BLE memberselect Don Hahs

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Brotherhood ofLocomotive Engineers’ delegates have select-ed Don M. Hahs International president.

Hahs is from King-wood, Texas, and hasbeen a BLE membersince 1975. He waselected vice president in1996 and spent 16 yearsas general chairman ofthe Southern Pacific.

“I congratulate DonHahs on his well-deserved victory and theBLE delegates on their choice,” UTU Inter-national President Byron A. Boyd, Jr., said. “Ilook forward to continuing our long-termworking relationship. President Hahs will bea great leader. I have known him since he wasa general chairman. Don has worked manyyears in the labor movement. On behalf ofthe UTU, we sincerely wish Don and all thenewly elected BLE officers our very best.”

News & NotesNews & Notes

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Brotherhood ofLocomotive Engineers (BLE) will conduct asecond referendum vote on whether to mergewith the United Transportation Union.

In a letter to his membership, BLE Interna-tional President Don M. Hahs said the newballots would be mailed to every active BLEmember in the United States and Canada,with ballots to be mailed on Nov. 7, 2001, andcounted Dec. 10, 2001.

A prior UTU-BLE merger vote was haltedSept. 17, 2001, by U.S. District Court JudgeAnn Aldrich after several BLE dissident offi-cers alleged in a lawsuit that the manner inwhich the BLE was conducting its ballotingviolated the BLE constitution.

Judge Aldrich ordered that all ballots cast bymembers of the BLE be impounded. She alsoordered that the American Arbitration Asso-ciation (AAA) “refrain from making theresults of any ongoing or final tally of the votesknown to any of the parties or to any thirdparty and to preserve the cast ballots underseal pending the resolution of this lawsuit.”AAA was the neutral party responsible for

33 November 2001

The Official Publication of the United Transportation Union

Continued on page 8 Continued on page 8

Continued on page 8

Number 11

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Because of sugges-tions offered by UTU members, the nation’stransportation systems are safer and moresecure today than ever before.

In the wake of the horrific terrorism of Sep-tember 11, 2001, UTU members were calledupon to come up with ways to make passengertrains, freight trains, commuter trains andbuses safer for employees, riders and the gen-eral public.

These patriotic members responded withcreative and workable suggestions on topicsranging from the installation of security doorsto the use of identification cards.

For reasons of national security, the specificrecommendations made by the UTU to Fed-eral officials cannot be detailed here, butmany have already been adopted and all have

Members’ tipsboost security

Bus operatorschoose UTU

SAN RAFAEL, Cal. – Seeking to counterwhat they felt was “inconsistent treatment bymanagement,” the school bus operators ofFirst Student, Inc., located in San Rafael,chose the United Transportation Union astheir bargaining agent in a representationelection held September 5.

Approximately two-thirds of the full-timeand part-time drivers voted for the UTU afterrejecting an overture from the Teamsters ear-lier this year.

“The Teamsters came to their property earli-er, but they (operators) did not wish to join.After hearing that we had a good union, theycame to us and asked for assistance,” said JimHarford, UTU general chairperson for Laid-law Transit, Inc., in San Francisco.

Harford said that the UTU has already held

Merger of UTU, BLEmoves forward again

Meeting date changedCLEVELAND, Ohio – The date of the 2002

UTU/UTUIA Regional Meeting scheduled forNew Orleans, La., has been changed. Themeeting now will be held Wednesday, August14, through Saturday, August 17, 2002, at TheFairmont Hotel. Other Regional Meeting datesremain unchanged: June 9-12 at the RenoHilton, Reno, Nev., and July 28-31 at the HyattRegency in Washington, D.C.

The UTU quadrennial convention dates alsoremain unchanged: Monday, August 18, to Fri-day, August 22, 2003, at the FontainebleauHilton in Miami Beach, Fla.

Photo contest to beginCLEVELAND, Ohio – UTU members, we

need your photographs!Starting in December, the UTU Public

Relations Department will be awarding UTUgear to the member who submits the bestphotograph during the previous month. Eachmonth’s winning photo will be published inthe UTU News. Exceptional photographswill be included on the new UTU website,which will make its debut in late November.

We would like to see photographs or digitalphotographs of work-related scenes, such asrailroad, bus or mass transit operations, newequipment photos, scenic shots, activities ofyour local, or photos of your brothers and sis-ters keeping America rolling.

Printed photographs should be mailed toUTU News, 14600 Detroit Ave., Cleveland,OH 44107-4250. High-resolution digital pho-tographs should be in the JPEG format and e-mailed to “utunews@utu.org”. With each pho-tograph, please include your name and UTUlocal number, the names of the persons in thephoto (left to right), where the photo was tak-en, and any other pertinent information.

All photographs submitted become propertyof the UTU. Remember to review youremployer’s policies regarding use of camerason the property or during work hours.

FOR THE LATEST NEWSON UNIFICATION,NEGOTIATIONS

AND RAIL RETIREMENT,SEE THE UTU WEBSITE:WWW.UTU.ORG

THE VOICE OF TRANSPORTATION LABOR“I am extremely pleased that an agreement has been reached that will permit BLE members to

express themselves on this most crucial decision of whether to merge the operating crafts, which willpreserve historical craft autonomy.” – UTU International President Byron A. Boyd, Jr.

Volume

2

Around the UTUNews from around the U.S. and Canada

Brother Edward Kerr hired out as a fireman onthe Patapsco Back Rivers Railroad on August11, 1941. The 81-year-old has rarely missed aday of work since.

With no plans to retire any time soon, BrotherKerr still rides public transit back and forth eachday to his job on the Bethlehem Steel railroad,which interchanges with CSXT and NorfolkSouthern.

“I can’t run and jump over an automobileanymore,” Kerr said, describing his current stateof vitality. “But I still do some push-ups. Whenpeople would ask me about my health andlongevity, I would say I ate a raw onion andbaked potato everyday, but I was just kiddingthem. I’m just lucky, I guess.”

About a decade ago, when he was marking50 years of service, the railroad named andnumbered a locomotive in his honor, calling itthe “Mr. Eddie Kerr Locomotive,” and assigningit #904, Kerr’s badge number.

At that time, Kerr claimed that “the first 100years are the hardest – I’d love to see 60 yearsof service.”

Having attained that goal, Kerr said he has nonew goal other than to keep working on theproperty where, according to the company, heis the last remaining engineer-only employee.

When Brother Kerr began his career, the rail-road was already replacing steam locomotiveswith diesels. “The company probably got its firstdiesels in 1937 or 1939,” Kerr recalled. “I had10 years of service before I had a regular jobrunning as an engineer, so I didn’t get muchexperience working around steam.”

Kerr was originally a member of Lodge 938 ofthe Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen &Enginemen in Baltimore, the city where he wasborn and reared, and in which he continues toreside. The most time he spent away from thecity was the four years and 10 months from1941 to 1946, when he served in the U.S. CoastGuard.

Local 104, Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.Members working for the Sault Ste. Marie

Transportation Commission’s Transit Depart-ment were recognized this summer for achiev-ing more than 500 days and 200,000 hours ofwork without a lost-time injury, according toGeneral Chairperson Blair Reid. Statisticsalso showed that transit operators had collec-tively accumulated 604 years of safe driving inthe year 2000. For their achievement, employ-ees received water bottle coolers and weretreated to a barbecue.

Local 226, Moberly, Mo.Sweetening the deal with a free breakfast,

the local hosted a pneumonia and flu-shothealth clinic last month, inviting all membersand their spouses, as well as the members andspouses from Moberly’s BLE Division, accord-ing to Secretary and Treasurer Rich Duley.

Local 240, Los Angeles, Cal.Members are mourning the death of retired

former Secretary and Treasurer Frank Alford,87, a 31-year Southern Pacific employee whopassed away October 6, said Secretary andTreasurer Fred G. Comeau.

Local 257, Morrill, Neb.Members are taking orders for a T-shirt

designed by Auxiliary Lodge 257 in an effortto raise funds for the American Red Cross Dis-aster Relief Fund, Secretary and TreasurerDave Martin said. The shirt features a U.S.flag, the phrases, “Proud to be an American,”and “Together We Stand,” and the UnionPacific herald. Shirts are pre-shrunk, 100%cotton Hanes Beefy-Ts, in men’s sizes small,medium, large, X-large, 2X and 4X, and avail-able in white with no pocket, or gray with orwithout a pocket. Quantity orders are pre-ferred. For information or to place an order,call Martin at (308) 635-7522, send e-mail tosandiash@prairieweb.com, or visit the websiteat http://utu257.homestead.com/index.html.

Local 324, Seattle, Wash.Members working for BNSF were set to par-

ticipate in a two-day safety awareness seminaras this edition reached deadline, thanks to thesupport of Designated Legal Counsel GeorgeThornton. According to Secretary and Trea-surer Larry Rutledge, those attending will beinstructed in how to properly document safetyissues and problems.

Local 329, Boone, IowaThe monthly meeting on September 12 was

also the day of the local’s annual picnic,attended by more than 250. Among thoseattending were General Chairperson JohnBabler, Vice General Chairperson MikeReedy and State Legislative Director PatHendricks, said Secretary and TreasurerRichard K. Duffy, who expressed his grati-tude to those representing UTU DesignatedLegal Counsel for their participation.

Local 369, St. Thomas, Ont.The local’s annual holiday party this year

will be in the form of a murder mystery dinnerand dance, to be held November 24 at theMoose Lodge in Sarnia. According to LocalPresident Ron Cleary, about 40 CSX employ-ees from various crafts are likely to be suspects.

Local 376, Louisville, Ky.Members at the monthly meeting in Sep-

tember voted to donate $500 to the AmericanRed Cross Disaster Relief Fund, according toSecretary Johnnie V. Estes.

Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund, whichprovides money for higher education to thechildren and the spouses of the victims of theterrorist attacks on September 11, said LocalPresident Don Neuweiler and Secretary andTreasurer Richard Turner.

Local 977, Pasco, Wash.The local’s annual intercraft picnic was a

great success, Secretary and Treasurer MitchNewell said, in large part due to the efforts ofAndy Sanderson. Newell also offered his grat-itude to UTU Designated Legal Counsel,including George A. Thornton, Zig I.Zakovics, Monte Bricker, and the firm ofYaeger, Jungbauer, Barczak & Vucinovich.

Local 982, Rochester, N.Y.Members are making a cash donation to the

relief efforts in New York City and Washing-ton, D.C., and participated in a special dinnerheld by Local 1374 (New Castle, Pa.) to raisemore funds for the effort. Members alsorecently presented a specially inscribed UTUwatch and brass lantern to Local ChairpersonDave Murphy in appreciation of his 32 yearsof service, Secretary Tim Brown said. Mean-while, members welcomed back into the foldMetro North conductors and trainmen whowanted UTU representation.

Local 1316, Ravenna, Ky.CSX employees working out of Hazard, Ky.,

along with co-workers represented by theBrotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, havecontributed more than $8,000 to the NewYork City relief effort, according to Interna-tional Vice President Roy Boling.

Local 1594, Upper Darby, Pa.About 90 school bus drivers and aides

employed by Delco Bus recently ratified theirfirst UTU contract following negotiations thatbegan a year ago last March, said Local Chair-person and President Ron Koran, who citedthe pivotal role played by Alternate Vice Pres-ident-Bus-East Carolyn Scarsella in securingthe pact. Also, SEPTA bus operators recentlydonated $600 to the Red Cross Disaster ReliefFund, and management recognized four mem-bers with 10 or more years of safe driving at theagency’s annual safety banquet in September.Honored were George Purdie (33 years), TomBisignani (32 years), Kevin Baldwin (29years) and Joe Sciammana (27 years). Mem-bers were also represented in the DelawareCounty Unity Day parade by Koran and StanBernatowicz, who carried a UTU banner andgave coloring books to children along theroute. Meanwhile, members are mourning thesudden death on September 3 of Brother EricJohnson, who was hired in May.

Local 1626, Anchorage, AlaskaMembers working on the Alaska Railroad

are mourning the deaths of Michael Kyle Hilland James Gary Beitinger. Local PresidentClinton Gray said Brother Hill, 44, suc-cumbed to injuries suffered in an auto accidentlast April. Brother Beitinger, 51, died of aheart attack on August 27 while in employeehousing in Fairbanks. He had served as localpresident for 12 years, ending in 1996.

Local 1694, Barstow, Cal.Members employed by BNSF forward their

best wishes to G.D. Williams, who recentlyretired after more than 44 years, and A.E.Curtis, who retired after 40 years of service onthe railroad, according to Secretary and Trea-surer Michele Leonard.

Local 722, Babylon, N.Y.Members working for the Long Island Rail

Road join Brother Patrick McGovern inmourning the loss of his brother, BattalionChief William McGovern, one of the fire-fighters lost when responding to the terroristattack on the World Trade Center on Septem-ber 11. McGovern was last reported to be onthe 30th floor of Tower One just before thebuilding collapsed.

Local 773, Galveston, Tex.Members voted to make a donation to the

At 81, member makesno plan for retirement

Edward Kerr of Local 1591, Baltimore, Md., wavesfrom the cab of the engine that was named and num-bered in his honor as a tribute to his years of service onthe Patapsco Back Rivers Railroad.

Patriotism aliveand well in U.S.

In America, patriotism is alive and well. Democracyis being tested as never before. I am proud to be part ofthe UTU and its caring membership. Literally, hun-dreds and hundreds of our members are activelyinvolved in supporting relief efforts following the devastating attack onour nation’s capital and New York City. Working together for the commongood is what unionism is really all about. Compassion, cooperation andteamwork will make America and the UTU stronger.

Numerous articles have been dedicated to the need for yardmasters topay close attention to their insurance coverage. This applies equally to theplans funded both by our employing carriers and the yardmasters.

Recently, we have had a number of cases in which insurance benefitshave been both delayed and lost as a result of failure of members to time-ly or properly pay premiums, make claims or insure that healthcareproviders have submitted verification forms.

If you mark off sick, apply for a disability annuity or age annuity with theRailroad Retirement Board, contact your elected local representative,general chairperson or the Yardmaster Department.

We have experienced situations where unintended beneficiariesreceived life insurance benefits because the member did not submit achange-of-beneficiary form. “Change of Beneficiary” seemsto be the very last item on the list of things to change whenconditions change in our personal lives. If you need theseforms, contact the insurance company or the YardmasterDepartment and the forms will be forwarded.

Life must go on,but stay vigilant

Since the horrific incident of September 11, 2001,there are good reasons to stand behind our President,whether we believe in his politics or not, when itcomes to dealing with the threat of terrorism to ournation and the world.

However, life must go on and we must be vigilant that our rights asunionists and/or as individuals are not diminished during these times.

We must continue to be vigilant in protecting the rights of union mem-bers and not give in to those political forces that are in command of theWhite House simply because the White House may be doing what is rightto protect our lives and those of all our families and friends against ter-rorism.

Recently, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s son, Eugene, wasapproved by a Senate committee to be the head lawyer at the Departmentof Labor. We know Justice Scalia is conservative and his son is, as well.

That means neither are labor friendly. He will be charged with enforc-ing our labor laws; that is not encouraging.

That nomination indicates the White House still has its conservativeagenda in mind and, therefore, we must continue with our agenda of pro-tecting the rights of labor members.

Life must go on, and each of us must continue the fight against thosewho oppose the interests of labor.

In unity there is strength.

Bus DepartmentBy Bernie McNelis

YardmastersBy Don Carver

3

West VirginiaMark Mewshaw has been elevated to the

position of West Virginia state legislativedirector following the resignation of John R.Pennybacker, Jr., on October 1.

Mewshaw was elected to the position ofassistant legislative director in 1998 and hadpreviously held the office of chairperson of the

UTU’s West Virginia Leg-islative Board.

A UTU member and rail-roader for than 25 years,Mewshaw has held numer-ous offices in his local, UTULocal 605 at Grafton, W.Va., including secretary-treasurer, local chairpersonand delegate.

“Jack (Pennybacker) didan outstanding job as ourstate legislative director andI really appreciate the timeand effort he put forth sothat I could step in and takeover this position,” Mew-shaw said. “I would also liketo thank former delegate

and local chairperson Dana M. George, whoencouraged me to get involved with my unionback in my early days on the railroad. He wastruly an inspiration.”

Mewshaw said a letter from the legislativeboard has gone out to all UTU locals in thestate to announce that nominations for theoffice of assistant legislative director are nowbeing accepted.

District of ColumbiaThe District of Columbia Legislative Board

was the recipient of a $5,000 gift from theUTU Canadian Legislative Board to assist inhumanitarian efforts in the Washington,D.C., metropolitan area following the Sep-tember 11th tragedy at the Pentagon.

“We trust that this small token will some-how help those who need assistance most. Ourprayers are with our American family,” wrote

Canadian Legislative Director Tim Secord ina letter to District of Columbia LegislativeDirector Steve Fritter.

“On behalf of the members of the District ofColumbia Legislative Board, I want to thank ourCanadian brothers and sisters for their thought-ful gift. The money they have so graciously pro-vided is being donated to the Survivors’ Fund ofthe Community Foundation for the NationalCapital Region to support the educational,health and general support needs of the individ-uals involved and their families in the metropol-itan Washington region,” Fritter said.

“One-hundred percent of this generousdonation will go exclusively to supportingthose families most affected by this tragedy inour region,” Fritter added.

ArizonaLegislative Director Scott Olson, Assistant

Director Dave Shearer and Chairperson SteveCoffey have been meeting with and calling rep-resentatives of Sen. John McCain’s office, seek-ing the senator’s assistance in moving the Rail-road Retirement and Survivors’ ImprovementAct of 2001 to the Senate floor, Olson reported.

“Senator McCain is in support of the bill andlooks forward to voting in its favor if it getsfloor action this year,” Olson said.

“We need to thank all of our representativesand Sen. McCain for their support, whether ornot the bill gets to the Senate and is passed,”said Olson, who added that Cong. J.D. Hay-worth (R), Cong. Ed Pastor (D) and Cong.Bob Stump (R) supported the legislation.

Olson also noted that candidates are begin-ning to line up to run for Congress and statelegislative seats, as well as the governor’soffice, and that all UTU members’ assistance isneeded, regardless of party affiliation.

“Without your financial help (throughTPEL), many of our UTU-supported candi-dates will not be able to get their messages outto the people of Arizona,” Olson said. “With-out those candidates, we could lose RailroadRetirement, FELA, the Hours of Service Actand many other laws, as well.”

ColoradoOne of Colorado’s great union and political

leaders, former UTU State Legislative Direc-tor Jack Shaver, was honored as the 2001Eleanor Roosevelt Democrat of the Year forJefferson County at a ceremony on Septem-ber 30, 2001, reported Legislative DirectorRick Johnson.

More than 400 guests attended the event,including Cong. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), whoserved as the keynote speaker; Cong. MarkUdall (D-Col.) and Colorado U.S. SenateCandidate Tom Strickland (D).

“It’s not often that union leaders are hon-ored by either political party in the state ofColorado, but Brother Jack’s honor was bothwell-deserved and long overdue,” said John-son. “The praise and admiration for whatJack has done for Colorado politics was notplatitude, but, from the heart. The content ofJack’s résumé of political activity is toonumerous to list.”

Representing the UTU were Johnson, for-mer International President Al Chesser,Alternate National Legislative Director JamesStem, Associate General Chairperson JayJoslin (UP Eastern District), Associate Gener-al Chairperson Dave Anderson (BNSF) and20 other UTU brothers and sisters.

State Watch News from UTU State Legislative Boards

Taking a break from one of the many speeches honor-ing 2001 Eleanor Roosevelt Democrat of the Year JackShaver are, from left, Alternate National LegislativeDirector James A. Stem; Shaver; U.S. Senate Candi-date Tom Strickland; U.S. Cong. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), and Colorado State Legislative Director RickJohnson.Mewshaw

Pennybacker

help improve rail productivity in an effort to team with the carriers to pro-vide better service than trucks.

Half our workforce disappeared, work rules were liberalized and weembraced technology – all necessary if railroads were to become morecompetitive with trucks.

Indeed, the railroads’ own numbers show employee productivity soaringsome 500% in recent years.

But, instead of using the savings to improve service and take traffic offthe highway, railroads chose instead to tear up or sell off track,cede even more business to truckers and borrow heavily to buyout competitors. Labor savings went not to build a world-class21st century rail network, but to help finance a takeover bingethat failed to improve service.

Stock and real estate speculation, the forte of robber baronssuch as Jay Gould, supplanted long-term vision. Today’s railroadsmay talk the talk of the steel wheel’s efficiency, but the carriersneed to walk the walk.

It is time for rail management to reorder its priorities and servethe public interest, which means increased capacity, mixed pas-

senger/freight corridors, faster and more consistent schedules and astronger commitment to safety.

The days of railroads opposing federal grants for fear of government-imposed conditions relating to service and safety must end, as must therailroads’ opposition to passenger service.

Yes, building a world-class 21st century rail network is going to cost lotsof money. But Congress, itself now fully recognizing the role of railroadsin an advanced society, is prepared to help provide tens of billions of dol-lars in low-interest loans and grants.

That money will not be appropriated without railroad labor’s politicalsupport.

The United Transportation Union is prepared to lend the necessary sup-port and create with carriers an unstoppable partnership on Capitol Hilland in the various state houses.

But, partnerships require commitment from both sides. Rail manage-ment must commit to doing what current and potential customers

demand for the long term, and not what Wall Street demands for theshort term.

There will be no compromise on that point.

It is time again to read, mark and inwardly digest what Jim Hillsaid more than a century ago: “When we are all dead and gone,the sun will still shine, the rain will fall and this railroad willrun as usual.”

That also is the vision of rail labor and it must become thevision of current rail management, as we areboth in this for the long haul.

By Byron A. Boyd, Jr.UTU International President

The following message was delivered to railroad management and the invest-ment community by UTU International President Byron A. Boyd, Jr., throughan article in the November 2001 Railway Age magazine.

Sometimes we forget important historical facts.Consider the 19th century robber barons, who built our

transcontinental railroads. For sure, their unscrupulous businesspractices and abusive behavior toward employees earned themsoiled reputations.

Forgotten is that some of them – E.H. Harriman, James J. Hilland J.P. Morgan – also combined long-term vision with huge per-sonal investments to build railroad plants designed to last, com-pete and serve the public interest.

On that point, the robber barons are to be commended, whilemany of their contemporaries should feel ashamed.

More than a century ago, Harriman invested as much in mod-ernizing the Union Pacific as the federal government then spent annual-ly. “Harriman did nothing by halves,” wrote historian Maury Klein in cel-ebrating Harriman’s insistence on lower grades, straightening of curvesand building of a “first-rate road bed.”

In 1906, trains traveled from San Francisco to New York in under 72hours, a feat today’s transcontinental systems have difficulty matching.

Hill spit in the face of a national recession and invested heavily at thetime to extend his Great Northern to the Pacific Northwest. “Building arailroad is a public trust,” said Hill. Mark Reutter, editor of the Journal ofRailroad History, recalls, “Hill was once asked by a true robber baron, JayGould, to go in with Gould on building a line through Oregon. Gouldoffered to issue securities at $30,000 a mile on a road costing $15,000 amile. Hill replied, ‘Our desire is to build up the country and share in theprosperity that must follow. I will not join with you in a real-estate spec-ulation, for a real-estate speculation is not a railroad.’”

Morgan, meanwhile, imposed covenants on his many railroads, requir-ing substantial reinvestment of profits back into the plant.

Pity that some today don’t share that same bold vision, consum-mate patience, and unswerving commitment to build a 21st cen-tury rail system so urgently needed by our nation.

Too many modern rail officials have been forced to becomehandmaidens to Wall Street speculators, whose view of thefuture is measured in months.

Even before the events of September 11, it was abundant-ly clear that America’s rail network is inadequate to the task.

Rail labor has made countless sacrifices to

The crisis of September 11, 2001, had a profound impact in your nation’scapital.

There is more security everywhere. Many streets are closed or otherwiserestricted as to types of vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

Congress is almost fully focused on the crisis ofdomestic security and pursuing terrorists interna-tionally.

As for Railroad Retirement, a promise of quickpassage has faded to concern as to when it might bepassed.

As you know, the House of Representatives passedRailroad Retirement on July 31 and we were pres-suring the Senate to follow that lead following the

August recess.Then came September 11.In the midst of this crisis, much important legislation, including Rail-

road Retirement, remains pending. There is election-law reform, theenergy package, education reform, the faith-based initiative and evenreform of our nation’s transportation system.

Those working on these issues are under severe mental strain. Not onlyare they in a city targeted for attack by terrorists, but many congressional

staff members and elected lawmakers are taking daily dosesof the antibiotic Cipro because of actual or presumed expo-sure to anthrax.

In fact, many opinion leaders and lawmakers themselvesfeel it would be in the nation’s best interest if Congress, after

Update on Railroad Retirement reform

Byron A. Boyd, Jr.

WASHINGTON WATCHBy James Brunkenhoefer

4

passing only absolutely essential legislation, were to adjourn, allowinglawmakers to disperse around the nation rather than remain congregatedunder a single Capitol building dome.

That is how serious matters are in Washington, D.C.

However, if Congress does remain in session after passing essential legis-lation such as spending bills to keep government in business, you can becertain we shall attempt to focus lawmakers on Railroad Retirementreform.

And, even if Congress does adjourn without passing Railroad Retire-ment reform, the House and Senate bills (H.R. 1140 and S. 697) remainalive throughout the second session of Congress in 2002, which is an elec-tion year, when lawmakers look to make constituents happy.

Nonetheless, we have every reason to be optimistic that this legislationwill become law this year.

Many in the leadership have assured us that this is something that theywant to get done this year and not next.

Each of us must continue our efforts to keep Railroad Retirement as thevery next priority after essential legislation is passed.

We cannot be diverted by the events of September 11. Indeed, the Pres-ident encouraged this nation to go back to normal.

It would only be normal for us to continue to press for the passage ofRailroad Retirement.

It appears that the President has made this our patriotic duty.

Let’s not disappoint him.

Our nation demands a better rail system

By Dan E. Johnson IIIUTU International General Secretary & Treasurer

Every time the UTU and the BLE start finger-pointing, bickering, fight-ing or outright engaging in war, railroad management in North Americabreathes the proverbial collective sigh of relief. Thereafter, the carriersimmediately turn their heads and laugh hysterically. “The ignorance of

the combative railroad operating-craft worker shineslike the morning sun,” exalt top rail management.

We just don’t get it! We can’t seem to learn that themore we slap and slug each other, the more we under-cut and erode our single most powerful and effectiveasset: unity.

During the past 40 years, history has attempted toteach us this undeniable fact. We have watched tech-nology slash the number of operating crew membersfrom six to two. While this was happening, the UTUand the BLE were fighting each other over every issue in

our work environment, including, in some limited cases, the time of day(that is, the maximum number of hours of service that is permitted by fed-eral law.)

What has this short-sighted, self-absorbed, arrogant and ignorant doc-trine achieved for us?

•It has resulted in the wholesale loss of the majority of our original jobs,including firemen, brakemen and helper positions;

•It has resulted in less-than-reasonable and/or appropriate job protec-tion for those whose jobs were attrited and outright abolished;

•It has resulted in little or no training for existing, as well as future,technologies;

•It has resulted in less-than-equitable compensation in the form of

5

By Paul C. ThompsonUTU Assistant International President

Dreams and reality sometimes conflict. We can dream and imaginereturning to five-person crews and a caboose behind every train. Howev-er, in the real world, because of new technology, five-member crews andcabooses are a thing of the past. In the real world, we have learned thatthere is no stopping new technology.

The real world can be cruel. The railroads’ greatest competitor is thetrucking industry. In the real world, non-union truckers are willing to

accept $35,000 annually with few benefits and work sixdays per week. Many independent truckers may haulgoods from the East Coast to West Coast. But if theyhave no goods to return, many times they will agree tohaul goods back from the West Coast for little morethan the cost of fuel. This competition has seen therailroads’ market share of total dollars spent on freighttransportation drop to under 10%, and train crews havepaid a heavy price because of this reality.

In the real world, one must face reality and recognizethere is no stopping new technology. As a union, in the

past we have tried to fight technology. And each time we were unsuc-cessful and lost jobs as a result. Examples would be radios, end-of-traindevices that took the place of cabooses, the fireman’s position and therear- and head-end brakemen.

No, it wasn’t our choice to go to two-person crews and end-of-traindevices any more than it was the choice of train and engine serviceemployees to cut employment of firemen as diesels replaced steam.

It also wasn’t the choice of small grocers and butchers to close up shopafter invention of the supermarket, or for local merchants to go out of busi-ness as WalMart and other discount superstores appeared on the scene. Asfor railroads, there are the bitter lessons of bankruptcy of the Penn Cen-tral, the Milwaukee Road and the Rock Island. We know the human costwhen railroads are not competitive. The recent history of the steel andauto industries paints a similar grim picture for working men and womenwho lost their jobs, and sometimes their pensions and health benefits.

The challenge for railroad unions is to help make railroads more com-petitive with trucks while dealing with the potential economic harm tothe members we represent. That is the real world. Of course, we canmarch in the street and shake our fists in anger, but trying to stop progressis much like spitting into the wind or building sand piles to hold back anadvancing tide.

So it is with new technology such as remote control. We can fight

remote control as we fought diesels, the elimination of firemen, head-endand rear-end brakemen and the retirement of cabooses. But we know howthose fights ended. Federally appointed arbitrators decided our fate and aCongress (sometimes controlled by Democrats and sometimes by Repub-licans) supported those adverse decisions.

Sure, we can slow the process, but eventually technology will prevailand the employees (our members) suffer. Alternatively, we can work withthe carriers in exchange for real benefits such as job protection, carrier-paid training and total assurance the new technology will be implement-ed only after its safety has been proven to our satisfaction.

Remote control operations have been around since the early 1960s andwe have fought this issue for a long time. In Canada, remote control wasfirst implemented by CN at various hump yards in 1986. CP Rail EasternLines followed with their implementation of remote control technologywhen an agreement was signed on February 28, 1994. Shortly thereafter,two more agreements were placed into effect for remote control locomo-tive service.

With remote control in use on Canadian carriers for almost a decade andalso in use on many smaller railroads, including Montana Rail Link, thereis no stopping or fighting its introduction or assigning the work. That isthe real world, whether we like it or not. It’s the world in which we haveto operate because that’s the world in which arbitration decisions andcourt rulings are made.

Had the UTU rejected the opportunity to sign the remote control letterof intent, the carriers likely would have moved forward to implementremote control without any worker protections.

UTU members will have control of the black boxIndeed, in accepting the carriers’ offer, the UTU made clear in the let-

ter of intent, signed also by the carriers, that UTU-represented employeeswill have control of the so-called black box. That means when a UTU-BLE merger is accomplished, engineers now represented by the BLE willgain the same job protection, guarantee of training and safety assurances.The completion of the UTU-BLE merger also will assure that the carrierswill no longer be able to divide operating employees.

The very last thing we want is for third parties, who do not know theissues, to make decisions affecting our jobs and futures. That is why theUTU accepted the opportunity to sit at the table and decide, through col-lective bargaining, how remote control would be implemented. At thevery least, we have assured that implementation of remote control wouldprotect UTU-represented employees, would include carrier-paid trainingand would not carry safety risks. It is the UTU’s intent to protect everyoperating employee that is adversely affected by the implementation ofremote control operations.

A conflict between dreams, reality

Paul Thompson

Dan Johnson

salary, severance, up-front allowances, stock, productivity funds, profit-sharing, short-crew allowances for our increased responsibilities andexceedingly advanced productivity;

•It has resulted in increased union dues to finance war between theUTU and the BLE and allowed for redundant services when those dupli-cated resources could have been pooled to help protect members.

Simply stated, our misplaced egos, short-sighted acrimony with oneanother and our ongoing efforts to find some trivial excuse not to unifyhas enabled – and continues to allow – rail management to divide andconquer us.

So, where are we? Again, we are fighting each other while permitting aself-serving few to block the wishes of the majority and create red herringsto derail productive unification. This time, unfortunately, we will pay aneven greater price.

While technology has been knocking at our door for many years, with theassistance of rail management, it is now prepared to kick our doors down.As in the past, divided and separated labor organizations will facilitatemanagement’s objectives. While we help management play the UTU andthe BLE off against each other, the black box is coming after us all.

But, together, we can and will secure the labor protection, training andthe appropriate compensation to which we are entitled. But, apart, theblack box will slaughter us. For a preview of the new horror awaiting adivided UTU and BLE, we need only look at today’s environment andovert activity on the Wisconsin Central.

Finally, absent unification, a voluntary agreement on the use of theblack box is far less likely. If we continue divided, the resolution of thisissue will be determined by a Bush-appointed emergency board. You tellme who wins this battle.

If we do get it, then we must unify. There is no other choice.

We have no choice but to unify

As this issue of UTU News went to press, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineershad agreed to conduct a second referendum vote on whether to merge with theUnited Transportation Union. UTU News asked members of both unions to expresstheir opinions regarding a merger during the first referendum. Here is what theyhad to say:

Operating employees spea

Robert SnowLocomotive EngineerUTU Local 1088

“We would have unity.This is what we needinstead of having theseunions fighting witheach other. There will

finally be no more using one union againstthe other with these railroad companies. Ithink President Boyd is moving us in theright direction and I support him 100%.He has done an excellent job. I wouldexplain the entire process to the BLEmembers if possible.”

James J. WoodLocomotive EngineerUTU Local 763

“The historical operat-ing crafts should be repre-sented by one union. Ithink they (the unions)are spending too much

time fighting each other, and this weakensboth positions. We all work together nowand, to me, we are one craft and class now.We will have more power. Most of the peo-ple I work with want to merge. This mergerhas been a long time coming. I have beenhere for almost 23 years and have seen theseunions spend too much time fighting. I wasin the BLE for three years when I went intoengine service and I came back into theUTU. The unions must stop fighting and getinto one group. It is costing time and moneyfor each organization and its members.”

Joseph StacyLocomotive EngineerUTU Local 770

“With one union thecompany would not beplaying one against theother. As long as there aretwo organizations repre-

senting the men it will always be the same.As long as I have been on the railroad, thesetwo unions have been at odds. It should beone union representing everyone out here.As long as craft autonomy is in our constitu-tion and knowing the steps that are requiredto change it, craft autonomy will alwaysremain the same as it has been. Some of theBLE members support and stand behindtheir union and I can understand that, butthere comes a time when we can all see thatone union will give us more power. When Ihired out over 20 years ago, I starting hear-ing then that we should all be together inone union. We can get more done with lessconflict. I think now it is agreed by all thatwe have a common thread with everyone.

That's why we should all be together. Ican't believe the resistance now whenthe rank and file all agree. Now is thetime to be together as one.”

Brian K. GibbsConductorUTU Local 1929

“We should have onestrong union asopposed to two unionsbutting heads all ofthe time. Unity. That

is the answer. One voice. It seems thatsome of the BLE older heads will notlisten to any new ideas. A majority ofthe younger members I work with arein favor of one strong union. We real-ly need to be fighting for one thingrather than be split between the mem-bers of these unions. I worked severaljobs before coming to work on therailroad. This is the very best job Ihave had and I want to keep and pro-tect it. The UTU is my union and weall, BLE and UTU, should be unitedtogether.”

J.W. CosbyConductorUTU Local 1088

“If both organizationscould put as much timeinto getting things donerather than squabbling,there’s no telling what

would happen. With these unions togeth-er it would be a better place to work. Ithink our President is going in the rightdirection and doing the right thing --attempting to bring these two unionstogether. I think once these unions are puttogether, it will work. I have read every-thing the BLE was going to get with theproposed merger and these three membersof the BLE are throwing all of that away.Why would they vote the merger down? Itdoes not make sense.”

Curtis RoughtonConductorUTU Local 878

“I believe the histori-cal railroad operatingcrafts should be repre-sented by one laborunion. If the UTU and

BLE were one, it would make us astronger union. Our bargaining powerwould increase and together we couldaddress the issues we have with the (car-rier) as one strong organization. Whenmembers voice concerns about losingcraft autonomy, I would tell them, ‘It isnot going to happen.’ In our constitution,we are protected and if the carrier want-ed to merge seniority rosters, they wouldhave done that long ago without theUTU and BLE discussing it. The UTUhas always upheld craft autonomy.”

Connie EnglishConductorUTU Local 489

"The UTU and BLEtogether would give us astrong voice. On the leg-islative side, I would like totalk with our senators and

congressmen about the concerns on bothsides of the cab, not just one. I want the per-son on the other side of the cab sitting therewith me. When we give our story to thesepeople, we want it to be the same. We all,both the UTU and BLE, have the same con-cerns out there – safety. We would be strongerfighting for the members’ rights together. TheUTU is now the only rail union that occupiesthe state capital, the only rail union that lob-bies the state legislature. All of the railroadsin Texas have offices next to the capital andfull-time lobbyists working out of theseoffices. That tells you that our union must bethere working for the members’ rights, too. Ido a lot of traveling to visit with our state rep-resentatives, too. Unless you visit the homedistricts, they do not pay too much attentionto you. But if you go to them, they remember.I try to visit the locals in Texas as often as pos-sible. We need to let our members know thatthe state directors and local legislative repre-sentatives are the safety representatives of theunions. If I could tell the members of the BLEanything, I would tell them we need to cometogether and we need to be a voice of one.”

Brian HabjanConductorUTU Local 763

“With one union, wehave a stronger bargain-ing power. We can nolonger be played oneagainst the other like we

are now. On the whole, most people agreethat we need one union. There are just a fewthat cannot agree on how to go aboutaccomplishing it. I guess some of them thinkwe are bullying or trying to take over. I donot see how anyone could have seen any-thing wrong with the proposed merger. Thisis something that we have to do. If we con-tinue like we are now, neither union will sur-vive. Why not form one strong union tocome at them?”

Ken BingerYard HelperUTU Local 1780

“This will benefit allrailroaders. The majorityof the members of boththe UTU and BLE wantto do this through the

merger, not a representation vote. I thinkthe problem with the members that do notwant to merge is ‘pride.’”6

Snow Gibbs

Cosby

English

Wood

Habjan

Binger

Roughton

Stacy

ak about merging UTU, BLE

Aaron WilliamConductorUTU Local 1929

“Having the historicaloperating crafts united inone union will give usone voice when we nego-tiate with the company.

Most of the people I work with want theunions to merge. I think almost everyoneon the (property) is for the merger of thesetwo unions. I like the benefits and pay wenow have and want to make sure we keepthem. We need the best deal for us and ourfamilies.”

Brad NelsonSwitchmanUTU Local 1780

“The historical operat-ing crafts should be repre-sented by one unionbecause we will then havestrength in numbers. The

company is using members of one unionagainst members of the other union. We willpresent a unified front to the carriers, creat-ing a position of strength. Most of the peo-ple I work with want the unions to merge.UTU members are in favor of the mergerbetween the UTU and BLE. I really thinkthe majority of BLE members are in favor,too. A few of them seem to not want to losetheir separate identity. It is not really themerging; it is the loss of their name and theirpride that is getting in the way. We have tomove forward also, as the companies are. Wemust negotiate from a position of strength. Itis amazing that about a year ago all of theBLE members were for the merging of theseunions but now there seems to be an orga-nized effort from the BLE to not merge. Whynot let the vote take place and let the BLEmembers decide for themselves? The lawsuitnow prevents the BLE members their rightto vote. I would say to the BLE members:Think about what is best for all operatingemployees. We will then have one strongvoice to represent our best interests. For toolong the carriers have had their way with us.They have pitted us against each other forfar too long. This opportunity to merge is anopportunity for us to help us.”

Chuck WilliamsLocomotive Engineer UTU Local 1780

“The historical operat-ing crafts should be repre-sented by one unionbecause we all have thesame goals in the operat-

ing department on the railroad. All of uswant increased wages and a better way oflife. We work together, so (unity) will bemore beneficial to us than both of theunions fighting each other. Most of the peo-ple I work with want to merge. We have tostart operating as a 21st century union. Wecannot stay in the 19th century, divided.One union will put us ahead in the 21st cen-tury. Bad feelings have to be put behind andlet’s get on with the business at hand. Ourfuture must be protected.”

Melvin GoinesLocomotive EngineerBLE Division 599

“If the BLE and UTUmerge, we can get some-one to back us, but rightnow I do not think we aregetting the backing we

need. So, the merger should help. We willhave more people pulling together insteadof one side going their way and the othergoing in a different direction. We are therank and file. We are the ones doing all ofthe work, making the railroad look goodand making them all of the money and theywill not acknowledge us. Maybe, together,they will. What is wrong with getting a fairpiece of the pie? What is wrong with get-ting paid what you are worth? It is time toget together.”

Donnie EddyConductor/SwitchmanUTU Local 1929

“The time has come tomerge the unions. Ourunions have spent toomuch time fighting. Weneed unity. Let us concen-

trate on the carrier instead of each other. Itwill be for the betterment of the men, andnot the company. The UTU and BLE shouldbe together to give one strong voice to theworking man. Most of the people I workwith want to merge. I think our UTU Inter-national officers are doing a great job. Theyare leading us in the right direction. I thinkthe BLE is just stalling and attempting to killthe proposed merger. I am currently workingas a switchman, but am to be promoted as anengineer on the KCS, so I know first handhow important craft autonomy is; I am liv-ing proof that it works. The UTU protectsits members.”

Vic SirnaLocomotive EngineerBLE Division 8

“It is time for the operat-ing crafts to be represent-ed by one union. It is pasttime. I voted for the merg-er. I am tired of the squab-

bling between the unions and seeing thecompany have their way with us becausethey know the unions cannot agree on thecontracts and agreements. One union willmake us stronger. It should be up to themembers to decide this merger. We live in ademocratic society where we vote for presi-dent, congressmen and so forth. We shouldbe able to decide for ourselves. Let themajority rule. Most of the people I workwith want a merger of these unions.”

Larry HarrisonLocal ChairmanBLE Division 569

“I voted for the mergerof the BLE and UTU. Iam upset that my vote isnot going to be counted.”(Comments made prior to

recently announced re-balloting.)

Stacy FullerConductorUTU Local 781

“Most of the younger peo-ple are worried about theirjob security on the rail-road. I voted for the merg-er of the UTU and BLE

and feel it would be the best thing to do. Ithink, personally, that united we stand,divided we all fall. We are stronger in num-bers; that is how I feel. We are stronger innumbers and our voice will be heard loudand clear. We have more ability to makethings happen. As it is now, the unions arebickering at each other. We should focus ourenergy on the company. We are not gettingwhat we need to accomplish and the compa-ny is just loving it. If we form one big group,we can move forward, but if we stay like weare, we are at a standstill. We can't let thischance slip by us.”

Brian WilsonConductorUTU Local 763

“The UTU and BLEshould be united becausetogether we will have acommon ground to standon in contract negotia-

tions. We all deal with the same issues so wemay as well be in the same union. Most of thepeople I work with want to merge. The BLEmembers opposing this merger do not reallyunderstand what is going to happen, I feel.They seem to think they are going to losetheir union representation somehow. If Icould talk to all of the BLE members, I wouldtell them our record stands for itself. Therealways seems to be an outside influence to tryto stop this merger. I think we are doing theright thing….We have no choice.”

Curtis W. VaroneConductorUTU Local 763

“We need one union outhere to survive. We needstrength in more numbers– united. Everyone I talkto is in favor of the merg-

er, except for a very few. The merger of thesetwo unions will be the best for all of us. Inthe past, when we negotiated, we had a splitof these people. It would be a lot easier if weall sat at one table to talk to the carriers.”

Tim BabcockLocomotive EngineerUTU Local 878

“I think both unions aregood unions, the BLE andUTU. I voted for themerger. I see it as the rightthing to do. The way

things are going and with contact negotia-tions, we need to be together fighting for thesame things. The railroads are merging andwe have to do the same. We have a job to dotogether: to get our trains from point Ato point B. We are out here as a team,working together. We all should be work-ing together in one strong union.” 7

“…united we stand, divided we all fall.”

William Goines Fuller

Eddy

Wilson

Eddy

Babcock

Nelson

Williams

SirnaVarone

meetings with the bus operators to obtaintheir ideas for putting together a first contractproposal.

“The drivers are enthusi-astic and are looking for-ward to successful contractnegotiations,” Harford said.

He also went on to thankLaidlaw Vice GeneralChairperson Laura Cappel-letti for her assistance in thesuccessful organizing effortthat preceded the represen-

tation election.First Student provides school bus service for

the Marin County School District in MarinCounty California.

UTU Bus Vice President Bernie McNelissaid the Bus Department’snewest members will likelybecome a unit of Harford’s gen-eral committee of adjustment,

Members’ tipsContinued from page 1

UTU, BLEContinued from page 1

Bus operatorsContinued from page 1

8

been given serious consideration.“In the spirit of our partnership with Federal

Railroad Administration, we asked our Unit-ed Transportation Union officers and mem-bers to share their thoughts and ideas on newtechniques to improve the security of our railindustry,” UTU National Legislative DirectorJames Brunkenhoefer told FRA Administra-tor Allen Rutter. “We received an over-whelming response with many excellent sug-gestions focused on all aspects of protectingthe people and assets of our industry.

“We also want to repeat our concern that thesafety of employees and the public should remainthe FRA’s main focus. Security of the industryshould remain the focus of our law enforcementcommunity and our U. S. military. We obvious-ly are concerned that the recent events willdivert our attention away from safety in theinterest of security,” Brunkenhoefer said.

Politicians and intelligence experts have foryears warned that the next terrorist attackcould come on the ground instead of in the air.

Trains are particularly vulnerable becausethey carry huge amounts of hazardous materialsthrough major population centers every day.

The U.S. Department of Transportationrecently alerted hazardous materials shippersto be careful, telling them: “In the wronghands hazardous materials pose a threat tosecurity. It doesn’t take a high degree of train-ing, technical expertise, or sophisticatedequipment to attack with devastating results.”

Trains carrying tons of acids, jet fuel,propane, nuclear waste and potentially explo-sive chemical fertilizers, run through the heartof most cities almost daily. Union Pacific Rail-road alone, for instance, transports about one

million carloads of hazardous materials eachyear nationwide.

Rail lines have been targeted before. InOctober 1995, someone pulled out a rail spikeat a desert railroad bridge about 40 milessouthwest of Phoenix, causing a derailment ofa Sunset Limited passenger train that killedone person and injured 78.

The problem of guarding rail lines is daunt-ing. In fact, the job of protecting the railroadsystem falls not to state law enforcement, butto the rail companies and their employees.

Amtrak President and Chief Executive Offi-cer George Warrington recently thanked UTUInternational President Byron A. Boyd, Jr., forhis list of recommendations, most submittedfrom UTU members, on how to improve thesecurity of the nation’s rail system.

“Since the September 11 terrorist attacks,Amtrak has taken numerous steps to enhancethe security of our employees and passengers,and we welcome your organization’s addition-al input,” Warrington said.

Amtrak increases securityWarrington noted that Amtrak has increased

police presence across its system, includingonboard trains; that security inspections offacilities and equipment have been stepped up;that the carrier is now requesting photo identi-fication when selling tickets or checking bag-gage; that employees are now required to wearphoto identification badges, and that allemployees have been directed to notify the car-rier if they notice anything unusual.

Meanwhile, the Senate is nearing approvalof a $1.8-billion measure to increase safety andsecurity measures on passenger trains.

Nearly $1 billion would address safety con-cerns in six aging underwater tunnels ownedby Amtrak that carry rail passengers to NewYork’s Penn Station. An additional $515 mil-

lion would be spent on security upgradesthroughout the Amtrak system – increasingthe ranks of its 325-person police force,tripling the number of bomb-sniffing dogs andadding new surveillance equipment.

Because of the desire of many in Congress to cutthis congressional session short and return hometo their districts for the remainder of the year, it isnot clear whether a bill acceptable to both theHouse and Senate will be passed this session.

In addition, UTU Vice President BernieMcNelis has informed the U.S. Department ofTransportation (DOT) of safety and securityshortcomings in the bus industry requiringimmediate legislative or regulatory attention.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transporta-tion Norman Y. Mineta, McNelis, director ofthe union’s Bus Department, detailed issues ofimmediate concern to urban, charter, over-the-road and school bus operators and passen-gers, noting that any expense involved in cor-recting the matters would “be worthwhile if wewould prevent potential disaster from happen-ing, thereby protecting and saving lives.”

Among the items McNelis included:Proof of identity when purchasing tickets,

and follow-up identity checks when passengersboard a charter or over-the-road bus; luggagescreening; giving drivers the authority tosearch luggage at remote locations and ask foridentification of any passenger boarding theirbuses at these locations; random securitychecks by local and state police; increased ter-minal security; alarm systems on buses to con-tact dispatchers or police; and increased oper-ator protections.

“As a result of the September 11th terroristattacks, we all have become more aware ofsafety issues, particularly in the transportationindustry,” McNelis wrote to Mineta. “Nowmore than ever, our members who operate bus-es feel they need better security.”

UTU Local 1741 at San Francisco.“I would like to congratulate Jim and Laura

for a job well done. Their hard work paid off inthis victory and I will be happy to assist themin any way in getting the best possible contractfor our newest members,” McNelis said.

In other organizing news, the bus opera-tors of Antelope Valley Transit Authority(AVTA) in Lancaster, Cal., overwhelming-ly chose UTU representation in an electionheld October 12.

AVTA provides local transportation servicesin Lancaster as well as commuter bus service toLos Angeles and the San Fernando Valley.The authority also provides shuttle service forthe elderly and disabled.

Originally employed by Laidlaw, Inc., theemployees were scheduled to vote in a repre-sentation election on August 10. However,just days before the vote, Antelope Valley ter-minated its contract with Laidlaw and hiredMV Transportation to manage its bus andshuttle services.

After MV Transportation hired all of the for-mer Laidlaw employees, the company agreedto proceed with a representation election.

“I appreciate the confidence shown by thedrivers in choosing the UTU as their bar-gaining representative and would like tothank Alternate Vice President Percy Palmerand Director of Strategic Planning JohnNadalin for hard work and dedication inbringing this matter to a successful conclu-sion,” McNelis said.

“The UTU will do everything possible to getthese drivers the best contract possible,”McNelis said.

MV Transportation, Inc., is the largestAfrican-American owned transportation con-tracting company in the United States, pro-viding transportation services for more than25 years.

Established in 1975 and initially focused onproviding paratransit service for seniors andthe disabled, the company has since broad-ened its scope of services to include addi-tional modes of service, such as municipalfixed-route transportation, shuttle services,school bus/pupil transportation and charteroperations.

The company’s website can be viewed athttp://www.mvtransit.com/.

collecting and counting the ballots.An “agreement between the parties”

resolved that lawsuit, Hahs said, paving theway for a second referendum vote among BLEmembers. Among changes in the second refer-endum vote are that ballots will remain secretuntil the final tally, the votes of American andCanadian members will be counted togetherand the plaintiffs who filed the lawsuit will bepermitted to include with the ballots whenmailed a written statement in opposition to

the merger.

For BLE to approve the merger, a majority ofthe ballots cast by all active members, bothCanadian and American, must favor themerger. The impounded BLE ballots from thefirst referendum will be destroyed by the AAAunder the agreement to withdraw the lawsuit.The AAA will mail, collect and tally all BLEballots in the second referendum.

Votes previously cast by UTU members andreceived by the American Arbitration Asso-ciation by the Sept. 17 deadline will becounted. Only BLE members will participatein a second referendum vote. There never

was any order questioning the validity of theUTU ballots.

“I am extremely pleased that an agreementhas been reached that will permit BLE mem-bers to express themselves on this most crucialdecision of whether to merge the operatingcrafts, which will preserve historical craftautonomy,” UTU International PresidentByron A. Boyd, Jr., said.

In his letter to the BLE membership, Hahssaid, “The final decision rests with you. There-fore, I urge you to exercise your right to voteon what is perhaps the most important issue inBLE history.”

Harford

9

In Memoriam Army Reserve seeksexperienced railroaders

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – As a result of the U.S. national emergency,the two Army Reserve railroad battalions are stepping up efforts to recruitexperienced railroaders in the areas of train operations, maintenance ofway, and railway equipment repair.

The two units include the 757th Transportation Battalion (Railway),with units located in the Chicago and Milwaukee metropolitan areas, andthe 1205th Transportation Railway Operating Battalion, with units locat-ed in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and North Carolina.

According to Major Martin Piech, there are options available for thosewho do not live near the various units.

Those interested in finding out how they can put their railroad skills togood use serving their nation in this time of need can contact ArmyReserve representatives in the following ways:

For general information, contact:Major Martin Piechphone toll-free: 877-519-8533e-mail: martin.piech@us.army.mil

For information about the 757th:phone toll-free: SSG Steve Willis at 877-399-6595website: http://www.usarc.army.mil/88thrsc/units/online/336_tc/757_tc/

For information about the 1205th:e-mail: martin.piech@us.army.milphone toll-free: 877-519-8533website: www.1205thtrob.com

The Army Reserve is especially seeking individuals with prior militaryservice, Maj. Piech said, but all those with rail experience and a desire toaid their country are encouraged to contact the reserve.

E.W. “Tex” CroyleRetired former Pennsylvania State Legislative Board Director Everett

W. “Tex” Croyle, 80, passed away Oct. 12, 2001.A member of Local 816 at Harrisburg, Pa., Brother Croyle began his

career as a trainman on the Pennsylvania Railroad and joined Brother-hood of Railroad Trainmen (BRT) Lodge 574 in March 1942.

He was elected vice chairperson of the BRT’s Pennsylvania State Leg-islative Board in 1964, and held the position from unification until 1976,when he was elected alternate state legislative director. From 1978 untilretiring in March 1988, he served as state legislative director, president ofthe state’s UTU Scholarship Aid Fund and chairman of the Rail LaborCommittee of Pennsylvania. He was vice president of the state’s chapterof the AFL-CIO from 1978 through 1986 and served on the AdvisoryCommittee of the Governor’s Occupational Safety and Health Confer-ence. From 1981 to 1988, he served on the Pennsylvania High-SpeedIntercity Rail Passenger Commission, and was instrumental in the forma-tion of the Railroad Retiree Club of Pa.

Walter H. CalliesRetired former Chicago & North Western Vice General Chairperson

Walter H. Callies, 87, passed away Sept. 22, 2001.A member of Local 322 in Milwaukee, Brother Callies began his rail

career as a brakeman on the Chicago & North Western, was soon pro-moted to conductor, and joined Division 46 of the Order of Railway Con-ductors and Brakemen (ORC&B). He was elected general chairperson in1959, and following unification, served as vice general chairperson untilretiring in September 1977.

Chester Pete SawyerRetired former Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe (AT&SF) General

Chairperson Chester Pete Sawyer, 75, passed away Sept. 28 , 2001.Brother Sawyer, a member of Local 1593 in Brownwood, Tex., began his

career as a brakeman on the AT&SF and joined BRT Lodge 985 inNovember 1947. He served as general chairperson from 1973 until retir-ing in January 1989.

Voices:

Willie FulwileyL-1563, El Monte, Cal.

“I’ve been a motorcoachoperator for 26 years with theLos Angeles MTA. As opera-tors, we’re out there with nosecurity. Some of my co-work-ers have been assaulted. Ifsomething happens, we haveto use the emergency buttonand call for help, but that’s afterthe fact that something’salready happened. We’ve haddrivers doused with coffee,soda, and even chemicals. Thecompany wanted us to useseat belts, but we have to beable to come out of that seatany moment. Our right side iscompletely exposed when weopen that door. If you have badintent, or if someone wanted toinfect a bus driver with some-thing, we’re at your disposal.”

Mitch NewellL-977, Pasco, Wash.

“I’m a yard switchman forBNSF with 28 years of experi-ence. Everybody here hasbeen alerted to be aware ofany unusual activity, and we’reall thinking about securitynow. I feel that talking aboutthis is walking a fine line,because we have to be carefulabout making comments tooutside sources. I don’t wantto give anybody any ideas. Thecarrier has heightened theawareness within their policeforce, and they’ve given atten-tion to tunnels and bridges.There have been notices putout about safety and proce-dures for handling hazmatshipments and paperwork. I’mcritical of the railroad a lot oftimes, but not on this topic.“

Paul RemingtonL-228, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

“I’m a Union Pacific engineerwith just short of 29 years ofexperience. There’s definitelynot enough security, but I don’tthink there’s a whole lot thatcan be done to improve it. Ireally don’t see how you canprotect this industry, with thou-sands of miles of track inremote locations. The fact is,we’re living in a dangerousworld with a certain amount ofinherent risk. It’s hard enoughkeeping end-of-train devicesworking, so I don’t think tech-nology is the answer. I think therailroads should take a hardlook at special agents and theirtraining. I also believe the car-rier can, and should, do a bet-ter job of keeping track of haz-ardous materials.”

G.G. LawrenceL-1620, Elkhart, Ind.

“I’ve been a railroader sinceJune 1970, and I’m a yard-man for the Norfolk South-ern. I think the carrier couldbeef up security more thanthey have. There was a noticeput out asking us to reportany suspicious activity, but Ihaven’t noticed any extrarailroad police. I can handlemyself, but I have some con-cerns about the kind of freightwe’re handling. I can see a101 ways to cause trouble if Iwere a terrorist. My feeling isthat technology isn’t theanswer to security issues. I’dlike to see more warm bodieskeeping watch, more securitypatrols driving by a littlemore often. It’s important, notjust for us, but for the public.”

Do you have sufficient on-the-job security?

10

Senior News

7 Tridle, Jack E. Florence, AZ145 Davis, Kenneth J. Columbus, OH202 Simpson, Jr., Fred E. Broomfield, CO219 Johnson, Jr., Everette W. Center, MO240 Alford, Frank F. El Monte, CA254 Ryan, John G. Everett, MA305 Fricke, Louis L. Lincoln, NE312 Sorensen, Alfred H. Adams, WI322 Callies, William H. Green Valley, AZ352 Harrison, Walter J. W. Springfield, MA426 Choate, Sherman F. Payson, AZ483 Palmer, Lester L. Goderich, ON525 Hellquist, Leonard W. Thief Riv. Fls., MN584 Parker, Teddy P. Meridian, MS

607 Baker, Harold L. Mammoth Springs, AR610 Serfas, Richard F. Baltimore, MD610 Tully, Russell J. Baltimore, MD631 Williar, Franklin L. Hagerstown, MD632 Trinks, Karl H. Altoona, PA643 Lavelle, Jerry P. Niota, IL646 Mitchell, Charles B. Lewisville, TX674 Luckey, Walter W. Augusta, GA706 Meador, Carl L. Denison, TX762 Lanier, Jr., Thomas H. LaGrange, GA816 Croyle, E.W. Enola, PA933 Brooks, Dennis C. Boonville, MD945 Lane, Radford L. LaJunta, CO1074 Zellers, Jr., Charles Wells Tannery, PA

1177 Imholte, James St. Cloud, MN1293 Asplund, Clyde C. Ironwood, MI1344 Knoll, C.J. Mandan, ND1390 Calabrese, Carmine J. Toms River, NJ1393 Krasinski, Edward A. Hamburg, NY1403 Johnston, Howard E. Kansas City, MO1422 Elkins, Donald W. Arcadia, CA1545 Brazil, Jr., William H. Ball, LA1593 Sawyer, Chester Pete Brownwood, TX1628 Everill, Richard C. Pittsburgh, PA1638 Murphy, George H. Okeechobee, FL1948 Leach, Glendon Vandalia, OH

T H E F I N A L C A L L

Following are the names of members of the UTU Retiree Program who have died recently, according to reports received at UTUInternational headquarters. These brothers and sisters will be missed by their many friends and by fellow UTU Retiree Program members.

Local Name City/State Local Name City/State Local Name City/State

When Retiree Programmember George Paxtonand his wife, Bonnie Jean,volunteered to help a neigh-bor and his wife, the good-will came rippling back in aroundabout way.

A retired engineer andmember of Local 1590 atFreedom, Pa., Paxton learned from his wifethat retired neighbor, Dr. Bert C. Wiley, andhis wife needed help handling their affairs.

“We tried to maximize what Dr. Wiley coulddo to help other people,” Brother Paxton said,“and together we set up a medical scholarshipprogram for students in the county. With acommittee from our local hospital, my wifeand I select the students to be granted $26,000a year, based on need, desire and dedication.”

More than 30 have already benefited from thescholarship fund, which Paxton said will likelylast forever. “We can grant anywhere from nineto 12 scholarships a year,” Paxton said.

Beginning his rail career on the Pennsylva-nia Railroad as a fireman, Paxton was promot-ed to engineer in 1963. “I joined the Brother-hood of Locomotive Enginemen and Firemen,but can’t remember the lodge number,” Pax-ton said. He retired in 1989 after suffering aheart attack.

Paxton, whose children are raising childrenof their own, realized after the scholarshipwas established that his grandchildren livedoutside the county. Though his granddaugh-ter, Zabrina, is a registered nurse workingtoward a B.S., she was excluded from scholar-ship eligibility.

As if to prove that “what goes around comesaround,” Paxton’s granddaughter was chosenby random drawing to receive one of the 50continuing United Transportation UnionInsurance Association (UTUIA) scholarshipsgranted each year.

“I really want to thank the UTU and UTU-IA for the scholarship she received,” Paxtonsaid. “She will soon graduate, and she alreadyhas work as a missionary nurse.”

Retiree helps createmedical scholarship

RRB, Social Security COLAs,Medicare Part B to rise in 2002

U.S. Social Security and Railroad Retire-ment Tier I benefits will increase 2.6% andRailroad Retirement Tier II benefits willincrease 0.8% next year, federal officials said.

For Medicare Part A, which pays for hospital,skilled nursing, hospice care and some homehealth care, the beneficiary deductible will riseto $812, up 2.5% from $792 in 2001. The pre-mium for Medicare Part B, which helps pay forphysician services, ambulatory care and otherservices, will rise to $54 per month, up 8%from $50 per month in 2001, the Departmentof Health and Human Services said.

Tier II benefits are adjusted by 32.5% of thechange in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Vested dual benefit payments and supple-mental annuities also paid by the U.S. Rail-road Retirement Board (RRB) are not adjust-ed for the rise in the CPI.

The average Railroad Retirement employeeannuity will rise $29 a month to $1,479, andthe average combined benefits for an employ-ee and spouse will increase $41 a month to$2,119. For aged widow(er)s, the average sur-vivor annuity will rise $20 a month to $890,the RRB said.

For Social Security beneficiaries, the averagemonthly benefit amount for all retired workerswill rise from $852 to $874. The maximumfederal SSI monthly payments to an individualwill rise from $530 to $545, while the paymentfor an eligible individual with an eligiblespouse will total $817.

Like Social Security benefits, Tier I and vest-ed dual benefits paid to employees and spous-es, and Tier I, Tier II and vested dual benefitspaid to survivors may be subject to deductionsif post-retirement earnings exceed certainexempt amounts.

Under legislation enacted in April 2000, theretirement earnings test no longer applies topeople above the normal retirement age(NRA). The NRA is age 65 for those bornbefore 1938, and it will gradually increase toage 67. One of two different exempt amountsapply, depending on the year an annuitant

attains normal retirement age.For those who attain the NRA in 2002, the

exempt amount is $30,000. Otherwise theexempt amount in 2001 is $11,280.

The Social Security Administration and theRRB withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 ofearnings in excess of the lower exemptamount, and $1 in benefits for every $3 ofearnings in excess of the higher exemptamount. Earnings in or after the month ofNRA attainment do not count toward theretirement test.

Retired employees and spouses, regardless ofage, who work for their last pre-retirementnonrailroad employer are also subject to anearnings deduction, in their Tier II and sup-plemental benefits, of $1 for every $2 in earn-ings up to a maximum reduction of 50%.

George G. Paxton

Retirees’ thoughtsneeded for planningRegional Meetings

Plans for the 2002 UTU/UTUIA RegionalMeetings call for the inclusion of workshopsaddressing the needs of seniors, and UTUretirees are being asked to let the union knowif they are interested in attending, how manydays they would attend, what topics theywould like to see addressed.

Preliminary plans call for workshops on Rail-road Retirement, Social Security, health andwelfare coverage, and investment strategies.

Next year’s Regional Meetings will be held atthe Reno Hilton in Reno, Nev., June 10-12;The Hyatt Regency in Washington, D.C., July29-31, and The Fairmont Hotel in NewOrleans, La., August 15-17. The day beforeeach meeting, a golf tournament will be held.Please indicate if you would be interested inparticipating in that, as well.

Send your thoughts and ideas to: RegionalMeetings, 14600 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, OH44107-4250.

11

Watches and RingsIn a time-honored tradition, the significant moments that come

but once in a lifetime now can be marked forever with a fine time-piece or ring custom-designed especially for UTU members.

Men’s, Women’s Rings,Hamilton Watches Available

UTU rings that grandly display the union’s logo andhighlight the union’s creed, “Progress Through Unity,”feature the wearer’s smooth-top or facet-cut birthstonecircled with the words “United Transportation Union.”

The UTU men’s ring is available in “Aurora” (a goldalloy similar in color, hardness and wearability to 10Kgold) for only $199 and in 10K gold for $375. Women’srings are $330 for 10K or $355 for 14K gold. Add $12 forlast-name personalization on ring side; $6 for year onopposite side; name and date can be engraved inside thering for $7.

UTU medallion watches made bythe Hamilton Watch Company fea-ture the UTU logo and a choice ofeither a caboose, city bus or steam

locomotive in three-dimensional relief, with up tofour lines of personal engraving. In men’s or wom-en’s styles and backed by a one-year guarantee,watches with Speidel expansion bracelet are $139,and those with a leather strap band are $129. Priceincludes jeweler’s presentation box, and fourlines of engraving. Shipping is $5 in theU.S., $15 to Canada.

To place orders for UTUrings or Hamilton-madeUTU medallion watches, call(440) 247-5414, or write to:Incentra, Inc., 67-B, WashingtonSt., Chagrin Falls, OH 44022.

American Time WatchesThree distinctive American Time watches

proudly emblazoned with the UTU logo also areavailable: a black dial with gold Arabic numerals, agold-colored UTU logo and a date indicator; a white dial with gold

Arabic numbers, blue and red UTU logo and a date indicator;and an elegant 14-karat gold-filled dial boasting proof-coin

brilliance, with Roman numerals and a gold-coloredUTU logo. Each watch is mounted in a classic, 18-karatgold-tone case, and protected by a mar-resistant miner-al crystal.

Men’s and women’s stylesinclude your choice of a Spei-del expansion band or a

black leather strap, and maybe engraved with a name

and date, or other message.Each carries a two-year limitedwarranty.

The white- or black-dialwatches are available at just$75 (plus $6.50 shipping),and the 14-karat gold dialwatch is priced at $100(plus $6.50 shipping).Engraving is extra, allprices quoted are U.S.,and Canadians arerequested to add $10 tothe shipping price.

Order AmericanTime watches by call-ing toll free (800)272-5120. VISAand MasterCardare accepted.

This Garland pen andpencil set would make

a great Christmasgift for UTU

members.

It is not too early to start thinking about holiday gifts for the UTUmembers in your family.

The UTU offers its members a wide variety of UTU-logoed itemssuch as jackets, polo and T-shirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, twotypes of watches, men’s and women’s rings, craft caps, beltbuckles, pocket knives, tote bags, briefcases, pen sets,playing cards, golf balls, brass lanterns, sew-on patchesand other items.

All items are union or American made. All pricesinclude shipping and taxes.

All UTU-logo items are available for viewing on theUTU web site at <www.utu.org/merch/items1.htm>.

Apparel and other ItemsJacket choices include: the Durango Jacket, a black

duck-cloth coat with lining; the Stadium Jacket, in navyand white with a zip-off hood; the Herringbone Jacket, alightweight jacket featuring a nice tan herringbonedesign; the Fleece Jacket, in a rich navy-blue fleece witha zippered front, and the Weekender Jacket, in either aSpring or Fall weight.

The UTU’s selection of shirts includes the popular polo-style shirts in your choice ofwhite or blue with pocket; the“Spencer” polo-style shirts in royalblue and green or light green and tan;the “Marsh” polo-style shirt with royalblue pinstripes; the “Brentley” polo-style shirt, a tan polo shirt with con-trasting black collar and sleeves, and the“Fairview,” which is a gray microweavepullover windshirt perfect for golf or oth-er activities.

New this year is a polo-style shirt forladies, called the “Raleigh,” in a royalblue with a fashionable design on thecollar and sleeves.

The UTU also stocks baby bibs andchildren’s T-shirts in a variety of sizes.

A zippered-front hooded sweatshirtand crew-neck sweatshirt also are avail-able, both featuring the UTU logo.

A variety of caps are available fromthe UTU, including baseball-style caps embroidered witheither “UTU and Proud” or“UTU Retired and Proud;” abaseball-style cap embroi-dered “Bus Operations;”and corduroy baseball capsin black or navy blue.

Also great for gift-giving arethe UTU Craft Caps. A variety ofdifferent crafts are offered, each withthe UTU logo. Please contact the UTUSupply Department at the address belowfor a list of available crafts.

Also available are soft-sided briefcaseswith pockets; a “Membership I”motorcoach replica coin bank; a clearacrylic yo-yo; a solid-brass belt buckle;a Zippo-brand pocket knife; a navy-blue lanyard for holding eyeglasses; abrass lantern; a three-foot by five-footUTU flag; a royal-blue canvas barrelbag; an oversized tote bag; a money clipwith nail file and knife; Garland-brandpen set; golf balls, tees or divot fixers,and a selection of sew-on patches.

An apparel and novelty item price listand order form also are available on theUTU website or by writing the UTUSupply Dept., 14600 Detroit Ave.,Cleveland, OH 44107-4250.

Think UTU for your holiday shopping needs

Fleece Jacket

Raleigh ladies’ shirt

Weekender spring jacket

UTU moneyclip

UTU medal-lion watches are

stylish and elegant.

Periodicals Postage

PAID at Cleveland, Ohio,

and additional

mailing offices

ISSN 0098-5937

Pub l i shed mon th l y by theUNITED TRANSPORTATIONUNION, 14600 DETROIT AVE.,CLEVELAND, OH 44107-4250 •Periodicals postage paid atCleveland, Ohio, and additionalmailing offices • Byron A. Boyd,Jr., International President;Daniel E. Johnson, GeneralSecretary/Treasurer • This pub-lication available on microfilmfrom UMI, 300 N. Zeeb Road,Ann Arbor, MI 48106 • POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to UTU News, 14600Detroit Ave., Cleveland, OH44107-4250.

NOVEMBER 2001

Please recycle

11/01

Experience the Panama Canal with a twist!Active and retired UTU members and their guests

are invited to enjoy a unique fraternal travel opportu-nity in the spring of 2002 when the UTU TravelersClub sponsors its Roundtrip Panama Canal Cruiseaboard the Princess Cruise Line’s Sun Princess.

Set for March 6 through March16, 2002, the Roundtrip PanamaCanal Cruise provides a twist onthe traditional 10-day cruise of thecanal, offering the convenience ofsailing from, and returning to, Ft.Lauderdale, Fla.

With cabin prices starting at just$1,522 per person (based on dou-ble occupancy), this Love Boatadventure gives those who wereclosed out of our sold-out FallFoliage Cruise aboard the CrownPrincess another opportunity toexperience Grand Class cruising, where big-shipchoice combines with small-ship intimacy to createan experience unlike any other.

Pampered guests aboard this cruise will embarkfrom Ft. Lauderdale on Wednesday, March 6, and setsail for arrival on March 8 in Cozumel, Mexico. Fromthere, travelers will head to the charming, British-

influenced island of Grand Cayman. After a day at seaon March 10, participants will dock at Limón, CostaRica, which offers white, sandy beaches and mistymountains draped in lush rainforest.

On March 12, the real adventure begins when theship enters the Panama Canal at the Gatun Locks andheads for Gatun Lake, an immense 168-square-mile

artificial reservoir surrounded bylush, impenetrable jungle.

Returning through the samelocks, the ship cruises to Cartage-na, Columbia, where travelers willget a glimpse on March 13 of colo-nial Spain as they stroll into the16th century walled city boastinglocal boutiques that offer theworld’s finest emeralds.

Two days at sea on the wayback to Ft. Lauderdale give travel-ers ample opportunity to discover

why Princess cruises outclass the rest.To receive a brochure and reservation form, write

today to: UTU Travelers Club, 14600 Detroit Ave.,Cleveland, OH 44107-4250. To learn about the vari-ous upgrade options and airfares, call Lakewood Trav-el Bureau toll free at 1-800-726-9294. (From Canada,call 216-221-9294.)

Panama Canal cruise set for Mar. 6-16

Cruise the Panama Canal aboard the PrincessCruise Line’s “Sun Princess.”

Information, PleaseI would like more information on UTUIA’s ULTIMATE PAR policy. Please Print.

Please provide full name, sex, date of birth, and relationship of the child for whom the information is requested on the line below.

Full Name of Member

Address

Telephone Number with Area Code

Full Name

City

Sex Date of Birth Relationship

State

UTU Local Number

ZIP

Date of birthSex

Complete and mail to: UTUIA Sales Dept., 14600 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, OH 44107-4250 11/01

HHave you ever stopped tothink about what you could

have done with the money youspent on Christmas gifts in thepast? If you’re like most parentsand grandparents, you go over-board. But what usually happens tothose gifts? Do they end up in thecorner, rarely played with — orworse yet, broken? Why not giveyour little ones a lasting gift thisChristmas?

PP ermanent life insurance is awonderful way to provide a

lifetime benefit for your youngsters. What better way to show them you care? Permanent life insurance is veryinexpensive at young ages, and premium-paying choices are endless, since premiums can be paid in one easypayment or over just about any period of time you select. Give a gift that keeps on giving by returning thecoupon below, or by calling toll-free, 1-800-558-8842, for assistance from your UTUIA representative.

PARENTS…GRANDPARENTS…This Christmas, Give a Gift that Will Last a Lifetime

Retired UTU member Willis G. Croonquist and his wife, Rita, pose fortheir annual Christmas photograph with their seven grandchildren. TheCroonquists gave each of their grandchildren a gift that will last a life-time: a paid-up, $25,000 life insurance policy from the UnitedTransportation Union Insurance Association.

“The best thing I gave each of them was a paid-up $25,000

life insurance policy.”– Willis G. Croonquist

Local 1177, Willmar, Minn.