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                        UTU NEWS                    
                     ONLINE EDITION                 
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        -------------------------------------
                       MARCH 2001
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      -----------PROGRESS THROUGH UNITY-----------
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    A Service of the United Transportation Union
            Public Relations Department

                Byron A. Boyd, Jr.
             International President
                        ---
                Daniel E. Johnson III
    International General Secretary & Treasurer
                        

                 Editorial Offices:
                      UTU NEWS
                 14600 Detroit Ave.
              Cleveland, OH 44107-4250
                  utunews@utu.org
                 http://www.utu.org

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                      WELCOME TO
           THE VOICE OF TRANSPORTATION LABOR
   "As president of your union, I pledge to do my utmost 
to fulfill the duties of this office and continue to 
bring pride and honor to the United Transportation 
Union."
-- UTU INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT BYRON A. BOYD, JR.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
--The UTU NEWS On-Line Edition takes advantage of the 
search-and-find features in your word processing 
software or on-line editor. For example, to read about 
the results of the latest single-craft election ("Vote 
on TRRA goes to UTU"), have your word processing 
software or on-line editor search for the text ##D.

IN THIS EDITION
--B.A. Boyd, Jr., succeeds C.L. Little ............##A
--National contract talks resume ...............##B
--Members killed on the job .......................##C
--Vote on TRRA goes to UTU .....................##D
--Transit workers approve pact ....................##E
--Star Transit workers pick UTU ................##F
--UTU, TCU defend 13(c) protections ...............##G
--Cunningham appointed rights coordinator ......##H
--Second "Join Hands Day" set for June 16 .........##I

AROUND THE UTU
--News from around the U.S. and Canada .........##J

ON THE JOB
--Assault changes operator's outlook ..............##K

STATE WATCH
--News from UTU State Legislative Boards .......##L

BUS DEPT. / STREET BEAT
--"Workers deserve protection, justice" ...........##M
   Guest editorial by Trudy Weber
   Retired former Vice President-Bus Department

YARDMASTER REPORT
--"Contract talks making progress" .............##N
   Editorial by Don R. Carver
   Assistant to the President, Yardmasters' Dept.

EDITORIALS
--RSAC brings progress ............................##O
--"A personal message" .........................##P
   Editorial by Byron A. Boyd, Jr.
   UTU International President
--"Beware: 'I am just here to help you'" ..........##Q
   Editorial by James M. Brunkenhoefer
   UTU National Legislative Director
--SPOTLIGHT: Will the UTU prevail in 2001? .....##R
   Editorial by Frank N. Wilner
   Reprinted with permission from Railway Age

FEATURE
--UTU backs effort to save steel industry .........##S

SENIOR NEWS
--Support builds for Medicare drug benefit .....##T
--Rail job offered way off the farm ...............##U
--Retired former union officials pass away .....##V
--Social Security offers e-newsletter .............##W
--The Final Call ...............................##X

TPEL HONOR ROLL
--Contributors' growing support recognized ........##Z

NOTICES
--Monthly winner announced ....................##AA
--TPEL form now online ...........................##BB
--Register now for Regional Meetings ..........##CC
--Regional Meeting hotel information .............##DD
--Regional Meeting golf outing set ............##EE
--Members offered AT&T Wireless ..................##FF
--UTUIA offers Disability Income Replacement ..##GG
====================================================

IN THIS EDITION

--B.A. Boyd, Jr., succeeds C.L. Little ............##A

   CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Byron A. Boyd, Jr., succeeded 
Charles L. Little as International president of the UTU 
and the United Transportation Union Insurance 
Association (UTUIA) last month in the wake of Little's 
unexpected announcement that he was resigning and 
retiring.

   Little, 64, attributed his decision to health 
considerations.

   Boyd, who held the post of assistant president at the 
time of Little's announcement, succeeded Little as UTU 
president immediately under a provision of the UTU 
Constitution.

   He noted that Little would be available to the UTU 
for consultation during the transition period.

   "We are all indebted to Charlie Little for his many 
years of dedication and service to both organizations," 
Boyd said, "and we wish him many fruitful years of well-
earned retirement."

   In accordance with the UTU Constitution, the UTU 
board of directors filled the vacancy created by Boyd's 
succession by electing General Secretary and Treasurer 
Paul C. Thompson, 61, to the post of assistant 
president, and elected Vice President Daniel E. Johnson 
III, 54, to serve as general secretary and treasurer.

   A two-thirds vote of the board of directors is 
required to fill vacancies in the posts of assistant 
president and general secretary and treasurer, according 
to Article 2 of the UTU Constitution.

   Immediately following the board's selection of 
Thompson and Johnson, Boyd and Thompson were 
administered the oath of office by National Legislative 
Director James M. Brunkenhoefer. Johnson was not present 
for the board meeting, which took place in Cleveland on 
February 8.

   Effective March 1, U.S. Alternate Vice President-West 
Arthur Martin III filled the vice presidency vacated by 
Johnson. Martin, 54, who was serving as general 
chairperson on the Union Pacific Railroad's (UP) eastern 
district (GO-953), is succeeded in that position by D.L. 
Hazlett of Local 495, Salina, Kan., who held the 
associate general chairperson post.

   Little, 64, was elected UTU International president 
in 1995, and re-elected by a landslide to that position 
in 1999.

   Boyd, 54, a member of UTU Local 117 at Vancouver, 
Wash., was born July 25, 1946, in Seattle, Wash. He 
began his railroading career in 1964 as a brakeman for 
the UP, was transferred to engine service in 1968, and 
was promoted to locomotive engineer in 1971.

   Boyd was elected vice local chairperson in 1969 and 
was elevated to local chairperson later that same year. 
In 1975, he became the vice general chairperson on the 
consolidated UP system committee, and in 1978, attained 
the post of general chairperson.

   Delegates at the 1983 convention elected Boyd to the 
position of vice president. He was re-elected to that 
post at the 1987 and 1991 conventions. At the 1995 
convention, Boyd was elected assistant president, and 
was re-elected to that position by acclamation in 1999.

THOMPSON STARTED ON SANTA FE
   Thompson began his career in 1959 on the Santa Fe 
Railroad as a locomotive fireman, and was promoted to 
engineer in 1968. He joined the Brotherhood of 
Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, a UTU predecessor 
union, and was elected president of Lodge 298 (now UTU 
Local 94 at Kansas City, Kan.) in 1968.

   Thompson was elected vice general chairperson on the 
Santa Fe in 1975 and general chairperson in 1979. He 
served as a delegate at the 1971, 1975 and 1979 
conventions, and was elected vice president by the 
delegates at the 1983 convention. He was re-elected to 
that post in 1987, 1991 and 1995. At the 1999 
convention, Thompson was elected general secretary and 
treasurer.

   Johnson began his career in 1966 as a brakeman on the 
Southern Pacific, and was promoted to conductor in 1970. 
He joined Lodge 460 (now UTU Local 807 at Tucson, Ariz.) 
of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, a UTU 
predecessor union, in June 1966, and served as vice 
local chairperson from 1969 to 1972, local chairperson 
from 1973 to 1980, local legislative representative from 
1971 to 1980, delegate from 1975 to 1979, chairperson of 
the Arizona State Legislative Board from 1975 to 1983, 
vice general chairperson from 1981 to 1990, and general 
chairperson from 1990 to 1997.

   Johnson was elected alternate vice president-west in 
1995, and became vice president in June 1997. He was 
elected to that post at the 1999 convention by 
acclamation.

   Johnson also chaired the Southwest General 
Chairpersons' Association from 1991 to 1996, the Western 
General Chairpersons' Association from 1996 to 1997, and 
was a member of the UTU/BLE Merger Committee in 1993. A 
member of the UTU's National Negotiating Committee in 
1995 and 1996, he continues to serve in that capacity 
and has been a member of the National Wage & Rules Panel 
since 1997.

MARTIN'S SENIORITY ON UNION PACIFIC
   Martin began his career on the UP as a clerk in 1966 
and joined the former Brotherhood of Railway, Airline 
and Steamship Clerks, Freight Handlers, Express and 
Station Employees (BRAC), now known as the 
Transportation Communications Union (TCU). He 
transferred to engine service and joined the UTU in 
1974.

   A member of Local 78, Pocatello, Idaho, Martin served 
as vice local chairperson from 1979 to 1983, local 
chairperson from 1983 to 1990, general chairperson from 
1990 to 1993, and held the post of associate general 
chairperson from 1993 until his predecessor's retirement 
in July 1998, when he again took the post of general 
chairperson. He was elected U.S. alternate vice 
president-west at the 1999 convention.

   A fourth-generation railroader and father of two, 
including a son who is employed as a UP conductor and a 
daughter, Martin is a member of the Elks and the Idaho 
State University Bengal Foundation. He is a veteran of 
the U.S. Air Force and served in southeast Asia.



--National contract talks resume ...............##B

   CLEVELAND -- Negotiators made progress when contract 
talks between the UTU and the National Carriers' 
Conference Committee resumed last month in Miami, Fla.

   "For reasons we do not fully understand, the carriers 
say they made a mistake in the language agreed to last 
September with respect to the timing of the elimination 
of entry rates of pay for current employees. We managed 
to resolve our other differences in the questions and 
answers that will accompany the tentative agreement when 
we put it out for ratification," said UTU International 
President Byron A. Boyd, Jr., chairperson of the UTU 
National Negotiating Committee.



--Members killed on the job .......................##C

   CARLISLE, Ohio -- Two UTU members recently lost their 
lives while on the job.

   One man was killed and his crew members severely 
injured when their CSXT train struck the rear of a 
stopped train near the southwest Ohio town of Carlisle. 
Killed was David J. Wund, 35, of Cincinnati, Ohio, a 
member of Local 1917 at Cincinnati. He started with the 
CSX Transportation Company in 1998. Suffering severe 
head injuries was Harry Everingham, 46, of Palestine, 
Ill., a member of Local 145 at Columbus, Ohio. Terry 
Stover, 45, of Columbus, Ohio, a BLE member, suffered 
severe back injuries in the crash.

   Ron Harvey, a 53-year-old switchman member of Local 
1402 at Dupo, Ill., was killed December 28 when he was 
struck on the head by moving equipment. The 30-year 
railroad employee got off his engine outside the St. 
Louis Terminal yard in Dupo and found himself stuck 
between moving trains traveling in opposite directions. 
Minutes later, fellow railroaders found him face down, 
killed by a blow to the left side of his head. Harvey 
leaves behind two grown children; he was to be re-
married just weeks after his death.



--Vote on TRRA goes to UTU .....................##D

   GRANITE CITY, Ill. -- In a winner-take-all election 
with significance for all rail operating employees, 
train and engine service workers on the Terminal 
Railroad Association of St. Louis (TRRA) last month 
voted 83 to 17 as a single craft to choose the UTU as 
their bargaining representative.

   "This a great and long-awaited moment for those on 
the TRRA who wanted and needed the assurance of having 
the best representation available in the industry," UTU 
International President Byron A. Boyd, Jr. said. "Not 
only does this outcome represent a triumph for TRRA 
workers, but it hands a victory to all who understand 
the advantages of single-craft representation."

   President Boyd thanked General Chairperson Dave B. 
Weir (GO 919), Local President Tom Kennedy and Secretary 
and Treasurer John I. Payer, who are members of Local 
469, Madison, Ill, as well as Organizing Representative 
J.R. Cumby of Local 1962, Toledo, Ohio, and Vice General 
Chairperson Jim Herndon (GO 436) of Local 565, 
Centralia, Ill., for their determined and successful 
efforts.

   The TRRA representation election was ordered by a 
National Mediation Board (NMB) ruling on December 22, 
2000, that included the finding that a single craft or 
class of operating employees is appropriate where the 
facts indicate a "mandatory progression from train 
service to engine service, and [a] similarity in working 
conditions and job functions...."

   The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) had 
filed a petition with the NMB on December 26, 2000, 
asking for a reconsideration of the board's December 22 
decision. Fearing a loss in the election, the BLE then 
filed for a stay of the election on January 3, 2001. The 
NMB ultimately denied both of the BLE's requests.

   In refusing to grant the relief the BLE requested in 
its motion for reconsideration, the NMB majority found 
that significant cross-utilization is not a factual 
predicate to a single-craft ruling.

   President Boyd noted this action by the NMB and the 
vote of the employees on the TRRA supports the UTU's 
representation initiative.

   As a result of the election, GO-919 has become the 
first unified UTU general committee of adjustment 
composed completely of a class of employees certified by 
the NMB as train and engine service employees.

   Last year, UTU was certified on the Texas-Mexican 
Railroad by the NMB to represent train and engine 
service employees.

   GO 919 also represents train and engine service 
employees on the Manufacturer's Railway, where a similar 
victory was scored late last year.

   "Credit for making this victory possible goes to a 
lot of hard-working individuals, but special mention 
should be made of the call team captains who helped turn 
out the vote," Cumby noted.

   Cumby also thanked Local 469 Chairpersons Bobby 
Maurer and Jack McKee, as well as Vice General 
Chairperson Herndon, who works with General Chairperson 
Jerry L. Batton representing workers on the Illinois 
Central.



--Transit workers approve pact ....................##E

   CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A new three-year contract has been 
approved by members of Local 1715 in Charlotte, N.C., 
where bus operators, mechanics and cleaners employed by 
Transit Management of Charlotte, Inc., twice rejected 
previous proposals.

   The agreement, reached on January 28 but not approved 
until February 9, provides a 3.4% cost-of-living 
increase each year, an increase in the company's 
retirement plan contributions, three new bereavement 
days, an extra paid personal day and more sick-leave 
days. It runs from January 29, 2001, to January 29, 
2004.

   "I want to thank all the union members here who took 
the time and showed the concern to vote on this 
contract," said Local President James Shannon. "The 
union will continue to work on better health care and an 
improved retirement package during the next three 
years."

   Shannon noted that dissatisfaction with the company's 
stance on health care and retirement, as well the fact 
that the property is in a right-to-work state, held up 
approval of the contract and led to the community's fear 
that a strike might be imminent.

   Besides concerns about the rising cost of health-care 
premiums, members wanted to establish a lower retirement 
age, while the company was determined to increase it 
from 63 to 65 years of age. In the end, provisions 
regarding retirement age and health care remained the 
same as in the previous contract.

   The low percentage of union members in the bargaining 
unit weakened the local's negotiating position, Shannon 
said. Of the system's roughly 500 workers, only about 
half are members of the union. Because North Carolina is 
a right-to-work state, bargaining unit members need not 
join a union, but are covered by union contracts.

   Despite strong support for a strike from many bus 
operators, Shannon said he was concerned about the 
chances for a successful action because "we would have 
had half the drivers crossing the picket line."

   Shannon promised to stage an organizing effort among 
employees before the three-year contract expires, 
saying, "Strength in numbers is our goal."

   The company, which manages the 225-bus Charlotte Area 
Transit System, supplies services to about 40,000 
passengers daily.



--Star Transit workers pick UTU ................##F

   LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- UTU Local 105 at Las Vegas, Nev., 
which represents bus drivers employed by Gray Line Tours 
of Southern Nevada, is about to expand its membership by 
nearly 100 members.

   By a more than 2-to-1 margin, the airport shuttle 
drivers and tour bus operators employed by Star Transit 
chose the UTU to serve as their collective bargaining 
representative in a representation election held January 
16.

   Of the 92 Star employees eligible to vote in the 
election, 58 cast votes in favor of the UTU, 27 voted 
for no union representation, and seven did not cast 
ballots.

   Ambrose Murray, president of Local 105, said the Star 
employees are eager to begin working on their first 
contract proposal. "We will be more than happy to help 
with that since the Star drivers are eager to be part of 
this unified Las Vegas local," Murray told Bus Vice 
President Bernie McNelis.

   "We want to congratulate the Star employees on this 
election," McNelis said. "We are now waiting for the 
official certification of the election results from the 
National Labor Relations Board.

   "Barring a protest from the employer, we will visit 
Star Transportation employees soon to gather their ideas 
for a contract and begin negotiations."

   McNelis also said he wanted to acknowledge the 
efforts of Gray Line Tours General Chairperson Jim 
McNealy and his committee for their hard work in this 
organizing campaign.

   McNelis also praised the work of UTU Director of 
Strategic Planning John Nadalin, and General Chairperson 
Roy Arnold of Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma Coaches in 
bringing the campaign to a successful conclusion.



--UTU, TCU defend 13(c) protections ...............##G

   CLEVELAND -- An effort led by the UTU and the 
Transportation Communications International Union (TCU) 
has resulted in the preservation and strengthening of 
the Federal Transit Act's (FTA) section 13(c) provisions 
protecting a wide range of transportation workers.

   A decision by former U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexis 
Herman to enforce the FTA's section 13(c) was upheld by 
the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in 
a ruling issued on January 13, signaling an immediate 
victory for Bay Transit Authority (BTA) commuter rail 
service workers in the San Francisco area.

   The jobs of BTA workers were threatened when Herzog 
Transit Services sought to bid against Amtrak for the 
renewal of a contract to operate commuter rail services. 
The Herzog bid would not have complied with section 
13(c) regulations, giving Herzog a competitive advantage 
over Amtrak and sparking Herman's decision.

   "This was a significant win," said UTU International 
President Byron A. Boyd, Jr. "The ruling affects more 
than just those UTU-represented conductors and assistant 
conductors working on Amtrak. It offers aid and support 
to all transportation workers whose contracts rely on 
the protections afforded by section 13(c)."

   The TCU and the UTU took the lead in intervening last 
autumn in support of the Department of Labor, which 
insisted that the Herzog bid would have to respect and 
comply with the 13(c) provisions.

   Joining the UTU and TCU later were the International 
Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the 
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the 
Service Employees International Union (which has a 
division that represents the Firemen and Oilers), and 
the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

   Among other things, the 13(c) provisions authorize 
the secretary of labor to condition the certification of 
bids in order to protect workers' collective bargaining 
rights.

   The district court held that Herman's decision was 
"neither arbitrary, capricious, nor unlawful," and 
instead was "fair and equitable" in upholding 13(c) 
provisions.



--Cunningham appointed rights coordinator ......##H

   CLEVELAND -- Ray Cunningham, Jr., has been named by 
International President Byron A. Boyd, Jr., to serve as 
UTU's human rights coordinator, a position created to 
educate and promote awareness of the advantages brought 
by diversity.

   "The transportation industry continues to benefit 
from the increasing involvement of both sexes and all 
races," Boyd pointed out. "As we enter this new century 
and new millennium, it is time that we take steps to 
proactively deal with the related issues and capitalize 
on the strengths and resources that our organization's 
diversity makes available to us."

   Cunningham, an Amtrak conductor and local chairperson 
of Local 1933, Washington, D.C., believes diversity 
represents a resource the UTU can't afford to ignore.

   "On Amtrak, it's mandatory to receive diversity 
training," said Cunningham, "and more and more companies 
are recognizing the opportunities to either prosper or 
fail that are related to how they deal with the 
diversity of their workforce."

   Cunningham brings 33 years of rail experience to the 
position, including the insights gained from 23 years 
spent in local union positions.

   "When we see smoke, we're not going to wait for a 
fire to break out," he said. "We want to put out the 
sparks, and educate as we do it."

   Cunningham pointed out that his position is more like 
a part-time job, and that he'll continue to work with 
Local 1933. "But if there's trouble somewhere, and 
President Boyd wants me to find its source and fix it, 
that's where I'll go."



--Second "Join Hands Day" set for June 16 .........##I

   CLEVELAND -- The UTU/UTUIA is proud to join together 
with the 88 other not-for-profit fraternal benefit 
societies comprising the National Fraternal Congress of 
America to sponsor "Join Hands Day," a nationwide day of 
volunteerism, learning and fun.

   Join Hands Day, set for Saturday, June 16, gives 
members a chance to mobilize to make life better for 
those less fortunate, to work and learn with young 
adults, and to prove again that UTU/UTUIA members are 
the greatest volunteers in the world.

   Participation can take any number of forms, from 
cleaning streets or helping seniors, to repairing 
playground equipment, painting over graffiti, or 
removing trash from streams. The important thing is to 
do something, and tell us about it! Photos and stories 
about your projects could appear in a future edition of 
the UTU NEWS to let others know how you participated to 
make Join Hands Day a success.

   A form has been included in the print edition of this 
month's UTU NEWS for those who intend to participate in 
this year's event. Use it to send your project ideas to: 
Sandra J. Kranick, Fraternal Coordinator, UTU/UTUIA, 
14600 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, OH 44107. For more 
information, contact Kranick at (216) 228-9400, ext. 
203.

   "I was extremely pleased with the success and level 
of participation on the part of UTU/UTUIA members last 
year," Kranick remarked, noting that some 215 adults and 
52 children associated with the UTU/UTUIA took part in 
events. "I know we can accomplish even more this year."

   No project is too small, and the possibilities are as 
unlimited as your imagination. Ideas to consider: 
Homelessness or poverty (prepare and distribute 
sandwiches, or organize a food drive); environmental 
concerns (clean a park, or volunteer at a recycling 
center); health issues (deliver meals to the homebound, 
or visit hospital patients); schools and education (hold 
a book drive for school libraries, or paint a mural on 
school walls), and humane animal treatment (walk dogs at 
an animal shelter).

   Young people and adults working together as 
volunteers to help their communities, and themselves. 
That is the essence of Join Hands Day.

   "The goal of Join Hands Day is to help change how 
adults and young people understand each other and get 
along," Kranick said. "It is a way to help change the 
way Americans think and act across generations."

   "Young people love the opportunity to take leadership 
roles, to learn how to operate power tools, to be 
spokespersons on radio and television. They were 
surprised at how nice and helpful adults were to work 
with, and adults enjoyed showing teenagers how to paint, 
plant and fix, all for the benefit of the community."

   No project is too large or too small. You may join 
with other UTU/UTUIA members in your area to accomplish 
much more.

   Please, plan to participate in Join Hands Day by 
sending in the planning form in the print edition of 
this issue before April 15, 2001.



AROUND THE UTU
--News from around the U.S. and Canada .........##J

LOCAL 4, CHARNY, P.Q.
   The regular monthly meeting for May has been 
rescheduled for the third Monday of the month due to 
"Fete de Dollard," according to Secretary and Treasurer 
Louis-Fran¨ois Garceau, who notes the location and time 
for the meeting remain the same. For information, call 
(418) 832-1502, or send e-mail to < yahwe@total.net>.

LOCAL 171, AURORA, ILL.
   Active and retired members enjoyed a successful 
annual holiday dinner, marked by presentations from the 
Railroad Retirement Board and the UnitedHealth Group, 
said Local President Roy Coan. Special thanks go to 
Secretary and Treasurer Richard Temple, who handled the 
invitations, and to Bill Frenz, Phil Romanchuk and John 
Bishof of Designated Legal Counsel Yaeger, Jungbauer, 
Barczak, Roe & Vucinovich, PLC, who sponsored the event.

LOCALS 262, 898, 1462, BOSTON, MASS.
   Members will be well represented when the puck drops 
at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 11, at the Zapustas Ice 
Arena, 240 North St., Randolph, Mass., signaling the 
start of the Fourth Annual Billy Flaherty/David Fowkes 
Railroaders' Hockey Game, according to Local President 
E.B. Radovich (L-1462). All proceeds from the game, 
named in honor of two beloved UTU conductors, help out 
New England Division Amtrak employees battling cancer 
and other diseases. This year, Amtrak employees team up 
to battle the Boston Bruins Alumni Team, composed of 
former National Hockey League greats, with Local 
Chairperson Roger "The Wall" Lenfest (L-898) starting in 
the net. Gratitude goes to the UTU International, the 
UTUIA, Massachussets State Legislative Director George 
Casey, General Chairperson Al Suozzo, Local Chairpersons 
Joe Motte (L-1462) and Tom Driscoll (L-262), and 
Secretary and Treasurer Dave Bowe (L-1462) for their 
continued support and generosity. For information, call 
(508) 478-4590. More information is posted at 
<http://www.nesportsnet.com/bfhockey>.

LOCAL 376, LOUISVILLE, KY.
   Local officers are making plans for the summer, with 
a string of events set for August, including the regular 
monthly meeting on August 9, a golf scramble August 10, 
and the annual picnic on August 11, according to 
Secretary Johnnie V. Estes, who noted details would be 
available when arrangements have been finalized.

LOCAL 469, MADISON, ILL.
   A check for $1,000 was presented to the Four Square 
Church of Granite City, Ill., which provides food and 
assistance to the needy, in the wake of another 
successful Super Bowl Sunday Poker Tournament, hosted by 
the local and sponsored by the Midwest Railroaders and 
Designated Legal Counsel Lance Callis. Winner of the 
tournament was Don Gaston, a retired switchman from the 
Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis, said 
Secretary and Treasurer John I. Payer. Among those in 
attendance were members of Local 1517, Cincinnati, Ohio; 
Local 1534, Chicago, Ill.; Locals 1388 and 1405, St. 
Louis, Mo., and Local 1229, E. St. Louis, Ill.

LOCAL 770, HEAVENER, OKLA.
   The Women's Crisis Center in Heavener was the winner 
for the third year in a row when members of the local 
employed by Kansas City Southern held a food collection 
at their annual Christmas party, according to Local 
President Charles E. "Rock" Ford, Jr., and Legislative 
Representative Tommy G. Robertson.

LOCAL 1470, EDMONSTON, MD.
   The Seventeenth Annual Reunion of PRR Retirees will 
be held April 16-18 at the Holiday Inn West in Myrtle 
Beach, S.C., with the banquet to be held on Wednesday, 
April 18, according to retiree and event chairperson Joe 
Hollifield. For information, contact Hollifield by 
writing to him at 250 Maison Dr., Myrtle Beach, SC 
29572, or call (843) 280-4140.

LOCAL 1570, ROSEVILLE, CAL.
   Along with those from Local 492, Sacramento, Cal., 
members turned out in record numbers for the Eighth 
Annual Placer County Democratic Central Committee 
President's Day Dinner. Emcee at the event was 
California Assistant State Legislative Director Mike N. 
Anderson, who noted the greatest attendance in 20 years. 
Also on hand were Local President Jim Feickert, 
Secretary and Treasurer Walter Wilson, member Ken B. 
Schaffer, and Local 492's Secretary and Treasurer Daryl 
Stinchfield, who serves as the committee's treasurer. 
Volunteer bartenders included retired former Local 
President Dan Sanford and retired Local Chairperson Wes 
Berg. The event raised enough money to support the 
organization's activities for two years.

LOCAL 1594, UPPER DARBY, PA.
   Contract negotiations for members employed as rail 
and bus workers on the Southeastern Pennsylvania 
Transportation Authority (SEPTA) are in the early 
stages, according to Local Chairperson and President Ron 
Koran, who remains optimistic about the talks.

LOCAL 1687, BELEN, N.M.
   Members working for BNSF send best wishes to James D. 
Morgan, who hired out on the former Atchison, Topeka & 
Santa Fe on June 22, 1959, served as local chairperson 
for trainmen during the past 10 years, and retired 
February 1, said BNSF General Chairperson Jim A. Huston. 
"Your knowledge, experience and wisdom will be missed, 
not only at the local level, but also on the general 
committee level," said Huston in a letter to Morgan.

LOCAL 1778, N. VANCOUVER, B.C.
   Employees of BC Rail, along with members of Local 
1923, Prince George, B.C., who are represented by the 
Council of Trade Unions, voted more than 70% in favor of 
the tentative pact reached in December, according to 
Secretary and Treasurer David Moorhouse. The contract, 
which runs from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2002, 
includes a 2.5% wage increase each year, a raise in 
weekly indemnity rates and job security travel 
allowances, and contracting-out language similar to that 
employed by the Teamsters.



ON THE JOB
--Assault changes operator's outlook ..............##K

   PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- An assault on bus operator 
Garfield Gilbert changed everything, and though he 
appears to be recuperating physically, it might be a 
while before his mental outlook heals.

   An ordinary day of driving his route for the 
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority 
(SEPTA) on Saturday, January 13, turned ugly when a 
passenger stabbed Gilbert twice. Today, Gilbert wonders 
if he'll ever have an "ordinary" day again.

   Suffering a punctured left lung, Brother Gilbert, a 
member of UTU Local 1594, Upper Darby, Pa., feels 
confident that his physical wounds will heal, but the 
mental aspect of the experience still haunts him.

   "The more I think about it, the more frightening this 
thing is," Gilbert said. "How will I handle driving if 
every five seconds I'm looking over my shoulder? Most 
nights I go to bed, and before long, I jump out of my 
sleep, having these flashbacks."

   Gilbert said the whole thing happened so fast, he 
didn't immediately realize he had been stabbed.

   Three women, one with a baby, asked him if the bus 
would take them to a particular destination. Gilbert, 
who came from Jamaica 18 years ago and speaks with an 
accent, answered the women, but one became abusive, 
using profanity and mocking his accent.

   Gilbert got to their stop, he said, "and as they were 
exiting the bus, I turned around to get some napkins to 
wipe my face, and I felt something in my chest. I 
thought maybe she just punched me before she ran off the 
bus."

   After driving for another block, Gilbert said it felt 
like his shirt was wet. "I realized I was bleeding," he 
said, "I called the control center, and then called 
911."

   When the emergency medical personnel and police 
arrived, Gilbert gave them a description of the three 
women. "I remembered one had a baby and a stroller. The 
police found them by the store where I left them off, 
and the lady had a knife."

   Gilbert is cooperating with prosecuting authorities. 
Meanwhile, he's trying to come to terms with what 
happened that night.

   "You get immune to threats, because it was just 
another night with just another person upset about 
something," Gilbert said. "But there needs to be 
measures to protect transportation workers."



STATE WATCH
--News from UTU State Legislative Boards .......##L

ARIZONA
   The Arizona Legislative Board was successful in its 
effort to halt a vote by the state's Senate Judicial 
Committee on legislation which could have allowed for a 
"co-employee" to be sued by third parties as a result of 
a Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA) claim against 
a railroad.

   Legislative Director Scott Olson said although the 
committee was allowed to hear testimony on S.B. 1408 
last month, a vote on the bill was held up until it 
could be rewritten with all references to a "co-
employee" removed.

   UTU Designated Legal Counsel Chip Rabb of the Crow 
Law Firm assisted the legislative board in its action 
and will help to rewrite the wording of the bill, Olson 
said.

   "We all owe Mr. Rabb a great round of applause for 
his help," Olson said.

   Olson added that the UTU was the only union there to 
take up this important battle.

   "Thanks to all of you for your support of the Arizona 
State Legislative Board," Olson said.


IOWA
   The Iowa Legislative Board is sponsoring a UTU 
Informational Seminar to be held on Thursday, May 3, 
2001, at the historic Savery Hotel and Spa in Des 
Moines, Iowa. The seminar is open to all UTU members.

   Representatives from the Railroad Retirement Board, 
the UTU Insurance  Association, UTU Designated Legal 
Counsel and various health and welfare  organizations 
will be on hand to assist members and answer any 
questions.

   The seminar will be followed by a banquet on Thursday 
evening.

   UTU members can contact the Savery Hotel at (800) 
798-2151 for hotel accommodations. For more information, 
contact Seminar Chairperson Pat Hendricks at (515) 282-
9298.


MONTANA
   The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has 
concurred with charges made last year by Legislative 
Director Fran Marceau that the Burlington Northern Santa 
Fe (BNSF) violated the FRA's Hours of Service reporting 
regulations.

   In a letter to Marceau dated January 11, 2001, the 
FRA stated that it had completed its investigation into 
"the way (train) crews are tied up following deadhead 
service to outlying assignments at Glendive, Montana," 
and had concluded that "periods spent in deadhead 
service were not being properly recorded."

   The letter went on to state that the FRA took 
exception to this practice and that the BNSF had agreed 
to resolve the problem within 90 days.

   The FRA said it would follow up on recording methods 
at that time to assure compliance, and noted that 
noncompliance would result in significant enforcement 
proceedings.


NEBRASKA
   UTU members here have gone on the offensive in 
advancing legislation that would require the use of two-
person crews on freight trains throughout the state, 
despite opposition to L.B. 185 by some other labor 
organizations.

   The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) and the 
Nebraska AFL-CIO oppose the legislation because it does 
not specifically call for a ban on remote-control 
operations.

   Legislative Director Ray Lineweber said that while 
"UTU is indeed opposed to the remote-control operation 
of locomotives, and has fought against it for more than 
five years in Nebraska, this is clearly a federal issue, 
and the recent 'proposed rulemaking' on remotes by FRA 
verifies our position."

   Lineweber noted that, because of the efforts of UTU 
members, 12 state senators have co-sponsored L.B. 185.

   "In spite of the BLE opposition to the bill, no 
senator has offered their (BLE) amendment," Lineweber 
added.


NEVADA
   The UTU's Nevada Legislative Board, the Union Pacific 
Railroad and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway 
have entered into an agreement on a new set of railroad 
regulations in the state that were five years in the 
making.

   Legislative Director Jack M. Fetters said highlights 
of the new code include revised hazardous-materials 
reporting guidelines, walkway regulations, and standards 
for ballast size in yards where switching is done.

   "After many public hearings and delays, I would like 
to thank State Senator Dina Titus, Assemblyman Bernie 
Anderson, Designated Legal Counsel Larry Mann, Rod 
Nelms, Leon Busch and Jim Mular for their unwavering 
support and assistance during these difficult 
negotiations," Fetters said.


WASHINGTON
   At the urging of the Washington Legislative Board, 
Rep. Mike Cooper has sponsored H.B. 1436, which states 
that "no person operating or controlling a freight 
railroad may allow the operation of a freight railroad 
train or locomotive in this state unless the train or 
locomotive has a crew of at least two employees."

   Legislative Director Tom Retterath urges all UTU 
members to contact their representatives in the state's 
House of Representatives to ask for their support of 
this legislation.

   The e-mail addresses of representatives are available 
through the Washington state legislature's web site at 
<http://www.leg.wa.gov> and voice-mail messages may be 
left toll-free at (800) 562-6000.



BUS DEPT. / STREET BEAT
--"Workers deserve protection, justice" ...........##M
   Guest editorial by Trudy Weber
   Retired former Vice President-Bus Department

   The year 2000 marked the 65th anniversary of the 
National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). This act is 
supposed to ensure the American worker some measure of 
justice and protection.

   The NLRA worked in 1935 because conditions for 
workers were so deplorable that nothing could make them 
worse. That is no longer true. The NLRA no longer offers 
justice and protection for workers. The act has been 
diluted through amendment after amendment, and, because 
of lax enforcement, has lost its protective shield.

   The anti-union forces have been getting their way 
with their anti-union, right-to-work rhetoric. Since we 
have been unable to stop this relentless assault on the 
organizing efforts of the unions, their ranks have been 
diminished to less than 15% of the U.S. workforce.

   It has become easy for employers to fire or harass 
workers who are trying to organize. The companies need 
not fear that anyone will put a stop to their campaign 
of terror. Should the workers vote for a union, the 
companies either refuse to negotiate, drag the 
negotiations out for years, or challenge the election. 
While most of these tactics are illegal, federal labor 
officials take an average of two years to rule on them. 
Even when no violation is found, it sometimes takes up 
to one year to certify the winner. Is it any wonder the 
companies play their nasty games unchecked?

   So, my fellow union members, here is hoping that some 
day soon, this great country will once again see fit to 
protect its most valuable resource, the American worker, 
by revamping and enforcing the much-amended and abused 
National Labor Relations Act.



YARDMASTER REPORT
--"Contract talks making progress" .............##N
   Editorial by Don R. Carver
   Assistant to the President, Yardmasters' Dept.

   Our yardmaster general committees are busy in 
negotiations with their employing carriers to enhance 
the quality of life, benefits and wages for their 
memberships.

   Recently, General Chairperson Jerry Fortune 
negotiated and received ratification of a new yardmaster 
contract for the Wheeling and Lake Erie yardmasters. The 
new agreement increases wages and benefits.

   Assistant Director Jerry Martin and Soo Line General 
Chairperson Richard Miller are working on a new system 
agreement. They are working to combine the former 
Milwaukee Road and Soo Line yardmaster agreements into a 
new Soo Line system yardmaster agreement.

   Yardmaster general chairpersons representing the more 
than 700 yardmasters on CSX are in negotiation on a new 
contract. CSX did not give the National Carriers' 
Conference Committee its power of attorney for the 
yardmaster craft. Contract negotiations are being 
handled on the property. General Chairpersons D.K. 
Turner, J.R. Cumby, R.P. DeGenova  and D.J. Burke are 
expressing optimism with the progress being made. 
"Strength in unity" appears to be their motto as they 
jointly negotiate with CSX on the new contract.

   DeGenova, who represents yardmasters and clerks on 
the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad, is nearing 
tentative agreements covering each craft.

   Negotiations continue with Amtrak, the New Orleans 
Public Belt and the Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range.

   We are optimistic that the final touches will be put 
on the proposed national contract in the near future, 
allowing for membership ratification.



EDITORIALS

--RSAC brings progress ............................##O

   On January 2, the Federal Railroad Administration 
(FRA) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding 
sanitation standards for toilet and washing facilities 
in locomotive cabs.

   With that notice, the FRA detailed the rules it will 
likely put into place, and opened a comment period 
extending through March 5.

   The long-overdue rules call for daily inspections and 
spell out when, where and how specific conditions must 
be met, and prohibit non-compliant units from being used 
until repaired or made sanitary.

   As is often the case, the story behind the story is 
as significant as the main event, and in this case, we 
applaud not only the arrival of the proposed rules, but 
also the process that produced them.

   A product of the Rail Safety Advisory Committee 
(RSAC) on Locomotive Cab Working Conditions, the rules 
result from what can be considered "negotiated 
rulemaking."

   In the past, such rules may well have been formulated 
behind closed doors, with little or no input from those 
affected.

   The result may well have been time-consuming, costly 
trips to court that, in the long run, serve no one.

   With the RSAC approach, the railroads, their 
employees, affected suppliers and the government have a 
chance to exchange positions and reach consensus in 
formulating the rules.

   And once consensus is reached, it tends to remove the 
arguments about implementation.

   No one gets everything, but everybody gets something, 
and measurable, timely progress results.

   In the near future, the process is expected to 
produce rules on such issues as locomotive 
crashworthiness, cab noise and temperature, and positive 
train control.

   We remain optimistic that RSAC will continue to serve 
us well.



--"A personal message" .........................##P
   Editorial by Byron A. Boyd, Jr.
   UTU International President

   First, let me say it is a tremendous honor and 
privilege to serve as president of this great union.

   My father was a member and officer of this union, and 
my roots run deep in the UTU's predecessor unions.

   The UTU recently ended a chapter in its history. The 
unexpected resignation and retirement of Charlie Little 
surprised many.

   I know I'm not alone in offering Charlie my sincere 
gratitude for his years of service.

   As president of your union, I pledge to do my utmost 
to fulfill the duties of this office and continue to 
bring pride and honor to the United Transportation 
Union.

   To that end, I have the good fortune of being 
surrounded by the finest union officers in the 
transportation industry, who understand what needs to be 
done to meet our goals.

   Together, with Assistant President Paul Thompson, 
General Secretary and Treasurer Dan Johnson and National 
Legislative Director James M. Brunkenhoefer offering 
their experience and counsel, we will set our course.

   Together, we share the belief that our heritage is 
important, but our future is even more important.

   We will continue our quest for the unification of the 
railroad operating crafts, including the initiative 
begun on the Union Pacific. It is our belief that the 
long-standing differences and rivalry between the UTU 
and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers should be 
resolved by the leadership of both unions.

   However, we remain dedicated to continuing toward 
that which is historically inevitable. That includes 
pressing for elections on railroads as appropriate in 
case mutual resolution is not achieved.

   Together, we pledge to continue working for a reform 
of Railroad Retirement that will put the system on a 
sound financial footing, fix its long-standing 
inequities, and offer all rail workers an earlier and 
more secure retirement.

   Together, we pledge to secure the best possible 
national agreement ending the disparity between pre- and 
post-'85 employees.

   Together, we pledge to remain progressive, open and 
pro-active in all our efforts to maintain the UTU's 
reputation as the preeminent transportation union in 
North America.

   We will keep our minds open to new ideas, and we will 
meet the challenges faced by all transportation 
employees, whether locomotive engineers or conductors, 
trainmen or switchmen, yardmasters or bus operators, 
mechanics or airline pilots.

   As we move forward, I give thanks for your prayers 
and support.

   We believe the best part of the story is yet to come.

   Remember, our aim is in our name.



--"Beware: 'I am just here to help you'" ..........##Q
   Editorial by James M. Brunkenhoefer
   UTU National Legislative Director

   You just got injured on the job.

   First of all, you are in pain. Before you can be 
transported to a medical facility, a railroad 
representative meets you. He starts asking a million 
questions. Some of these representatives are good actors 
and would like you to believe that they care about you. 
They say that they really, truly want to know how the 
accident took place so that they can correct it. Most of 
you, however, recognize that the manager's real goal is 
to get you to make a statement showing that you are 
totally or partially to blame. This either limits or 
eliminates the railroad's responsibility for your 
injury. This ensures that you get less money for your 
injury. Sometimes less means nothing at all.

   You will be faced with forms to fill out. You are 
told that these forms must be done immediately, even 
though you are disoriented or in pain. You are told that 
if you do not fill them out immediately you can lose 
your job. Of course, if you make a mistake filling out 
the form, you are charged with lying, for which you can 
be fired. From the moment you are injured, the railroad 
has one goal and one goal only: to save money - the 
money that you and your family would get.

   The railroads also use similar tactics on everyone on 
your crew. They are looking for a way to make you a 
victim twice. They use the threat of discipline to 
insist that you go to their doctors, take their medical 
exams, etc. These tactics are all well known.

   There is now a new tactic. It appears that the BNSF 
has hit a new low. One of the forms that they have been 
asking workers to fill out is to allow for genetic 
testing. It sounds harmless, but it is probably the 
biggest threat that railroads have ever used in dealing 
with injured workers. This is a new invasion of more 
than just your right to privacy. Such testing reveals a 
great deal about you. Not only could it be used against 
you in the event at hand, it also can be used against 
you throughout your career. You see, if the genetic 
testing shows that you are likely to eventually develop 
a disease that would be costly to treat, the railroad 
may find it cheaper to fire you in order to save on 
medical costs. They may use the information gained from 
your injury to essentially put a target on you. It is 
the railroad's intention to use the information for 
their benefit and not for you or your family's. We here 
in Washington, D.C., will be working on getting a 
federal law passed to prevent such testing in the 
future. 

   There is nothing pleasant about a lawsuit, no matter 
which side you are on. Yet, what do railroads expect 
when they treat injured workers this way?

   The president of the United Transportation Union 
designates legal counsel to assist injured members. I 
think that this genetic testing scheme is a prime 
example of why injured members need that assistance. 
These designated legal counsel are very familiar with 
the railroads' techniques. All of these lawyers will 
meet with you and listen to what you have to say. Due to 
their experience, they have a better understanding of 
your problem than other lawyers. It is obvious that when 
you are injured, the sooner you consult with Designated 
Legal Counsel, the better.

   Before you try to be cooperative with railroad 
management, please recognize that they have no 
obligation to your family or to you. That is your 
responsibility. You are entitled to legal advice when 
you are injured. Believe me, the railroads contact their 
legal department before they call the ambulance. They 
meet you at the scene, try to intimidate you and suggest 
that you not exercise the right that they have already 
exercised to protect themselves. Be careful. When you 
are injured on the railroad, and the manager tells you 
that "I am just here to help you," don't believe it.



--SPOTLIGHT: Will the UTU prevail in 2001? .....##R
   Editorial by Frank N. Wilner
   From Railway Age magazine, January 2001

   The United Transportation Union intends to pursue a 
winner-take-all representation election for train and 
engine service (T&E) workers this spring on a so-far 
unnamed Class I railroad. It is part of the UTU strategy 
to achieve a single industry-wide contract for all Class 
I employees working under the same locomotive cab roof. 
UTU President Charlie Little says he prefers a voluntary 
merger as the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and 
the UTU tentatively agreed to in 1999. But after a BLE 
rank-and-file uprising forced a cancellation of wedding 
plans, the UTU pursued an involuntary craft 
consolidation.

   Yes, the National Mediation Board (NMB) last month 
(December 2000) affirmed an arbitration award denying 
the UTU a representation election for all T&E employees 
on the Union Pacific. And yes, the arbitration award was 
a victory for the BLE. Yet Little is optimistic that if 
NMB members themselves vote on his next petition for a 
representation election, the UTU will prevail before the 
NMB and certainly in the election as UTU members vastly 
outnumber those of the BLE.

   With rail union employment more than halved in recent 
years, the UTU says it is a waste of scarce resources 
for it and the BLE separately to pursue wage and 
benefits negotiations and to file and pursue grievances. 
Craft lines have been pretty much blurred anyway, says 
Little. Conductors and brakemen hired since 1985 must 
accept promotion to engineer or be washed out of T&E. 
Engineers also must flow back to conductor and brakeman 
when demand for engineers ebbs. It now is common that 
BLE and UTU members are covered under each other's 
contracts at some point in their careers.

   Politics may have had much to do with the appointment 
by the NMB of the three-member arbitration panel last 
year after BLE President Clarence Monin was ousted in a 
recall election, merger negotiations were terminated, 
and AFL-CIO officials were unable to broker a peace 
between the BLE and UTU.

   Arbitrators Richard Bloch, Richard Kasher and Arnold 
Zack ruled that the record presented them was 
"insufficient" to end a century of craft and seniority 
separation on UP and permit a winner-take-all 
representation election. The NMB affirmed that decision 
without comment last month, even though on the same day 
Jacobsen and Duggan concluded in a lengthy decision that 
modern practices had blurred historic craft distinctions 
on the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis (TRRA) 
as they had on the Tex-Mex and Florida East Coast. The 
TRRA decision in favor of the UTU and a representation 
election validated what the UTU had told the arbitration 
panel.

   NMB Democrat Ernest DuBester, whose third term 
expires in July and who will depart in favor of a 
Republican, dissented in the TRRA case, saying it was 
improper to "deviate from the historical patterns of 
representation in the railroad industry. Mandatory 
progression into the engineer position...does not 
indicate that engineers no longer have separate and 
distinct core duties." His reasoning followed that of 
the arbitration panel.

   It was not lost on anyone involved in the case, 
however, that DuBester, who joined the NMB from the AFL-
CIO, might be returning in July and that the UTU 
disaffiliated from the AFL-CIO last year after being 
sanctioned for raiding the BLE's membership. A merger 
between the BLE and the UTU should not be decided by the 
NMB based upon a representation election, said DuBester.

   The primary function distinguishing engineers from 
trainmen, said DuBester, "is that engineers operate 
locomotive units using train handling skills that assure 
ontime/on-plan movement, fuel efficiency, rule 
compliance, derailment prevention, and safety." BLE 
President Ed Dubroski said that is why engineers require 
a federal certification.

   Yet Little said he was "very encouraged" by the 
Jacobsen and Duggan votes in the TRRA case "because the 
same kind of evidence in the same format that won the 
TRRA case can be presented in a new UP case" that likely 
will be heard by Jacobsen and Duggan. UTU Assistant 
President Byron Boyd said the UTU "has not ruled out any 
Class I property" for filing of the next representation 
election petition.

   As for a BLE-UTU merger, "it is far from dead," said 
Boyd. "When one cuts through the rhetoric, it is the 
right thing to do for the right reasons because a single 
union for all operating employees means the membership 
is best served." Dubroski, who must stand for re-
election later this year, says the issue is not 
affiliation, but choice of affiliation. The BLE 
continues to look at other merger partners, but a 
serious paramour has not emerged.

(Reprinted with permission from the January 2001 edition 
of RAILWAY AGE magazine)



FEATURE
--UTU backs effort to save steel industry .........##S
   by Eric J. Eakin
   UTU NEWS Staff Reporter

   CLEVELAND -- UTU members should be vitally concerned 
about the sad state of the steel industry in this 
nation.

   Railroads are the arteries that bring coal, coke, 
iron ore, limestone and other raw materials to the 
mills.

   Railroads are the veins that carry finished products, 
like rolled and coiled steel, steel bars and sheets, 
automobiles and refrigerators, to market.

   Railroads are essential within steel mills, 
transferring special tank-car loads of 2,000-degree 
molten metal to casting plants, moving tons of scrap 
metal from finishing plants back to the mills for re-
processing.

   Last year, railroads hauled more than 818,000 
carloads of metallic ores, 211,000 carloads of coke, 
719,000 carloads of metals and metal products.

   A healthy steel industry means a healthy railroad 
industry.

   That is why the long, downward spiral in the health 
of the U.S. steel industry should be especially 
troubling to all UTU members and their families.

CONSIDER LTV STEEL
   LTV received about $5 billion (that's $5,000,000,000) 
in 1999 in revenues. It spent $320 million in wages in 
1999, and another $200 million for health care benefits 
for its 100,000 covered workers, families, retirees and 
their spouses.

   LTV also lost $212 million in 1999, and another $368 
million in the first nine months of 2000.

   It declared bankruptcy right after Christmas. That 
filing put creditors on hold so it could keep operating 
and consider the alternatives.

   Over the past few years, the steel company spent a 
ton of money building a nonunion minimill in Alabama. 
That investment went from bad to worse when management 
couldn't get the mill to run right. Then it overpaid for 
two steel tubing companies. Shortly before throwing in 
the towel, former CEO Peter Kelly assured LTV 
shareholders that time would prove those investments to 
be wise ones.

   "Nearly 40% of our business has been lost, and prices 
have fallen to their lowest levels in 20 years," said 
William H. Bricker, chairman and chief executive officer 
of the troubled steel company, which has piled up $368 
million in losses this year and hasn't seen an annual 
profit since 1997.

   LTV employs about 5,000 in the Cleveland, Ohio, area 
and 7,000 elsewhere in Ohio. Also, an estimated 40,000 
people work at jobs related to the steel industry in 
Ohio.

   Some of that money ends up in the pockets of UTU 
members. The LTV owns or has a financial interest in 
four railroads nationwide - the Chicago Short Line 
Railway, the Cuyahoga Valley Railway, the Monongahela 
Connecting Railway, and the River Terminal Railway - 
which employ close to 1,000 UTU members.

   The problems at LTV, and at steel producers 
nationwide, is cheap foreign steel.

   Most steelmakers have accused foreign companies of 
selling steel in this country at below cost, and last 
month a federal agency agreed that the imports are 
hurting the domestic steel industry. Despite that 
ruling, it will take months, at best, for action that 
could provide price relief.

   Since these foreign steel producers pay slave wages, 
and don't have to pay to conform to laws on air and 
water pollution, workplace safety, pensions or health-
care costs, they can pump out steel at a fraction of the 
cost of U.S. producers.

   The United States is the only industrialized nation 
that doesn't produce all the steel it uses, a bad 
indicator. In fact, 24% of steel used in U.S. in 1999 
was imported.

   If we allow the steel industry to go belly-up, we 
undermine many other industries, including metal 
forming, the railroads, mining, automobile 
manufacturing, the aerospace industry, the whole 
community.

   Becoming dependent on foreign steel is bad for 
national defense, bad for the economy, bad for the 
working men and women of this country.

   That is why the UTU is backing efforts by the United 
Steelworkers of America to clamp down on the use of 
foreign steel.

   The Steelworkers have proposed a plan that includes 
restraints on imports, loan guarantees and surcharges on 
steel to fund retirees' health care.

   The union contends that the steel industry is 
collapsing under a flood of low-cost imports, a slowing 
economy and high utility costs. The crisis has sent 14 
companies, including LTV, to bankruptcy court in the 
last four years.

   The union wants legislation that includes a $10-per-
ton surcharge on all steel sold in this country 
regardless of where it is made, as well as five years of 
import restrictions and a $10-billion loan fund. The 
union said a surcharge funneled into health-care costs 
would not relieve companies of contractual obligations 
but would offset costs for those steel makers with the 
most retirees.

   The union estimates it has 500,000 retirees, 
including about 42,000 at LTV. That doesn't include the 
estimated 250,000 surviving spouses who also get 
benefits.

   For LTV, the annual cost of health care is about $200 
million, with more than 60% of that going for retiree 
benefits.

   "I've got to believe, deep in my heart, in the end 
the Bush Administration is going to do the right thing," 
George Becker, former president of the 700,000-member 
United Steelworkers of America, said in January.

   Becker said Cleveland's LTV was only one of 14 steel 
companies in recent years to begin bankruptcy 
proceedings. "A lot more are right on the brink, ready 
to fall over the edge," he said. "The industry is going 
to go down if something is not done."

   The Steelworkers are eager to reach out to the 
Republican administration even though Bush has 
enthusiastically backed the very free-trade positions 
that organized labor blames for the flood of cheap steel 
imports into U.S. markets.

   Bricker said an LTV shutdown would mean no paychecks 
for 18,000 employees; no health-care payments for 
100,000 employees, retirees and their dependents; and a 
major blow to the company's 8,400 suppliers.

   "I hope the government would do its part to stop the 
dumping of foreign steel in this country," said Vice 
President Pete Patsouras, who handles negotiations for 
most of the steel railroads represented by the UTU.

   "These other foreign governments subsidize their 
steel industries. Why can't we do the same here?" 
Patsouras noted.

   "Foreign steel makers are paying slave wages, using 
slave labor," Patsouras said. "Should we buy steel made 
by slaves just because it is cheaper? Hell, no."

   "The financial health of the steel industry directly 
impacts the rail industry," Pastouras said. "The 
railroads haul coal, steel and iron ore, and there will 
be a ripple effect if the steel industry goes under. It 
won't be just the steel railroads that are affected. It 
will be all railroads, especially the Class I railroads, 
and everyone who works for them."

   General Chairperson Dennis Schuler said he has seen a 
steady decline at LTV since he started there in 1965.

   Schuler now serves as general chairperson of the 
River Terminal Railway, which services the former 
Republic Steel works, now part of LTV Steel. Trainmen 
employed by the River Terminal are members of Local 
1661, Cleveland. Enginemen on the River Terminal are 
represented by Local 27.

   The railroad operates about 80 miles of track, 
running throughout the plant in the shadow of downtown 
Cleveland south along the Cuyahoga River. It connects 
with CSX and NS.

   The UTU represents 165 workers at the River Terminal.

   So far, things are good on his property, Schuler 
said, with only four workers laid off. That will 
certainly change if LTV goes under, he said.

   "When I started in 1965, there were 900 guys working 
for the railroad. Ten years ago, there were 320. Now we 
have 165," Schuler said.

   "When I started in 1965, the Republic Steel plant had 
9,500 people working in the mill. Now they have 4,000.

   "We used to have coke plants there, but because of 
environmental regulations and other things, they found 
out it was cheaper to mine coal in West Virginia, ship 
it to Brazil, make it into coke and send it back to 
Cleveland. It's crazy," Schuler said.

   "We run seven jobs every eight hours, 24 hours a day, 
and it would go down to one crew every other day" if LTV 
were to close, Schuler predicted.

   "I feel bad for some guy who is 40 years old and 
works up there" at the River Terminal, Schuler said. 
"This time it is serious."

   Larry Moore, general chairperson of the Cuyahoga 
Valley Railroad, which services one section of the LTV 
steel mill in Cleveland, says times are tough on his 
property.

   Local 1748, which represents trainmen, enginemen, 
maintenance of way personnel, diesel shop employees and 
clerks employed by the Cuyahoga Valley Railway, had all 
but 16 of its members furloughed on November 15, when 
the mill was shut down. The mill re-opened Feb. 4.

   "When I started in 1971, we had at least 70 
engineers, firemen on all the jobs, 150 trainmen," Moore 
remembered. "Then, we lost a lot of jobs in 1993, maybe 
40%, because they closed the mold yard.

   "When things are back to normal we will be working 
three furnace jobs a day, handling scrap metal, hauling 
coke, doing interchange work and servicing the finishing 
mill," Moore said. "But for how long?

   "The rumor I heard is they (LTV) were going to 
rebuild the blast furnace in the fall, but I don't think 
they have the money. The furnace is on its last legs. If 
they don't get it back up we could be back where we were 
in November."

   "With this economic downturn, it hasn't been good," 
Moore said. "Back in 1993, when LTV came out of 
bankrupty, the stock was $20. But they didn't reserve 
any cash for this slowdown. They were making money in 
1998 but the last two years they have gone under."

   Moore blamed cheap overseas steel, the economic 
downturn, and missteps by LTV management for most of the 
problems.

   LTV's problems also came at a bad time for the 
members of the local. "We are in the midst of contract 
negotiations and our contract is usually patterned after 
what the steelworkers get," Moore said. "We are worried 
that the steelworkers may give back something on 
pensions, vacation time. We don't know what they may do. 
But management will be after us for the same thing.

   "Most of our guys are around 50 years old, and we are 
hanging on to the edge," Moore said. "Being furloughed 
at 50 is scary. It's not a good thing."

   Norm Hare, general chairperson on the Cuyahoga Valley 
Railroad, which services the LTV Steel mill in 
Cleveland, says the UTU members under his jurisdiction 
are at LTV's mercy. "Without financing, (LTV) could 
close down next month. Nobody can predict what will 
happen. I have no idea what might happen. Nobody can 
call that."

   There were 115 men on the roster when Hare started 
railroading in 1968; there are less than 50 now.

   Hare blames the problems at LTV "50% on foreign 
steel, and 50% on bad management. Even with sanctions 
(on the import of foreign steel) they (LTV) would still 
find a way to screw it up. They don't have Clue One. 
They can't tell us how to do our jobs, they just tell us 
what they want done and we find a way to get it done."

STEEL RAILROAD WORKERS SPEAK
   Lenny Conetsco, a River Terminal worker and Local 27 
secretary, treasurer and legislative representative, is 
a TPEL Gold Card member for a good reason. While he 
"absolutely supports the efforts of the Steelworkers," 
he stressed the importance of TPEL and self-help. "We 
have got to get the politicians involved (in saving the 
nation's steel industry)," Conetsco said. "That is why 
TPEL is so important."

   Brett Berkihiser, a conductor on the River Terminal 
Railroad and member of Local 1661 at Cleveland, says 
closing LTV "would mean sadness, unemployment. Everyone 
should buy American cars." Berkihiser also noted the 
increase in trucks hauling steel and other materials 
into and out of LTV. "They are hauling stuff we should 
be hauling," he said.

   Mark Vesel, a conductor on the River Terminal 
Railroad with a wife and two kids, and a member of Local 
1661, supports the efforts of the Steelworkers. "Without 
the Steelworkers we won't have jobs. Two months ago it 
didn't look very good." LTV laid virtually all of the 
River Terminal workers off November 15. Most of them 
went back to work in mid-January, but for how long?

AN INDUSTRY ON THE EDGE
   Several large U.S. steel makers have filed for 
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the last two years, 
putting thousands of employees out of work. These 
include:

Northwestern Steel & Wire Co.
HEADQUARTERS: Sterling, Ill.
FILED: Dec. 19, 2000
STATUS: Plants remain open

Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp.
HEADQUARTERS: Wheeling, W. Va.
FILED: Nov. 16, 2000
STATUS: Plants remain open

Gulf States Steel Inc.
HEADQUARTERS: Gadsden, Ala.
FILED: July 1999
STATUS: In November, bankruptcy changed from Chapter 11 
reorganization to Chapter 7, liquidation of all assets. 
Bondholders hope to attract investor, then convert bonds 
to stock in new company.

Qualitech Steel Corp.
HEADQUARTERS: Pittsboro, Ind.
FILED: March 1999
STATUS: Attempts to auction the plant in July 1999 
failed when lenders rejected bids. Last December it laid 
off 84 workers and said it will soon run out of 
operating capital.
Geneva Steel Co.
HEADQUARTERS: Vineyard, Utah
FILED: February 1999
STATUS: Reorganization plan approved by federal judge in 
November; $110-million loan guaranteed by U.S. Commerce 
Department.

Laclede Steel Co.
HEADQUARTERS: St. Louis, Mo.
FILED: November 1998
STATUS: Reorganization plan approved by federal judge 
last December. Negotiating $62-million loan from group 
led by General Electric Capital Corp.

Acme Metals Inc.
HEADQUARTERS: Riverdale, Ill.
FILED: September 1998
STATUS: $100-million loan guaranteed by U.S. Commerce 
Department.

CSC, Ltd.
HEADQUARTERS: Warren, Ohio
FILED: January 2001
STATUS: Has laid off most of 1,300 workers; the rest 
could follow unless buyer is found.



SENIOR NEWS

--Support builds for Medicare drug benefit .....##T

   A proposal to provide prescription drug benefits for 
all Medicare participants gained support last month, 
even though some Republicans are still insisting that 
Congress overhaul the entire program to cut costs.

   Sen. John Breaux (D-La.) and Sen. Bill Frist (R-
Tenn.) introduced a pair of bills they co-authored, one 
of which would restructure Medicare along lines sought 
by conservatives, creating options within the program 
that would offer various levels of insurance, including 
prescription drug coverage

   The other measure introduced by the pair would 
subsidize prescription drug costs under traditional 
Medicare coverage.

   The senators' prescription drug coverage plan for all 
seniors would cost $163 billion over 10 years, according 
to Congressional Budget Office estimates.

   Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley 
(R-Iowa) called the plan to add drug coverage a good 
starting point, suggesting Congress would not be able to 
agree on more ambitious changes this year. The panel is 
responsible for writing Medicare policy, and Grassley 
said he hoped the committee would have a bill ready by 
August.

   President Bush backs a limited drug plan for the 
poorest seniors, but says he wants more expansive change 
for the whole program. The cost of his limited proposal 
is estimated at $12 billion a year.

   Momentum in the Senate is toward a middle position 
that would provide drugs for all seniors without 
fundamentally changing the Medicare program.



--Rail job offered way off the farm ...............##U

   Retiree D.L. Young, who recently celebrated his 85th 
birthday, believes he may be Fred Harvey's oldest-living 
former news agent, or "butch."

   As Young recalls, a butch sold newspapers, candies, 
apples and soft drinks aboard passenger trains. The Fred 
Harvey who founded the company that employed him had 
built a chain of restaurants and hotels, known as Harvey 
Houses, to serve rail travelers. The company recruited 
hundreds of young people from the late 1800s through 
just after World War II to staff the enterprise.

   For Young, a member of Local 1252 in Fresno, Cal., 
the Harvey operation was a way off the farm. "It was 
better than chopping cotton in Texas," he said. "I 
picked 400 pounds a day, six days a week, and made two 
dollars a day. It was a lot easier making the $3 a day 
as a butch on the railroad."

   Young went to work for Harvey in December 1938. In 
April 1941, he and his wife, Thelma, went to visit her 
father in Fresno, Cal. While there, his father-in-law 
got him a job as a building contractor, bringing Young's 
days with Harvey to an end.

   "After the war broke out, the Santa Fe trainmaster in 
Fresno hired me as a switchman," Young said. "It was 
1942 and I had two boys and hearing problems, so the 
Army wouldn't take me. I joined the Brotherhood of 
Railroad Trainmen Lodge 871 about a month later, and 
still carry insurance with the union."

   Young was promoted to engine foreman in 1944, went on 
the road as a brakeman, but by age 50, found he had 
diabetes. "I went to a yard job then so I could eat 
regularly," he explained.

   Young retired in May 1976, and he and his wife will 
mark 66 years of marriage in April.

   "My wife isn't too well, so we don't travel anymore," 
Young said. "But we have eight  grandchildren, about 18 
great grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren.



--Retired former union officials pass away .....##V

   Four former retired UTU officials recently passed 
away, according to reports received at the 
International.

   Gene C. McCoy, a member of Local 185, Brookfield, 
Mo., and former general chairperson of GO-245 (CB&Q/BN) 
from 1968 to 1979, passed away December 22, 2000. 
Brother McCoy, 84, had retired in January 1979.

   Meade S. Stuckey, a member of Local 584, Meridian, 
Miss., and former general chairperson of GO-433 
(IC/GM&O) from 1967 to 1975, passed away January 8, 
2001. A resident of Orland Park, Ill., the 81-year-old 
had retired in 1975.

   Gilbert B. Wood, a member of Local 1413, Jersey City, 
N.J., and former New Jersey State Legislative Director 
for the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen (a UTU 
predecessor union), passed away January 16, 2001. He was 
95.

   Jeremiah "Jerry" A. Parker, a member of Local 1672, 
New London, Conn., and former member of the Brotherhood 
of Railroad Trainmen's (BRT) board of appeals, as well 
as the UTU's from 1971 to 1975, passed away February 10, 
2001. A conductor with the New Haven and Hartford 
Railroad for 40 years, he also served as local 
chairperson and legislative representative for BRT Lodge 
336, and then UTU Local 488. The 89-year-old had retired 
in October 1976.



--Social Security offers e-newsletter .............##W

   Social Security recipients can keep up with the 
latest changes in benefits and rules through an 
electronic newsletter now available on the agency's 
website.

   The newsletter includes various topics of interest, 
and e-mail subscribers can customize the information 
they receive in the free monthly updates, the agency 
said. All that's required to receive the publication is 
an e-mail address.

   Those interested in subscribing can do so by signing 
up at <http://www.ssa.gov/enews>.



--The Final Call ...............................##X

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

LOCAL      NAME                            CITY
0002   Meinert, Melvin C.          Sandusky, OH
0078   Cerva, Robert J.           Pocatello, ID
0145   Durfey, Robert W.              Xenia, OH
0171   Howell, Evan J.                Lisle, IL
0185   McCoy, Gene C.            Brookfield, MO
0195   Wood, D.E.                 Galesburg, IL
0243   Moore, Jarvis L.               Tyler, TX
0284   Dean, Robert C.                Largo, FL
0300   Berry, Jr., Charles L.    Wilmington, DE
0300   Obaza, Benedict D.      Edwardsville, PA
0305   Loos, John G.                Lincoln, NE
0309   Kopcik, Andrew D.      Osceola Mills, PA
0322   Zlatohlavek, E.            Manitowoc, WI
0328   Wrightington, Jr., F.S.     Oakfield, ME
0352   Burr, Kenneth A.           Englewood, FL
0385   Jordan, James                Yonkers, NY
0386   Lewis, Nick               Laureldale, PA
0412   Walters, Albert F.           Emporia, KS
0419   Millisky, Michael P.         Medford, NJ
0483   Lawrie, Robert G.        Wasaga Bch., ON
0492   Jefries, E.W.            Citrus Hts., CA
0525   Solee, Harvey R.             Lincoln, NE
0584   Stuckey, Meade S.        Orland Park, IL
0590   McCanna, Clifton A.     Bonita Spgs., FL
0632   Madigan, Cyril T.          Johnstown, PA
0733   Green, Hugh A.              De Queen, AR
0744   Martin, Howard W.            Delphos, OH
0762   Cheatham, H.W.               Coosada, AL
0762   Hubert, William L.        Prattville, AL
0762   Phillips, W.R.            Prattville, AL
0792   Kleiner, Paul G.       Chagrin Falls, OH
0903   Gordon, Jackie A.       Jacksonville, FL
0965   Spears, Elbert                Scurry, TX
0974   Bone, Henry P.             Nashville, TN
0991   Saiter, Elwyn H.        Bloomingdale, OH
1074   Moon, James L.           Sun City W., AZ
1129   Register, F.L.               Raleigh, NC
1227   Peak, George A.           Hutchinson, KS
1376   McCandlish, C. H.       N. Ft. Myers, FL
1381   Abbe, Elmer                Blue Isle, IL
1382   Durant, Ralph W.          Greenfield, WI
1383   Haynes, Samuel R.          Bradenton, FL
1390   Hibbert, Russell J.          Trenton, NJ
1413   Wood, Gilbert B.             Fairfax, VA
1421   White, Robert L.             Cumming, GA
1423   Worden, Jr., W.F.          Galesburg, IL
1534   Kozlowski, Frank J.          Beecher, IL
1545   Brand, Lawrence E.         Winnsboro, LA
1557   Annaratone, J.J.             Memphis, TN
1581   Orand, Alfred H.         Bakersfield, CA
1638   Edward J. Selinka              Parma, OH
1661   Jeffrey, Troy E.          Marysville, OH
1672   Parker, Jeremiah        Indiatlantic, FL
1780   Tinberg, Otis H.        Bonner Spgs., KS
1886   Stallings, Billie J.       Big Sandy, TX
1962   Highfill, Donald E.       Middletown, OH

NOTE: Erroneously included in this listing last month 
was Homer O. Morgan of Local 565, who resides in 
DuQuoin, Ill.



TPEL HONOR ROLL
--Contributors' growing support recognized ........##Z

Below are benefactors of the UTU's Transportation 
Political Education League (TPEL) who have begun 
contributing more than $100 per year, or have increased 
their donations to more than $100 per year, within the 
last two months.

    * Denotes Retired Member

PLATINUM CLUB
($1,200 or more per year)
NAME                  LOCAL   CITY/STATE
Altier, Joseph P.       29    Babylon, NY
Hajek, Francis P.       48    Norfolk, VA
Coffey Jr., Joseph A.  300    Philadelphia, PA
Boudreaux, Joseph N.   965    Dallas, TX
Barczak, Ronald J.    1000    Minneapolis, MN
Feldman, Larry R.     1422    Los Angeles, CA
Hoey, J. Dillon       1895    Chicago, IL
Tillery, Stephen M.   1929    E. St. Louis, IL

DIAMOND PLUS CLUB
($400 or more per year)
NAME                  LOCAL   CITY/STATE
UTU Auxiliary Lodge    445    Roseville, CA

DOLLAR-A-DAY CLUB
($365 or more per year)
NAME                  LOCAL   CITY/STATE
Craig, Steven E.       493    Waterloo, IA
Sasse, Robert L.       493    Waterloo, IA
Montgomery, William G.1245    Atlanta, GA
Wright, Clemmie C.    1245    Atlanta, GA
Hollar, Howard L.     1313    Amarillo, TX
Coleman, Shenita      1607    Los Angeles, CA
Zepeda, Raymond H.    1607    Los Angeles, CA

DIAMOND CLUB
($300 or more per year)
NAME                  LOCAL   CITY/STATE
*Johnson, Carrol E.    283    Portland, OR
Saunders, Randy L.     329    Boone, IA
Bienick, Michael S.    419    Camden, NJ
Borges, Jaime          620    Chicago, IL
Hargis, John R.        750    Knoxville, TN
Neuweiler, Donald N.   773    Galveston, TX
Holt, James M.         965    Dallas, TX
Jones, Clarence J.     965    Dallas, TX
Wolfenbarger, Tim L.  1042    Oklahoma City, OK

GOLD CLUB
($100 or more per year)
NAME                  LOCAL   CITY/STATE
Prudden, Richard E.     23    Santa Cruz, CA
Farrell, Kevin J.       60    Newark, NJ
Gilligan, John W.       60    Newark, NJ
Graef, David L.         60    Newark, NJ
Lewis, Winston P.       60    Newark, NJ
Russo Jr., Anthony J.   60    Newark, NJ
Russo, Anthony J.       60    Newark, NJ
Stinson, James E.       60    Newark, NJ
Ward, Willie J.         60    Newark, NJ
Bove, Vincent A.        61    Philadelphia, PA
Comella, Anthony L.     61    Philadelphia, PA
Raney, George D.        84    Los Angeles, CA
*Wilson, Isaac          84    Los Angeles, CA
*Rice, Douglas M.       95    Rensselaer, NY
Finkes, Douglas J.     171    Aurora, IL
Kolb, Robert A.        171    Aurora, IL
Usselman, Paul W.      233    Aberdeen, SD
Knaub, Chris S.        257    Morrill, NE
Wheeler, Graydon L.    257    Morrill, NE
Phelps, Jerry W.       278    Jackson, MI
*Jacobs, Wayne W.      281    Milwaukee, WI
*Dittman, John         286    North Platte, NE
Kraft, John L.         311    LaCrosse, WI
McCombs, William F.    349    Kansas City, MO
Semler, Peggy L.       375    Edgemont, SD
*Mills, Charles M.     453    Clinton, IL
Gann, Wendell E.       459    Chattanooga, TN
Dickenson II, Glenn O. 490    Princeton, IN
Bruce, James D.        493    Waterloo, IA
Frazer, Thomas R.      493    Waterloo, IA
Sand, John W.          493    Waterloo, IA
Vanselou, Steven R.    493    Waterloo, IA
Dixon, Timothy L.      508    Smithville, TX
Miller, Jeffrey Dean   533    Osawatomie,  KS
Moose, Dean R.         577    Northlake, IL
Benson, Patrick S.     581    Green Bay, WI
Hacker, Ronald L.      581    Green Bay, WI
Larson Sr., John T.    581    Green Bay, WI
Poulter, Timothy R.    581    Green Bay, WI
Zblewski, Michael S.   582    Stevens Pt., WI
Bragg, James W.        643    Ft. Madison, IA
Dorman, Allen S.       643    Ft. Madison, IA
*Beavers, Donald R.    656    N. Little Rock, AR
Duncan, Donald F.      770    Heavener, OK
Moody, Brandon E.      770    Heavener, OK
Terry, Cody S.         770    Heavener, OK
Thornburg, Jason E.    770    Heavener, OK
*Bortner, Lawrence W.  830    Harrisburg, PA
*Lockwood, Charles F.  891    Whitefish, MT
*Garrett, John B.      933    Jefferson City, MO
Newell, Mitchell J.    977    Pasco, WA
*Ritz, John E.        1074    Freeport, PA
*Hunt, Haywood J.     1129    Raleigh, NC
Richards, Henry       1190    Ludlow, KY
Kangas, Joseph S.     1292    Proctor, MN
Stahl, Glenn R.       1292    Proctor, MN
*Chesser, Al H.       1313    Amarillo, TX
*Kerr, Harold R.      1374    New Castle, PA
*Weaver, Herman R.    1376    Columbus, OH
Clark, Evan G.        1388    St. Louis, MO
Goessling, Gary G.    1388    St. Louis, MO
Blanton, Rick W.      1397    Columbus, OH
Bell, Eric W.         1445    Elizabeth, NJ
Coppola, Carmine      1445    Elizabeth, NJ
Henry, Timothy P.     1445    Elizabeth, NJ
James, Gregory H.     1445    Elizabeth, NJ
*Walker, Samuel F.    1458    DeQuincy, LA
Keaveny, Tom F.       1462    Boston, MA 
Prochaska, Joseph T.  1470    Edmonston, MD
Meade, Edward L.      1503    Marysville, KS
*Young, Alfred L.     1544    Maywood, CA
Golliher, Jeff M.     1545    Monroe, LA
Fisher, William F.    1597    Chicago, IL
Marchi, Anthony J.    1597    Chicago, IL
Windsor, William H.   1597    Chicago, IL
*Schneck, Elberta        R    Seymour, IN
UTU Auxiliary Lodge    318    Birmingham, AL



NOTICES

--Monthly winner announced ....................##AA

   This month's lucky winner of his choice of any item 
proudly displaying the UTU logo is Ronald R. Kilen of 
Local 161, Seattle, Wash., which represents workers on 
Evergreen Trails. These items are awarded every month by 
random drawing as a show of appreciation to the many 
members who have been supportive of the UTU throughout 
the years.



--TPEL form now online ...........................##BB

   CLEVELAND -- A TPEL pledge form is now available on 
the UTU International web site (http://www.utu.org) in 
the TPEL section.

   The form can be downloaded in the easy-to-use PDF 
format. For your convenience, the form should be printed 
out, completed, signed and dated, and sent to your local 
treasurer; save a copy for yourself.

   Retired members wishing to make TPEL contributions 
should contact the International for TPEL retiree 
contribution forms and envelopes, or simply send their 
contribution, payable to "TPEL," directly to TPEL, UTU, 
14600 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, OH 44107.

   Remember, TPEL is an investment in your future.



--Register now for Regional Meetings ..........##CC

   The UTU/UTUIA Regional Meetings scheduled for this 
summer promise fraternalism, education and fun.

   Each Regional Meeting lasts a full three days, with 
the President's Banquet on the evening of the third day.

   Each attendee at the meeting MUST be registered in 
order to attend any planned social functions. Pre-
registration speeds the registration process at the 
meeting, helps organizers plan more accurately and saves 
on the meeting cost. This savings is being passed on to 
each attendee who is pre-registered.

   A pre-registration form can be found in the 
traditional print edition of this issue of the UTU NEWS. 
To receive a copy, write to: UTU NEWS, 1460 Detroit 
Ave., Cleveland, OH 44107-4250.

   The pre-registration fee will be $125 per person over 
the age of 11. Children 11 years of age and under will 
be complimentary. A pre-registration form and complete 
payment for each attendee, regardless of age, must be 
received at the UTU International Headquarters, 14600 
Detroit Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44107, 10 days prior to 
the scheduled start of the meetings or attendees will be 
charged an on-site registration fee of $175.

   One-day registrations are offered for those who would 
like to attend the Regional Meetings but can't spare the 
time away from work or family. The cost of a one-day 
registration for any day is $60.

   The Regional Meeting agenda will be announced in 
coming issues of the UTU NEWS, as will the details of 
the UTU/UTUIA Golf Tournaments held the Sunday morning 
before the first day of each meeting and the details of 
the UTU Auxiliary Tour.

   All fees must be paid in U.S. funds only. Make all 
checks or money orders payable to "UTU Regional 
Meeting."

   Notice of cancellation of your Regional Meeting 
attendance or golf tournament participation must be 
received at the UTU International Headquarters 10 days 
prior to the first day of the Regional Meeting for a 
full refund without penalty. Please fax any changes or 
cancellations immediately to the UTU International 
Headquarters at (216) 228-5755.

   You should make your own room reservations at one of 
the hotels listed below. Please note certain reservation 
deadlines apply at each hotel.



--Regional Meeting hotel information .............##DD

June 25-27, 2001, Greensboro, N.C.
SHERATON GREENSBORO HOTEL AT FOUR SEASONS
3121 High Point Rd., Greensboro, NC 27407
Hotel direct reservations: (800) 242-6556
Call between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. EST
Reservation code: UTU
Room rate: $119 single/double
Reservation deadline: May 20, 2001
Parking: Free, self parking

July 23-25, 2001, Winnipeg, Manitoba
DELTA WINNIPEG HOTEL (HOST HOTEL)
350 St. Mary Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C3J2
Hotel direct reservations: (800) 268-1133
Reservation code: UTU
Room rate: C$125 single/double
Reservation deadline: June 19, 2001
Parking: C$9 per day

SHERATON WINNIPEG HOTEL (first overflow hotel)
161 Donald St., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C1M3
Hotel direct reservations: (800) 463-6400
Reservation code: UTU
Room rate: C$109 single/double; C$124 deluxe king/2 
queens
Reservation deadline: June 19, 2001
Parking: C$8.50 per day

PLACE LOUIS RIEL ALL-SUITE HOTEL (second overflow hotel)
190 Smith St., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C1J8
Hotel direct reservations: (800) 665-0569
Reservation code: UTU
Suite rate: C$120 to C$135, single/double
Reservation deadline: June 19, 2001
Parking: C$4.50 per day



--Regional Meeting golf outing set ............##EE

   The UTU will hold golf outings the Sunday morning 
before both the Greensboro and Winnipeg Regional 
Meetings.

   The fee, $80 per golfer, includes transportation from 
the host hotel, greens fees, a golf cart for every two 
golfers, lunch, and much more. Register for the golf 
outings in the space provided in the registration form 
printed on this page. Be sure to include your golf fee 
with your registration fee.

   At Greensboro, golfers will play the beautiful and 
challenging Grandover Golf Course, 1000 Club Road, 
Greensboro, N.C. The golf course in Winnipeg will be 
announced in the next UTU NEWS.



--Members offered AT&T Wireless ..................##FF

   UTU members and their families can save money on 
their cellular telephone service by signing up with, or 
switching over to, AT&T Wireless Services, one of the 
largest cellular carriers in the United States.

   The UTU International has reached an agreement with 
AT&T Wireless so that all members, active and retired, 
are eligible to receive these discounts. All new and 
existing AT&T Wireless customers will earn airtime and 
equipment savings, as well.

ENROLL NOW AND START SAVING!
   If you have existing AT&T cellular service:

   -- Contact AT&T National Business Ordering toll free 
at 1-800-388-3235 (please do not call the UTU);

   -- Request to be added as an "existing subscriber" to 
the UTU Employee Sponsorship Program;

   -- Provide UTU's Employee Sponsorship Foundation 
Account number: 11988;

   -- Be prepared to give your wireless telephone 
number, name, billing address and contact phone number.

   To begin new cellular service:

   -- Contact AT&T National Business Ordering toll free 
at 1-800-388-3235 (please do not call the UTU);

   -- Request to activate "new service;"

   -- Provide UTU's Employee Sponsorship Foundation 
Account number: 11988;

   -- Be prepared to give your name, billing address, 
contact phone number, social security number, date of 
birth, and drivers license number.

   An AT&T representative will be happy to assist you 
with selecting the most appropriate rate plan and 
telephone.

   This is another way that the UTU International, with 
its collective bargaining power, helps UTU members and 
their families get the most out of life.



--UTUIA offers Disability Income Replacement ..##GG

   UTUIA recognizes your need to replace disability with 
the ability to meet never-ending obligations when an 
accident or illness strikes.

   Our unfailing commitment to provide the best 
Disability Income Replacement insurance has made UTUIA 
the association to rely upon for affordable disability 
income insurance.

   For more information, call toll-free 1-800-558-8842 
for assistance from your UTUIA representative.
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                        UTU NEWS                    
                     ONLINE EDITION                 
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                       MARCH 2001
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      -----------PROGRESS THROUGH UNITY-----------
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