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 The American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.) was a national federation of labor unions in the United States that continues today as the AFL-CIO. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions eager to provide mutu ...

in February 1909. In 1915, it became the "Railway Employes' Department", and it continued to use the old spelling of

employee Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any other ...

s throughout its existence. By 1925, the department had nine affiliates: * Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees * Brotherhood of Railway Carmen *

International Association of Machinists The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is an AFL–CIO/ CLC trade union representing approx. 646,933 workers as of 2006 in more than 200 industries with most of its membership in the United States and Canada. Or ...

International Brotherhood of Blacksmiths, Drop Forgers, and Helpers The International Brotherhood of Blacksmiths, Drop Forgers and Helpers (IBB&H) was a labor union representing metal workers in the United States and Canada. The union was founded in 1889, as the International Brotherhood of Blacksmiths, initially r ...

International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Shipbuilders, and Helpers The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers (IBB) is a trade union in the United States and Canada. It is for boilermakers and related occupations, and is affiliated with both the AFL–CI ...

* International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers *

International Brotherhood of Stationery Firemen and Oilers The International Brotherhood of Stationary Firemen (IBSF) was an American trade union established in 1898 and affiliated with the American Federation of Labor (AF of L). The union was established as a mechanism for advancing the collective intere ...

* Sheet Metal Workers' International Association * Switchmen's Union of North America In 1926, the

Railway Labor Executives' Association Railway Labor Executives' Association (RLEA) was a federation of rail transport labor unions in the United States and Canada. It was founded in 1926 with the purpose of acting as a legislative lobbying and policy advisory body.Galenson, 1960, p. 5 ...

was founded, a broader organization within which the president of the RED had a single vote.Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1972, p. 4. In 1955, the department became part of the new AFL-CIO.{{cite book , title=Directory of National and International Labor Unions in the United States , date=1957 , publisher=United States Department of Labor , location=Washington, D.C. , url=https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/files/docs/publications/bls/bls_1222_1957.pdf , access-date=18 April 2022 It was dissolved in 1980. In 1990, a new

Transportation Trades Department Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land ( rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, ...

was founded.Abramson, Howard S. "AFL-CIO Creates Transport Trades Unit." ''Journal of Commerce.'' November 17, 1989.

Presidents

:1908: H. B. Perham :1912: Arthur Orlando Wharton :1922: Bert M. Jewell :1946: Fred N. Aten :1951: Michael Fox :1970: James E. Yost

References

Railway labor unions Trade unions established in 1908 Trade unions disestablished in 1980