Volume 4 0 October 2008 N u m b e r 1 0 www.utuia.org www.utu.org The Official Publication of the United Transportation Union Which candidate earned your vote? See the list of UTU-endorsed candidates inside Vote your paycheck; vote for Barack Obama If you don’t look out for your paycheck, who For two decades, Barack Obama has walked the FELA and and push for a fair process to receive will? walk in the Illinois senate and the U.S. Senate on and maintain a commercial driver’s license. My It won’t be your employer and it won’t be your behalf of working families. administration will push for Amtrak, commuter neighbor. By contrast, John McCain has said publicly rail, and public transit system funding, ensuring And while the UTU certainly fights for your that the right to unionize “is class war- strong employment levels well into the job security, better wages, improved benefits and fare.” Unlike Barack Obama, John future. safe working conditions, unions can’t do it alone McCain opposes “Buy America” “I am proud to stand with the – especially if the president of the United States provisions in legislation, and UTU in our joint efforts to is an avowed labor-union hater. McCain voted in the Senate build an America that values There is a choice on Election Day – and it is a to gut rail and transit bar- the labor of every Ameri- clear choice between voting for our paychecks or gaining rights, and in favor can and rewards it with a voting against them. of opening the U.S. bor- few basic guarantees – der to Mexican operated wages that can raise a fam- As Mike Owens, a Brotherhood of Railroad trucks, buses and locomo- ily, health care if we get Signalmen general chairperson says, “We can’t tives. McCain consistent- sick, and a retirement keep complaining about agreements that are ly has spoken and voted that’s dignified,” Obama lousy and continue to vote for people who stick against funding for mass wrote. it to us.” transit. A vote on Election Day for Owens, along with other brothers and sisters A vote for John McCain Barack Obama is a vote for a from Illinois – members of the BMWED, means eight-more years of president committed to improving B L E T, BRS and UTU – know Barack Obama appointing anti-union federal judges, the lives of working families. It is a from Obama’s service regulators and vote for our paychecks during a time when in the Illinois state arbitrators – individuals too many American families are losing their pay- senate. They made a who, in word and deed, checks, losing their health care insurance and video to tell their sto- view labor unions as an losing their union representation. r y, and it can be evil to be eradicated. The change Barack Obama supports is a viewed at www. u t u . o r g Under eight years of the change from eight dreadful years under the Bush by clicking on the Bush administration, administration and policies that John McCain Obama photo. we have been witness to has pledged to continue if elected. Retired UTU Illinois the disappearance of Assistant State Legislative Director John Burner tens of thousands of good paying jobs, an even If we don’t vote for our paychecks on Election says, “Every issue rail labor brought forward in greater elimination of health care benefits, and a Day, you can be sure nobody else will. That, pure the Illinois Senate, Barack supported. He had a non-stop assault on worker rights and workplace and simple, is why working families should vote 100-percent AFL-CIO and UTU voting record.” s a f e t y. for Barack Obama. That record includes support for two-person In a letter to UTU International President For more information on the contrasts crews, additional mass transit funding, labor pro- Mike Futhey, Barack Obama pledged to “pre- between Barack Obama and John McCain, visit tection, and workplace safety laws and regulations. serve the sanctity of Railroad Retirement and www.utu.org. News and Notes Rail safety, Amtrak bills poised to become law Two members dead in accidents The House has passed, and, as the UTU News Additionally, the safety bill provides for a went to press, the Senate was poised to pass, the reduction in limbo time, and requires at least two Two UTU members, UP conductor Larry most comprehensive rail safety bill in more than 30 days off following each six-day work week. “Bennie” Williams, 53, of Oklahoma City years – the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. and CSX conductor Tom Oliphant, 46, of It had appeared the safety bill was dead as Philadelphia, were killed recently in separate Included in the bill is a separate congressional Congress prepared to adjourn for the November incidents. blueprint to protect Amtrak and expand interci- elections. Then came a crash between a Los Williams, of Local 1016, Enid, Okla., was ty rail passenger service – the Passenger Rail Angeles Metrolink commuter train and a Union one of two UP crewmen killed Aug. 29 when Investment and Improvement Act of 2008. Pacific freight train, killing 25, which the feder- their 76-car train, enroute from Wichita, To keep up to date on the bill’s status – and to al railroad administrator said would have been Kans., to Fort Worth, struck a loaded propane download and read the entire bill – visit prevented had PTC been in use. Immediately, tank truck. www.utu.org. Congress was re-energized to move the dormant The second crewmen was identified as The safety bill provides for certification of rail rail safety bill. Richard Pandarvis, the engineer. Williams As for the Amtrak portion of the bill, it does and Pandarvis were pronounced dead at the conductors, along with a minimum training requirement. not appropriate funds – something that must be scene. The truck driver died a few days later. done in separate legislation – but does encour- Oliphant, of Local 1373, Philadelphia, was It also includes a prohibition against carriers interfering with medical treatment of injured age a five-year cumulative $13.1-billion federal killed Sept. 24. He reportedly got off his train subsidy to Amtrak. The funds would help and began to walk back to tie off brakes. He employees, a mandate to install positive train was struck from behind by a train while walking control (PTC), and incentives for carriers to improve service along the Northeast Corridor on the adjacent track. He was pronounced dead install electronically controlled pneumatic between Washington, D.C., and Boston, and at the scene, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. (ECP) brakes and switch position indicators. Continued on page 10 Page 2 October 2008 UTU News Local 30, Jacksonville, Fla. supporters of Barack Obama and John McCain. Secretary & Treasurer David K. Lee reported Risch represented the Obama camp, while that three members of this local recently retired Republican Bismarck legislator Ron Carlisle and that their fellow members wish them the represented McCain. “I plan on being cordial to very best. Former Local Trustee Elvert M. Jones my opponent, but hard on McCain,” said Risch, retired May 31 with 38 years of railroad service; prior to the event. Steven L. Lord retired June 31 with 35 years of Local 1525, Carbondale, Ill. railroad service; and, Luther A. Belcher retired With only 150 members, Local 1525 is far from July 11 with 18 years of railroad service. the biggest local in Illinois, but thanks to Ken Local 471, Eugene, Ore. Niebur, it is one of the most generous. Niebur, a Local Chairperson Greg Boam reported that 59-year old Amtrak conductor who has never retired Southern Pacific/Union Pacific conduc- held a union position, decided on his own to be a Amtrak conductor Richard A. Morris completed a UTU PAC fundraiser. Since he started‚ monthly tor Roger Nash, who hired out in 1971, passed 56-mile “ultra-marathon” in fewer than 12 hours. away in August at the age of 61, and retired contributions to UTU PAC jumped 30 percent brakeman/conductor Sam Bashor passed away in the last six months. “Ken gets it,” State Leg- at age 83. ‘Marathon Man’ islative Director Joe Szabo said. “He decided to An Amtrak train trip from Richmond, Va . , do it himself when he saw how important the Illi- Local 872, Omaha, Neb. to Washington, D.C., is about 118 miles and nois General Assembly and the U.S. Congress UTU Assistant President Arty Martin was hon- takes about three hours. But how long would are to making sure railroad workers have the right ored by the mayor of Omaha in a Labor Day it take someone on foot? Statistically speak- kind of wages, benefits and job security. Our parade there attended by some 30,000, and ing, Amtrak conductor Richard A. Morris union needs dozens more just like him.” including more than 75 floats and 1,000 partici- could finish the journey – a trip he makes pants. Although most labor organizations repre- every other day – in fewer than 24 hours. Local 1594, Upper Darby, Pa. senting workers in the Omaha area participated, On June 15, Morris and running partner Members of this SEPTA bus local participated the UTU’s Martin was singled out for the special Philip Gibrall finished the grueling, 56-mile in the 19th annual bike-a-thon for the American honor. An official proclamation from the mayor Comrades Marathon in the Kwazulu-Natal Cancer Society this summer to raise money for was presented, declaring Sept. 1, 2008, as Province of South Africa in less than 11 cancer research, Local Chairperson Ron Koran “Arthur ‘Arty’ Martin Labor Day.” hours and 25 minutes.