Railway Employes' Department Explained

The Railway Employes' Department (RED) was a semi-autonomous department of the AFL–CIO.

History

The department was founded in 1908, as the Railroad Employes' Department, and was chartered by the American Federation of Labor in February 1909. In 1915, it became the "Railway Employes' Department", and it continued to use the old spelling of employees throughout its existence.^[1] By 1925, the department had nine affiliates:^[2]

• Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees
• Brotherhood of Railway Carmen
• International Association of Machinists
• International Brotherhood of Blacksmiths, Drop Forgers, and Helpers
• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Shipbuilders, and Helpers
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
• International Brotherhood of Stationery Firemen and Oilers
• Sheet Metal Workers' International Association
• Switchmen's Union of North America

In 1926, the Railway Labor Executives' Association was founded, a broader organization within which the president of the RED had a single vote.^[3]

In 1955, the department became part of the new AFL-CIO.^[4] It was dissolved in 1980. In 1990, a new Transportation Trades Department was founded.^[5]

Presidents

1908: Henry B. Perham

1912: Arthur O. Wharton

1922: Bert M. Jewell

1946: Fred N. Aten

1961: Michael Fox

1969: James E. Yost

References

1. Book: Palladino . Grace . Albert . Peter J. . The Samuel Gompers Papers: Progress and reaction in the age of reform, 1909-13 . 1986 . University of Illinois Press.
2. Book: Handbook of American Trade Unions . 1926 . United States Department of Labor . Washington, D.C. . 24 April 2022.
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1972, p. 4.
4. Book: Directory of National and International Labor Unions in the United States . 1957 . United States Department of Labor . Washington, D.C. . 18 April 2022.
5. Abramson, Howard S. "AFL-CIO Creates Transport Trades Unit." Journal of Commerce. November 17, 1989.