Volume 36 October 2004 Number 10 www.utuia.org www.utu.org The Official Publication of the United Transportation Union UTUUTU supportssupports Kerry/EdwardsKerry/Edwards CastCast youryour votevote Nov.Nov. 22 NewsNews && NotesNotes Soo Line strike in 1994 Alex drivers okay pact LUBBOCK, Texas – Alex Transportation driv- helped forge labor unity ers represented by Local 1697 in Lubbock have MINNEAPOLIS – “The lesson to be 1994, defied their BLE International’s orders to overwhelmingly ratified a new contract giving them a 9 percent wage increase over the next learned from strikes against employers is the cross the UTU picket lines and remained in three years, according to UTU International lesson of unity – that to avoid being defeated, solidarity with their UTU brothers and sisters. Vice President and Bus Department Director we must present a solid bulwark with a com- Some of the engineers recalled that then- Roy Arnold. mon faith and a common goal,” said UTU BLE President Ron McLaughlin was termed The new contract, affecting drivers working in International President Paul Thompson. “King Scab” for his order that engineers cross Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma, also delivers bet- Thompson’s remarks were made at a cele- the UTU picket lines. Indeed, Transportation ter vacation benefits as well as improved con- bration here Sunday, Sept. 12, marking the Communications Union President Robert tract language, Arnold said. 10th anniversary of a successful strike against Scardelletti, himself shocked at McLaughlin’s “Special thanks go out to Local Chairperson Canadian Pacific’s Soo order, instructed TCU Carl Dumas, Secretary Patty Rhodes and Alter- Line Railroad subsidiary. members to display “sol- nate Vice President-Bus-West Robert Gonzalez That 47-day strike in UTU strike was marred idarity” with UTU for a job well done,” Arnold said. 1994, involving 1,100 when BLE ordered members. Meanwhile, Arnold said Alex Transportation UTU train service mem- “Those of you who drivers in Local 113 (Winslow, Ariz.), Local 1697 (Lubbock, Texas) and Local 1846 (West bers – marred briefly by members to cross lines were here during that Colton, Calif.) will become members of newly the Brotherhood of time, regardless of created Local 1731 in Spokane, Wash. “This is Locomotive Engineers’ which organization you a first step in helping these members become order that engineers cross UTU picket lines belong to or which craft you work in, recognize stronger under one local,” Arnold said. and join scab operating crews – resulted in a that it was your efforts and support that helped favorable Presidential Emergency Board report the UTU succeed,” Thompson said. “The UTU prevails on SEPTA and subsequent settlement along the lines of UTU appreciates the support we received. the PEB recommendations. Without it, we could not have done it alone.” PHILADELPHIA – A tentative agreement has been reached between the Southeastern Penn- “Had the UTU not been successful, there The strike against the Soo Line, which sylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and would have been a movement to destroy the serves 11 Midwest states over some 5,000 miles conductors represented by the UTU. remainder of rail labor,” Thompson told of track, began in July 1994 following some six The agreement resolves the matter of longevi- dozens of UTU members who were joined by years of fruitless negotiations with the Soo ty pay in favor of the UTU. “The agreement is brothers and sisters from other crafts. Those an important recognition by SEPTA that the pay other crafts included engineers who, back in Continued on page 10 of conductors and engineers is wed together,” said UTU International Vice President Bruce Wigent, who assisted UTU Local 61 General Chairperson Ralph Vazquez in the negotiations. The tentative agreement, which must be rati- UTU protests Members support fied by conductors and assistant conductors, as well as by SEPTA’s board of directors, came as a new NMB rules Kerry/Edwards second Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) was considering the last, final offers of the two WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United Four UTU leaders, who served as dele- parties. The dispute began after SEPTA agreed Transportation Union has taken the leader- gates to the Democratic National Conven- to provide engineers, represented by the Broth- ship role among rail labor unions to protest erhood of Locomotive Engineers, with longevity tion, shared with the UTU News their rea- new rules proposed by the National Mediation pay, but declined to extend the same pattern to sons for supporting the John Kerry/John UTU-represented conductors. Board (NMB) that would establish a fee sched- ule for arbitration services, require adherence Edwards ticket Nov. 2: to a time schedule for referees in order to be Wayne Reese, UTU Local 28 legisla- UTU gets airfare discounts paid with government funds, and grant the tive representative, Cheyenne, Wyo.: The UTU has negotiated discount airfares NMB’s director of arbitration services authori- “There is a philosophical difference with Northwest Airlines and Continental Air- ty to consolidate cases. between Bush and John Kerry. Bush thinks lines for its 2005 regional meetings in Anchor- In certain circumstances, unions could be age, Alaska, and Orlando, Fla. To make reser- the economy will do better when businesses vations on either airline, call the Northwest required to pick up the cost of arbitration. profit, but Kerry thinks the economy will do Airline Meeting Reservation Department at The proposed rules could adversely affect better if people profit, if they have money to (800) 328-1111. Please refer to WorldFile Tick- efficient administration of the National Rail- spend. Kerry would try to make sure that et Designator number “NM52A” for the road Adjustment Board, public law boards and people have jobs with wages they can live Anchorage meeting and “NM52B” for the special boards of adjustment – all of which are on. The Democratic emphasis is on people; Orlando meeting. The Anchorage meeting will crucial to equitable grievance handling. the Republican emphasis is on profit. That’s be held June 13-15 while the Orlando meeting what it comes down to.” will be held July 18-20. Watch the UTU News The proposed rules, said the UTU, could and UTU website (www.utu.org) for details. Continued on page 10 Continued on page 10 Around the UTU News from around the U.S. and Canada Local 23, Santa Cruz, Calif. Local 1252, Fresno, Calif. Members employed by the Santa Cruz Met- Members of this BNSF local are reminded ropolitan Transit District recently sponsored that regular meetings are held at 9 a.m. on a dinner to honor retirees, including 70-year- the 15th of each month at Marie Callender’s old Aurelio Preciado, Chris Bridinger and Restaurant, said retired member Don Hef- Patrick McCalmort, said General Chairper- fernan, and the local has a website with news son Bonnie Morr, who noted Brother Preci- items and other useful information and links ado was not the oldest to retire from the tran- at www.utu1252.org. Heffernan also noted sit system. That honor may have belonged to the death of retired conductor Ted E. Sher- bus operator Everette Wehe, who retired at rill, 88, a WWII Air Force veteran who flew age 83 after 29 years with the transit agency. B-29s over Japan and survived a crash while returning from a mission. Brother Sherrill Local 300, Philadelphia, Pa. worked on the Western Pacific and the Member Gary Galvin, secretary of Amtrak Legislative Representative Daniel Cicuto (left) of Local 1421, Franklin Park, Ill., accepts a plaque at the region- Chicago, Burlington & Quincy before set- General Committee of Adjustment GO-769 tling on the Santa Fe for 38 years. and mayor of Downington, Pa., spoke as the al meeting in Reno, Nev., in June 2004 from UTU special guest of Pennsylvania Gov. Edward International President Paul C. Thompson honoring the local’s members for their contributions to the UTU’s polit- Local 1389, Russell, Ky. G. Rendell at the Philadelphia news confer- ical action committee, UTU PAC. A member of this CSXT local, Bruce ence marking the reinvigorated plan to bring Workman, recently won a heavyweight-divi- faster, safer and more frequent passenger sion bout in Challenge 5 of the Kentucky train service to the Keystone Corridor Local reigns as Fighting Challenge, a mixed martial arts between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, State event drawing on such disciplines as Legislative Director Don Dunlevy said. leader of the PAC wrestling, boxing, kickboxing, submission Galvin said the initiative will result in rede- At a UTU regional meeting in 1999, the leg- grappling and other hand-to-hand combat velopment opportunities, cut 30 minutes off islative representative of Local 1421, Franklin styles. Information about the sport can be the Harrisburg-to-Philadelphia and Harris- Park, Ill., accepted a plaque honoring the local as found at www.kyfight.com. burg-to-New York City trips, and increase the top contributor, per member per month, to service from nine trains a day to 13 in each the union’s political action committee. The Local 1440, Staten Island, N.Y. direction. scene was repeated in 2000 and in 2001. Like- Members of this Long Island Rail Road wise, in 2002, the local again took first place, as local recently held their first blood drive, said Local 577, Northlake, Ill. it did in 2003. And at the regional meeting in Secretary Kevin J. Hughes. The event was a Nearly 100 people attended this Union Pa- Reno, Nev., in 2004, Legislative Representative great success, leading to plans for another in cific/Metra local’s annual Labor Day family Dan Cicuto collected yet another first-place the near future. Thanks are forwarded to all picnic, said Legislative Representative plaque for the local. those who donated their time and caring, Robert B.