| Founded | December 1, 1873 |
|---|---|
| Date dissolved | 1969 |
| Merged Into | United Transportation Union |
| Country | United States, Canada |
| Office location | Port Jervis, New York, United States |
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen was one of the railroad unions of the 19th century.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen was founded on December 1, 1873 in Port Jervis, New York by Joshua A. Leach and 10 other Erie Railroad firemen.[1] Initially, insurance benefits were the main incentive for membership, but by the late 19th century "The Brotherhood" had branched out into labor-management relations.
From July 1880 until September 1894, Eugene V. Debs served as Grand Secretary and Treasurer, and / or Editor and Manager of "The Firemen's Magazine." Disillusioned with craft unionism, Debs later went on to found the American Railway Union and the Socialist Party.
The organization changed its name to the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen (BLF & E) after permitting engineers to join its ranks. In 1969, the union merged with the Order of Railway Conductors and Brakemen, the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, and the Switchmen's Union of North America to form the United Transportation Union.