1. The BLE was the first union in America and represents all engineers on all class one railroads.
2. By being in the BLE you are supporting the union that is representing your engineer craft.
3. The BLE is a bottom up organization. You have a voice that is heard at the highest level of your union.
4. The BLE direction is mandated by the members, not just a few at the top dictating down to the members.
5. The BLE will never try to eliminate your craft as the UTU did to the fireman, hostler, and brakeman (flagman) crafts.
6. In the BLE, the local chairman is a division officer, who is under the direction of the division members, unlike the other union where the local chairman is not a division officer and is under the direction of the general chairman or international officer. In other words, the BLE local chairman works for you, not someone outside of your division.
7. In the BLE, you get to vote on the engineer agreement. In the UTU-E you get a vote on the eliminated fireman contract.
8. In the BLE, the members can change the constitution between conventions. In the UTU, the members have no right to change the constitution between conventions.
The delegates to the convention vote on changes to the constitution and elect international officers. The BLE delegate, a division officer, is accountable to the division members. The delegate may be instructed by the division members, and is subject to expulsion if the instructions are not followed. The UTU delegate is not a local officer, is not accountable to the local and cannot be forced to follow the members' wishes. UTU delegates vote whichever way they want or whatever way they are told to by their general chairman and/or international officers. The UTU constitution is clear; the delegate works for the UTU politicians, not the membership.
10. In the BLE, members get to vote on whether their union is to merge or affiliate with another labor organization. In the UTU, you will be told what is going to happen. You do not get to vote under their constitution.