Good morning, brothers and sisters. My name is Byron Boyd and I want to welcome you to Washington and the third Regional Meeting of this summer, and the last Regional Meeting of this century.
I am told that this meeting is the largest in UTU history. A few weeks ago in St. Louis we had more than 1,000 people at our Midwestern meeting. Last year in Toronto we had more than 1,200 members. Here in Washington, I am told that we have more than 1,300 UTU members coming together in a show of solidarity at a critically important time in this union's history.
Being here in such large numbers shows me the strength and vitality of the UTU.
Last week, when the National Mediation Board began its hearings on whether there will be a representation vote on the Union Pacific Railroad, I saw only around 30 protesters outside the board's building.
Independent news reporters said the BLE only had about 300 persons total at its rally. That's a lot less than the 1,000 they claimed participated and at least half were not BLE members.
Well, we have about 1,300 UTU members here. I think that shows the true UTU spirit! I applaud all of you who are here this week. I applaud all of you who care so much about your union.
Brothers and sisters, I talked to my friend and your President just before I came up here this morning. Charlie's at home and as feisty as ever. He told me to tell you that he is feeling great. And he asked me if Broken Rail had bought me lunch in Washington this week.
Charlie is lucky because he is smart in more ways than one. He's smart because he believes in regular medical checkups, and that's why his doctor told him that he is now cancer free following surgery for colon cancer. Take this as an example for yourself and your family regular medical checkups and early detection do save lives.
I know all of you join me in wishing Charlie a speedy recovery, and I know he's looking forward to seeing many of you in Miami Beach in August.
Usually at this time, I turn it over to Charlie and take a seat and listen. For those of you here who were also in Los Angeles or St. Louis, Charlie told it like he saw it.
He didn't mince words or shy away from any controversy. I intend to follow in that tradition. But before I do, I want to thank all of those people from the host committee who have worked so hard planning this Regional Meeting.
THANKS TO THE HOST COMMITTEE
Special thanks go to members of the local planning committee headed by Steve Fritter, along with members of the Bus Department, Canadian rail members, and rail members from this area.
I thank all of you for your dedication and hard work on the UTU's behalf.
I must tell you that in St. Louis a few weeks ago, I heard a few things that made me very proud of the UTU.
First, I heard Missouri Governor Mel Carnahan call the UTU the "pre-eminent rail and transportation union in North America."
Think about what he said for a moment. One of this country's most-respected governors said the UTU is the number one union in all of North America representing rail and transportation workers.
It made me feel proud, and I hope it makes you feel proud, too.
Then I heard President Emeritus Tom DuBose stand up and say that Charlie Little is the right man and has the right plan for the UTU's long-term future.
Now, four years ago in Chicago, Tom and Charlie fought it out to see who would lead the UTU and everybody knows that UTU politics can be pretty rough.
But here was this labor statesman from Georgia telling 1,000 people that he had come full circle and that his former opponent, and I quote, "has the ability, courage and foresight to lead the UTU into the 21st Century."
Here was Tom DuBose saying that he "has never been prouder of this union."
Brothers and sisters, this is one gentleman from Georgia who tells the truth and works to make this union better. Tom, why don't you stand and be recognized.
FIRE AND BRIMSTONE SPEAKER
Now, I see Former President Al Chesser out there, too. Anyone who knows Al knows that he is a fire-and-brimstone speaker and has told a few colorful stories over the years. As many of you know, we have dedicated our new Washington, D.C., National Legislative Headquarters Building to Al H. Chesser in his honor. Al, stand up and take a bow.
Having heard both Al and Tom talk in Los Angeles and St. Louis this summer, I took a few notes and learned a few things about what I should do up here this morning.
What I learned is that you should tell it like it is, and don't hold back, which leads me to the number one headline in the UTU today.
You know what it is: "The UTU takes on BLE at the National Mediation Board."
I was there all last week, and I intend to give you an update on what happened.
I'm not going to repeat old news about why we are back at the Mediation Board. By now most of you have heard and read about the reasons both sides claim unification fell apart.
Many of you have probably read that the BLE's First Vice President accused the BLE President of deliberately provoking the UTU into going back to the National Mediation Board because of a recall election.
The BLE admitted it themselves. They scuttled unification because of internal politics. It had nothing to do with finances or what a future dues structure would be. So, the UTU had no other place to go but to the Mediation Board.
Last Tuesday, July 6, through Saturday's closing arguments, the UTU and BLE presented their cases at a formal hearing of the Mediation Board.
I believe that the UTU presented a powerful and convincing case that shows one union should represent the employees who work in the engine cab.
There has been a lot of BLE hoghead hogwash saying that the UTU is trying to do away with the craft of locomotive engineer.
Well, I'm an engineer from the Union Pacific Railroad and there is no way the UTU is going to do away with the craft of locomotive engineer or any other historical craft. Our Unity Agreement and Constitution prohibit it.
In fact, during the BLE's closing argument on Saturday, their legal counsel, George Cohen, admitted that the UTU's Constitution and Unification Agreement will protect engineers' seniority and agreements if UTU wins the UP election, if an election is ordered by the Mediation Board.
That's a very different tune than what the BLE's propaganda machine has been spewing out about the UTU trying to destroy the historical craft of locomotive engineer.
Once again, the truth is out there.
CONTINUATION OF HISTORICAL CRAFTS
The UTU wants to make sure the historical crafts continue well into the 21st Century, as I testified to last week.
What we want to do away with is paralyzing union politics that keep all historical crafts from being represented the way they deserve.
What we want to do away with is the BLE selling out thousands of conductors and trainmen to put a few more dollars in their members' back pockets...like they did on VIA Rail, Soo Line, and the Montana Rail Link.
What we want to do is protect the jobs of members in every historical craft, not to enrich one craft at the expense of others.
Think about when you fly in an airliner on American or Delta or United or another airline. What if that plane was flown by only a pilot because his union went to the airline company and told them that the pilot would do the co-pilot's job for an extra $50 a trip and would fly the plane alone? How would you feel?
Or would you feel better knowing that there was both a pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit because both jobs are necessary for the safe and efficient operation of an airliner, and the single union that represents both workers cannot sell one out for the other?
Sounds like the right thing to do, doesn't it? That's what we want to do.
We believe it is in everyone's long-term best interest for one union to represent railroad operating employees in the cab as we enter the 21st Century.
It's about time...and now is the time for it to happen.
The UTU believes there should be at least two persons operating a train a locomotive engineer and a conductor working in close partnership.
What does the BLE believe?
Just ask those former conductors who worked on VIA Rail, the Soo Line and the Montana Rail Link.
STEP INTO THE 21ST CENTURY
The National Mediation Board will ultimately decide whether rail labor should step forward into the 21st Century, or remain trapped in its 19th-Century roots.
We know that 19th-Century-minded union leaders want to keep things the same forever. You know who those people are.
But both Charlie Little and I decided that we needed to be 21st-Century union leaders and challenge the status quo, because this union and all unions have to change with the times or perish. There are better ways to represent working people more effectively.
We could have stood pat and slapped backs with the guys at the AFL-CIO and in the other rail unions.
We could have huffed and puffed and rattled the sabers and do what they do. But that's not Charlie's style, it's not my style, and it's not this union's style. We are not defenders of the status quo.
The UTU was born 30 years ago because it was in the best interests of the members in many crafts.
We believe that for your sake and for the sake of all historical operating crafts, the National Mediation Board should do what's best for 21st-Century union operating rail workers not 19th-Century-minded labor leaders.
We believe they should authorize a representation election on the Union Pacific Railroad and let the rank-and-file decide their future.
Charlie said it in Los Angeles and St. Louis, and I am saying it here: UTU intends to win that election!
We are united on that issue from coast to coast. At our Los Angeles Regional Meeting, the International officers unanimously passed a resolution to "stay the course with our Union Pacific representation petition to the National Mediation Board."
You know, I've heard a lot of talk about where the UTU stands with the AFL-CIO today. The BLE is trying to make a federal case about it. So, let me ask you a question.
Where do you think the airline pilots union stands with the federation? How about the carpenter's union?
Both are members of the AFL-CIO. Both pay their dues and take part in federation activities across the country. And both have had Article XX sanctions leveled against them recently just like the UTU.
WON SOME AND LOST SOME
The UTU and BLE have a long history of disputes with each other at the AFL-CIO. We've won some and we've lost some.
Disputes inside the federation are sometimes messy, but the UTU is still at the labor table. Just like the airline pilots and carpenters and a few other unions.
It's too bad that some union leaders don't like us. But Charlie and I are not here to be buddies with those guys.
We're here to represent you. We're here to protect your jobs. We're here to protect your future. We're here to make sure that no other union sells out your job and your craft as the BLE has done on VIA Rail, the Soo Line and the Montana Rail Link.
We expect the NMB to make a decision by the end of August. Then we will know if there will be a winner-take-all representation election, we hope, this fall on the Union Pacific. That election would be followed by other representation elections on other railroads.
And at the end of day, we expect that the UTU will represent all of the historical crafts equally and honorably as our Constitution and Unification Agreement pledge.
UTU ELECTION YEAR
It's no secret that this is an election year in the UTU. One sure way to tell is to see how outrageous some union politicians will become just to get elected. This time is no exception. But I believe in my heart that UTU delegates and members know how to separate fact from fiction.
They know who truly has the UTU's best interests at heart, and they know in their hearts who is truly honest and who is not.
Four years ago in Chicago, and I'm sure some of you remember it was the worst heat wave in the Windy City's history, the delegates elected a new leadership team.
They embraced the "Blueprint for a New Beginning" and the promises made by a talented team lead by Charlie Little.
I am proud to report that we have lived up to the Blueprint and kept those promises.
We are financially strong and stable with more than $44 million in assets compared to only $16.7 million for the BLE.
While the UTU's assets are increasing, the BLE's are declining, and their strike fund is nearly depleted.
On the other hand, the UTUIA has record assets of more than $221 million and record reserves of $35 million.
Our membership is growing and we are organizing in the airline industry to spread our umbrella over other transportation modes. We've restructured, automated and computerized the International to make it more efficient