/Logistics/UPS Marketing Director.

March 1

SMART TD and BLET unite to save road conductors’ jobs.

Published in November of 2022, LECMPA’s 2021 Annual Report carries news of a September 1st rate reduction for all railroad members and an accompanying upgrade to 365 discipline days for railroad members who carry the Nos. 12 or 16 policies. 

We reduce rates for Rail Operating Craft members by 25%. Rail Non-Operating Crafts, whose rates are priced lower, fall an additional 12%.

September 1