SHEET METAL | A I R | R A I L | T R A N S P O R T A T I O N Transportation Division News International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Volume 49 • Number 3 • March 2017 Ohio Legislative Board holds ‘Right-to-Work is Wrong’ meetings Alumni member celebrates 100th birthday Pictured from left: Retired Local 421 Chairperson Les Hayes, Local 225 S&T Dave Urie, SMART TD Assistant to the President Jeff Brandow, Local 284 S&T Dorothy Gasiorowski-Watts, Alternate State Legislative Director Clyde Whitaker, Assistant State Legislative Direc - tor Ralph Leichliter, Ohio State Senator Kenny Yuko (D - Dist. 25), Auxiliary Lodge 225 President Geralyn Gardner, State Legislative Direc - Robert W. Gillow, a member of Local 1770 in Los Angeles, tor Stu Gardner, Legislative Secretary Jeff Darling and BLET Ohio State Legislative Director Tim Price. See more pictures on page 5. recently turned 100 March 8. He worked as a switchman for Southern Pacific at the Taylor Yard in Glendale, Calif. SMART TD Local 1908 carries the SMART TD banner at parade Continued on page 8 Calling all members: Legislative Members and their families from Local 1908 in Buffalo, N.Y. Action needed NOW! showed off their union pride as they carried a SMART TD banner at Buffalo’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. The parade was held Sunday, March 19. Take one minute to contact your State and Congressional Representatives through the SMART TD Legislative Action Center (LAC) to tell them to DO THEIR JOBS and PRO - TECT AMERICAN WORKERS by voting: NO to Right-to-Work and YES to HR 233- SMART TD attends Railroad Day on Capitol Hill Two-Person Crews! Pictured from left, front row : Government Affairs Associate Erick Sia - haan, Pennsylvania State Legislative Director Paul Pokrowka and Using the LAC online is quick and easy: Local 1418 Legislative Representative David “Isaac” Wright. 2nd row : Just visit the SMART TD website at Georgia State Legislative Director Matt Campbell and Local 340 Pres - www.smart-union.org/td and click on the ident Mike Savage. 3rd Row : Alt. National Legislative Director Greg Legislative Action Center (LAC) button Hynes. Back Row : Virginia State Legislative Director Ronnie Hobbs located at the bottom right of the page. and Kansas State Legislative Director Ty Dragoo. Not pictured : National Legislative Director John Risch, Illinois State Legislative Or, access the LAC directly at: Director Bob Guy and Local 816 Legislative Representative Bill http://www.congressweb.com/smart_tr ansportation Seltzer. Photo credit : Assistant Chief of Staff Jenny Miller. At the LAC, you can also learn about the issues, see the voting record of your repre - The SMART TD National Legislative Office assem - sentatives and you can send emails direct - bled a team of state legislative directors to attend ly to your reps. Remember, they work for Railroad Day on Capitol Hill, March 2. you – they work for us! Attendees met with their state congressional leaders Your voice matters, and our collective voic - to put forth their goals. Two-person crew legislation es are stronger than any corporate agen - and right-to-work were at the top of the list of topics da. We must work to protect our union and that were discussed. safeguard labor rights for SMART TD and The American Short Line and Regional Railroad all workers. Association (ASLRRA) reported that the event had a record number of attendees with 367 congressional offices hosting meetings for 456 visitors. Send your submissions to SMART Transportation Division by emailing: [email protected] Inside this issue of SMART Transportation Division News : Local 1626 asks for your Around the Corner - com - Regional Meeting regis - New Alumni Association help in members’ time of ing soon to SMART TD tration form. Chapter opens in Delaware. need. See page 2. website. See page 3. See pages 6 & 7. See page 8. Page 2 March 2017 SMART TD News Around the SMART TD Local 234, Bloomington, Ill. Chairperson JD Whitaker . “A great time was Local 1626 asks for your help had by all who participated in this event on the beautiful backdrop of the Ashley River.” in members’ time of need Local 1393, Buffalo, N.Y. Pictured from left: Legislative Representative Brian Hagele, Illinois State Legislative Director Bob Guy, Retired Local President Russ Heisel, Vice President Glen Kennedy and Local Chairperson Ryan Bushue. Local 234 honored Local President Russ Heisel with a brass lantern upon his retirement Pictured from left are Vice Local Chairperson Dan Dewald, Secretary & Treasurer Mike Eddy, Local President Jeff Marx, Twelve-year-old Lucas Dinsmore, son of Local 1626 during a December 2016 local meeting. Broth - member TJ Dinsmore, is being treated for Lymphoma er Heisel has been a member of the local since Former Local Secretary Martin McMahon, Local Chairper - son Bob Kuzara, Local Chairperson Mike Wyant and Vice for the second time. The Dinsmores lost an older son to he hired out in 1974 and has held an elected Leukemia when Lucas was 15 months old. position nearly the entire time. Local Chairperson Derek Rhode. Local 240, Los Angeles Local President Jeff Marx reported that at Local 1626 President Vern Gillis wrote the following plea for help on behalf of Local Chairperson Harry Garvin reported that Local 1393’s December meeting a brass Brother Dinsmore and his family. Local 240 will hold their 17th Annual Rail Clas - lantern was presented to former Local Secre - sic, a golf tournament for railroaders, Monday, tary Martin McMahon upon his retirement. “As we get older we start being able to May 22, 2017, at the Sierra Lakes Golf Course McMahon had 42 years of service with the rail - put all things into perspective. What I at 1 p.m. with a four-person scramble shotgun road, many of which he spent as a union offi - know for sure is that family is not just an start. The Sierra Lakes Golf Club is located at cer. He plans to stay busy in his retirement by important thing, it’s everything. For us 16600 Clubhouse Dr., Fontana, CA 92336. performing duties as Justice of the Peace in wage-earners we soldier on every day for his hometown of Colden, N.Y. the sake of our families, we work hard to The cost to attend is $75 per person and provide all the love, health and wealth we includes golf, a Tri-Tip Bar-B-Q Banquet and “Martin has helped many a new hire over the can manage. When one of our union prizes. Friends and relatives are welcome. At years and is honored by all,” Marx said. brothers or sisters is suffering, it affects least one member of your golf foursome us all. must be a railroader. In Memoriam... “The Alaska Railroad Local 1626 has a Reservations can be made by calling Garvin at Local 265, Pocatello, Idaho long-standing tradition of taking care of 909-481-7261 or 909-261-8878 , or by email at its members and now we are reaching [email protected] . Please remit payment and Local 265 retired member Jeffery L. Mason , out to you to help us in a time of profound reservations by April 28 to: Harry J. Garvin Jr., 63, died Jan. 7, 2017. He hired out in 1977 and need. TJ Dinsmore is a third-generation P.O. Box 8296, Alta Loma, CA 91701. held the positions of brakeman and conductor railroader whose son Lucas, now 12- Local 367, Omaha, Neb. for Union Pacific Railroad. years-old, was diagnosed with lym - phoma at the age of 5. Lucas was treated The local’s annual SMART Day at the Races Mason served his local as president. He was and appeared cancer-free until August will be held April 21 at 3:00 p.m. at Fonner remembered as being a hard worker both on 2016. Park in Grand Island, Neb. Rich Mohr report - the job and for the union. Mason is survived by two sons, Matt and Mike Mason. SMART TD “Leukemia has already devastated this ed that this is the eighth year that the local is family as Lucas’ older brother died in holding this event. Members from all over the extends condolences to Mason’s family, friends and local. 2004 after losing his battle to the disease. country are invited to attend. SMART TD Local TJ’s family knows what it means to deal 7 in North Platte, Neb. is donating this year’s Local 1221, Tampa, Fla. with indescribable emotional and finan - race blanket. cial pain. Bernard Hower , 88, died Feb. 12. He hired There is free seating in the clubhouse avail - out in 1957 and spent the next 35 years as a “Local 1626 has been showing support able to all guests who RSVP. Food and drinks conductor for CSX. and compassion for the family as best we will be provided. A special room rate is avail - can through these tough times: through Hower is survived by his wife of 66 years, Liz; able at the Hotel Grand Conference Center by visits, fundraising efforts, vacation-time children Dan, Rev. Robert, John, Peggy Mur - calling 308-384-1330 and asking for the donations and anything else we can think ray; 10 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; SMART or UTU rate. of to help. brother Ralph; and numerous cousins, nieces For more information or to RSVP, contact Cliff and nephews. He was preceded in death by “We’ve generated support in non-tradi - Gordon at 308-530-5766 or by email at cgor - his parents and one brother, Paul. tional ways, too. Recently, our members [email protected] ; or contact Richard unanimously voted to donate a sizeable Memorial contributions may be made to Tam - Mohr at 308-539-6620 or by email at rmohru - amount of money to Lucas’ family after pa Lighthouse for the Blind, 1106 West Platt [email protected] .