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UTU News.July-August2007 News and Notes
39
The Official Publication of the United Transportation Union
Continued on page 10
Continued on page 10
N u m b e r 7 / 8
with considerable new bargaining, political
and financial strength, Thompson said.
The role of a union is to obtain for its mem-
bers job security and better wages, benefits and
working conditions. To do so successfully, a
union must have resources. That is the core
purpose of our merger creating SMART.
Thompson explained how the railroads
envisioned perfect storm an anti-labor
White House, anti-labor conservatives in con-
trol of Congress, and a rigged carrier-favorable
presidential emergency board would deliver
to them all they sought in national handling.
But unlike the perfect storm BNSFs Matt
Rose predicted, anti-labor conservatives no
longer control Congress. You helped to change
that last November at the ballot box.
Labors best friends now control Congress
and key congressional committees, Thompson
said. Together, they have worked with us to
write the toughest rail-safety bill in 30 years. But
this does not mean we have a Cracker Jack box
An organization is born!
Volume
July/August 2007
3 UTU members killed
Three UTU members,
Christopher Blackburn,
Daniel Riels and Gregory Bradley, were killed in
recent accidents.
Blackburn, 37, a BNSF conductor and mem-
ber of Local 771 at Needles, Calif., was killed
July 7 in an industrial-switching accident at
Berry, Ariz., near Kingman.
Riels, 46, a member of Local 339 in Jackson,
Tenn., was killed in an Illinois Central yard-
switching accident in Fulton, Ky., July 27.
Bradley, 35, a bus driver for the LACMTA and
member of Local 1564 in Los Angeles, was killed
July 26 when a large SUV sped through a red
light and crashed into his bus, ejecting him from
the huge vehicle and pinning him beneath.
According to reports, Blackburn was riding the
point of a string of covered hopper cars being
pushed into a siding. Somehow he ended up
beneath the wheels of the second car. He died in
the helicopter enroute to the hospital.
Riels reportedly was run over and pinned
beneath a rail car and suffered what were termed
fatal crushing injuries. His brother was working
nearby and was one of the first to respond to his
call for assistance. It took emergency responders
almost two hours to extract him from the rigging
while he remained conscious but died
enroute to the hospital.
www.utu.org
www.utuia.org
The financial, organizational and produc-
tive strength of the United Transportation
Union is excellent, reported UTU Interna-
tional President Paul Thompson in his state of
the union talk at UTU regional meetings in
Kansas City and Pittsburgh in June and July.
Every day we must
d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t
strength to the carriers
and to that other organi-
zation of scabs and
raiders, Thompson said.
The UTU will not cow-
er in front of the carriers
or other so-called labor
organizations not
today, not tomorrow, not ever.
Thompson explained how belt tightening,
productivity improvements and greater
employee efficiency have brought the UTU
back from financial chaos to financial stability.
Our merger creating SMART a merger
AFL-CIO Secretary/Treasurer Rich Trumka
calls solidarity smart will provide the UTU
Thompson outlines state of the union
at Pittsburgh regional meeting
interest in joining SMART. They have asked
not to be identified at this time.
UTU International President Paul Thomp-
son said, SMART will boost the UTUs
strength at the bargaining table and bolster
substantially the UTUs strength in fighting
off attempts by other organizations and carriers
to take our jobs.
SMWIA General President Mike Sullivan
who will become general president of
SMART said, Whether we are sheet metal,
production, air, bus operator, bus mechanic,
freight railroad, Amtrak, transit, commuter or
shipyard workers, we are now one.
Created within SMART will be a trans-
portation division, whose senior officers were
those elected at the UTU quadrennial con-
vention the week of Aug. 13. Those officers
will have the same duties as they do under the
UTU constitution.
The SMART transportation division will
include the UTUs air, bus and rail members,
but not existing rail and shipyard divisions of
the SMWIA.
No UTU general committee of adjustment
or UTU local or UTU state legislative board
will be closed as a result of this merger, nor will
any UTU general committee or UTU local
lose its jurisdiction.
Rail safety update
For the latest developments in rail-
safety legislation pending before
Congress, including the Federal
Railroad Safety Improvement Act of
2007 (H.R. 2095), and to learn how
you can assist in the passage of
these important measures, log onto
www.utu.org.
United Transportation Union members have
ratified a merger with the Sheet Metal Workers
International Association (SMWIA), estab-
lishing the 230,000-member International
Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and
Transportation (SMART) Workers.
The merger, previously ratified by the
SMWIA, becomes effective Jan. 1, creating the
21st largest (of 4,000) transportation political
action committees (PACs), and the 7th largest
PAC among labor unions, significantly increas-
ing the effectiveness of UTU and SMWIA con-
gressional and state-legislature lobbying.
The merger was almost three years in plan-
ning stage. It had strong support from the
AFL-CIO.
The more than 71 percent of UTU-member
ballots in favor of the merger reflected the
agreements overwhelming support among
UTU International officers, UTU general
chairpersons and UTU state legislative direc-
tors. The UTU Board of Directors called
SMART the right merger at the right time.
Other labor organizations have indicated an


























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Paaggee 22
Ar
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ound the UTU
ound the UTU
Local 23, Santa Cruz, Calif.
Members working as bus operators for the
Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District
recently marked a number of arbitration vic-
tories, said General Chairperson Bonnie
Morr. A termination related to the locals
strike in late 2005 was reversed, as were two
suspensions involving transit district investi-
gations. Two other cases are pending.
Local 60, Newark, N.J.
Conductors and trainmen working on NJ
Transit recently held a party to benefit Pete
Mongiello, who is battling cancer, said Local
President Mike Reilly. A total of $6,500 was
raised for Brother Mongiello and his family,
who expressed their heartfelt gratitude.
Local 84, Los Angeles, Calif.
Retired member Lawson Chadwick, a
founding member of UTU for Life Chapter 3
in Oceanside, Calif., is inviting all interested
parties to attend a no-gifts champagne
reception marking his 70th birthday. The
event will be held Sept. 9, from 2 p.m. to 5
p.m., in the Fountain Courtyard of the Ran-
cho Valencia Resort in Rancho Santa Fe.
RSVP by Sept. 4 to Brother Chadwick by
calling (760) 945-5365 or sending e-mail to
llchad@cox.net.
Local 194, Elkhart, Ind.
Members of this Norfolk Southern and
Canadian Pacific local enjoyed the annual
family picnic held in late June, said Local
Chairperson and Legislative Rep. Robert L.
Holbrook. Special thanks go to Treasurer
Jim Balls wife, Angie Ball, for making the
event a great success.
Local 195, Galesburg, Ill.
Members of this BNSF local participated in
the annual Galesburg Railroad Days in June,
staffing an informational booth and distribut-
ing paper UTU hats and coloring books to
children along the parade route, said Legisla-
tive Rep. and Delegate R. W. Bud Linroth.
Local 238, Ogden, Utah
This Union Pacific local commemorated a
pair of retired local officers who recently
passed away, said Local Chairperson Bob
Pearson. Southern Pacific and Amtrak Con-
ductor Big Harold Coryell, a former local
chairperson with a firm belief in the union
way, died on June 1, Pearson said. Former
local chairperson (yard) John Andrews
passed away on July 5. He had worked for the
Southern Pacific and the Union Pacific.
Local 577, Northlake, Ill.
Union Pacific employees in this local are
mourning the death of Mark J. Phillips, 56,
a former Marine, who passed away May 27
(Memorial Day) after a long battle with can-
cer, Treasurer Warren Wrobel said.
Local 904, Evansville, Ind.
A retired member of this CSX local,
George A. Murray, passed away July 14 at
age 81. Brother Murray, a Navy veteran with
38 years on the railroad, also worked for 16
years as a UTUIA field supervisor. He is sur-
vived by his wife, four children, 11 grand-
children and 10 great-grandchildren.
Local 933, Jefferson City, Mo.
The members of this Union Pacific local,
along with members of UTU Auxiliary
Lodge 933, will host their annual fish fry, bar-
becue and informational seminar on Sept. 7
and 8 at the Wardsville Lions Club, said Leg-
islative Rep. Ken Menges. For information,
contact Menges by c