Volume 38 October 2006 Number 10 www.utuia.org www.utu.org The Official Publication of the United Transportation Union THE VOICE OF TRANSPORTATION LABOR “If we are to walk a common path to a bright future, we must exercise our power at the ballot box and help to elect labor-friendly members to Congress.” – UTU International President Paul Thompson Your job + your family + your future = YOUR VOTE. Support the candidates who support you! NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE Help yourselves: Support The national-agreement negotiating teams from the UTU and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen labor-friendly candidates met jointly last month with the National Car- riers’ Conference Committee, which repre- Congressional elections have direct conse- •Export of jobs; sents most of the major railroads and many quences for each of us and our families. •Weakening of laws that protect workers’ smaller ones. This Election Day, Nov. 7, is going to be a rights to organize. test for labor. Those who control the new Con- “This was an unprecedented show of In the centerspread of this issue of UTU gress seated in 2007 will have a direct influ- operating-craft solidarity,” said UTU Inter- News is a listing of labor-friendly candidates as ence on our job security, our health care, our national President Paul Thompson, who sat determined by UTU state legislative directors pensions and our workplace safety. beside BLET President Don Hahs, while and our national legislative office. The list is other members of the UTU and BLET nego- If working families unite to vote for labor- bi-partisan. The UTU supports its friends in tiating teams sat interspersed for the talks friendly candidates, we can begin to reverse a both political parties. with the carriers. legislative course that has adversely affected every working family in America. “Congress should work for all Americans, Thompson termed the session “suffi- not just the wealthy,” said UTU National Leg- However, we cannot accomplish that ciently productive to have caused us to islative Director James Brunkenhoefer. “Work- change in direction unless labor families vote, schedule a second joint UTU/BLET ing families deserve a Congress that builds vote for labor-friendly candidates, and encour- negotiating session with the carriers for opportunity and prosperity for all. October.” age friends and neighbors similarly to cast bal- lots for labor-friendly candidates. “Inflation-adjusted working-family income The current congressional leadership has has been declining since 2001 as executive demonstrated itself to be anti-union. The Sen- compensation has soared. Pension plans have ate, for example, has consistently confirmed been collapsing. And tens of millions of fami- NewsNews && NotesNotes anti-union federal judges and regulators, while lies have no health-care insurance. both the House of Representatives and the “We can be sure that carrier executives and Senate have embraced legislation harmful to their families and friends will be going to the working families. polls to re-elect their friends. Regional meeting dates Consider some of the policies embraced by “Unless working families vote, and vote for The dates and locations for the UTU’s 2007 the current congressional leadership: labor-friendly candidates, we are going to face a regional meetings and quadrennial convention •Tax cuts for corporations and the rich; Congress more committed than ever to destroy- have been finalized. •Privatization of Amtrak and the Social ing labor unions and the quality of life of work- The regional meetings will be held June Security System; ing families.” 11–13 at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo., and July 16–18 at the Hilton in downtown Pittsburgh, Pa. The tenth convention of the union will be held Monday to Friday, Aug. 13–17, at the New Amtrak head UTU supports Westin Diplomat Resort and Spa, 3555 South Ocean Dr., Hollywood, Fla. faces problems labor memorial Convention room reservations will be made through the UTU. Delegates will receive more Amtrak’s revolving-door presidency has GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Seventeen detailed information within the next few ousted interim president David Hughes and engraved bricks recognizing the United Trans- months. replaced him with 46-year-old Alexander portation Union will be part of a $1.3-million Watch the UTU News and the UTU Web site Kummant. labor memorial here. (www.utu.org) for more details as they become Hughes succeeded David Gunn, who was The Spirit of Solidarity available. fired by the Amtrak board in November 2005. memorial includes a plaque Kummant arrives as contract-renewal nego- honoring labor leader tiations with Amtrak’s unions are in their sev- Eugene V. Debs, a founder of Amtrak seeks addresses a UTU predecessor union. Amtrak will be holding its annual benefits enth year, and handling of Amtrak trains by open enrollment between Oct. 23 and Nov. 10. freight railroads continues to be rated as poor. The Spirit of Solidarity Amtrak employees wishing to receive important Unlike Gunn – and previous Amtrak presi- memorial is being construct- ed at the entrance to the information regarding their 2007 medical, den- dents George Warrington and Tom Downs – Debs tal, prescription, life insurance and flexible Kummant does not arrive with a Northeast Gerald R. Ford Presidential spending accounts should ensure their residen- transit background. He has limited freight Library and Museum. Ford and United Auto tial address is up to date with Amtrak. railroad experience at Union Pacific, but most Workers President Owen Bieber are co-chair- Amtrak employees needing to update their of his career has been outside the railroad persons of the Spirit of Solidarity. address on file with the carrier should contact industry. The engraved bricks, representing and pur- their local human resources office or call the chased by UTU locals and members, will be Amtrak Benefits Service Center directly at Kummant has held seven separate jobs with (800) 481-4887. Continued on page 10 Continued on page 10 Around the UTU News from around the U.S. and Canada Local 1, Buffalo, N.Y. Members of this local, which represents employees of Conrail, CSXT and East Erie Stroke reveals Commercial Railroad, are mourning the recent death of CSXT Local Chairperson folly of 1- person Joseph M. Kozma. The 59-year-old was a UTU member for 27 years. crew proposal Local 196, Beardstown, Ill. Add John Hasenauer to the long and grow- The members of this BNSF Railway local ing list of those who know from experience that now have their own Web site featuring pool one-person rail crew operations are a bad idea checks, copies of agreements, links to other whose time should never come. UTU locals, updates on safety meetings, An FRA working group on collision avoid- links to BNSF resources, a roster of important A near-tragic experience recently convinced John Hase- phone numbers and a message board. View ance, which includes representatives of labor, nauer, a Union Pacific conductor and member of Local the site at www.utu196.com. carriers and the FRA, recommends two sets of 286 in North Platte, Neb., that proposed one-person eyes and ears in the cabs of all trains. Brother crews are an invitation to disaster. Local 243, Fort Worth, Texas Hasenauer recently learned why while working Members of this Union Pacific local are as a conductor aboard one of Union Pacific’s fast “Z” trains heading from North Platte to Fremont, Neb. mourning the death of Local President “This train, which was hauling hazardous materials, runs as fast as 70 mph and was about a mile- Gene Reynolds, 56, who succumbed to pan- and-a-quarter long,” said Hasenauer, who serves as secretary, treasurer and delegate of Local 286 in creatic cancer on Sept. 23. A locomotive North Platte. “It would take a mile or two to stop under the best of circumstances.” engineer, Reynolds began his career as a As the train departed North Platte, Hasenauer’s engineer “began to have some serious health switchman on the Missouri Pacific in Octo- problems, starting with a headache and quickly progressing to a loss of feeling in his left arm and leg ber 1979. He served as a UTU organizer and and disorientation.” UTUIA assistant field supervisor, and held It was later determined the engineer was suffering a stroke. “He had difficulty writing job data in the post of local president for four consecu- his time book, as well as following slow-speed restrictions where rail gangs were performing track tive terms. He is survived by a son and two work. He just couldn’t focus on handling the train. With coaching from me, he was able to slow grandchildren. down as required, but I had to keep assisting him and reminding him to blow the horn for public crossings.” Local 643, Kohoka, Mo. Convinced the symptoms pointed to a life-threatening condition, Hasenauer urged the engineer A retired member of this BNSF Railway to phone the dispatcher. The engineer tried calling, but couldn’t dial the number. Hasenauer got the local, Virgil R. Lindberg, was the guest of dispatcher on the line and handed the phone to the engineer. “His speech became garbled, and he honor last month when the Minerville couldn’t communicate, so I took the phone, explained the situation and advised the dispatcher we’d Country Village Museum hosted its annu- be stopping where we could meet with help,” Hasenauer said. al Railroad Days celebration, which “By now, this normally very professional engineer was so upset and disoriented, he asked me to marked the 80th birthday of the museum’s take over and bring the train to a safe stop,” said Hasenauer. CB&Q #507 Doodlebug, as well as Broth- er Lindberg’s 80th birthday (which actual- “To say the least, this was all a bit unnerving for a crew of two,” Hasenauer said.