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Arizona After completing a check of registered voters in the state, the Arizona Legislative Board found that only 60.5% of UTU members there were registered voters. Olson said local legislative representatives will be at on-duty points to register UTU members and any other rail workers who wish to register to vote and to encourage those who may be away from home to seek absentee ballots. "We must strive to elect UTU-friendly candidates this November," Olson said. "We cannot forget that the next president of the United States will likely appoint four Supreme Court judges during his tenure. Who do we want to rule over our political issues for the rest of our lives, Bush or Gore? I think it is plain to see we need a Democrat to keep our labor issues from being forgotten." Olson added that UTU Locals 807 and 1800 at Tucson have the greatest percentage of registered members, respectively.
Illinois "This is a tremendous victory for all men and women who work in train or engine service," said Assistant Director John Burner. "They will have the opportunity to work with a professional counselor who specializes in treating the post-traumatic stress reactions that often afflict people who have witnessed calamity and tragedy." A similar measure failed to pass the general assembly a year ago, but a total turnaround was staged after Szabo and Burner negotiated new language that was acceptable to the rail industry, organized labor and key transportation committees in the state assembly. |
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Iowa Legislative Director Pat Hendricks, left, looks on as conductor Rich Merical (L-867), center, and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack peruse photos of a train wreck in Buckeye, Iowa. Merical was injured in the wreck and the train's engineers was killed, leading the state to approve stricter fines for motorists who fail to yield to trains at grade crossings. |
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Iowa S.F. 2329, which doubles fines for failure to yield to a train at a grade crossing and quadruples fines for causing an immediate safety threat such as racing a train to a crossing, was drafted following the Buckeye accident, which killed engineer Randy Oertwig and injured UTU Local Chairperson Rich Merical. Legislative Director Pat Hendricks noted that the legislation also requires the Iowa Department of Transportation to draft rules regulating the hours of service of rail crew van drivers. Hendricks said that the UTU was the only union representing operating employees to support the legislation, which was sponsored by Rep. Todd Taylor (D-Cedar Rapids). |
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Assistant Kentucky State Legislative Director David Miracle, Kentucky Legislative Director Bobby Marshall and State Representative Perry Clark, standing left to right, look on as Kentucky Gov. Paul E. Patton prepares to sign H.B. 736 into law. The law took effect on July 1, 2000. |
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Kentucky H.B. 736 also prohibits a train crew member's motor vehicle insurer from obtaining a copy of any accident report filed as a result of a rail-related accident that occurred on the job, or from raising a policyholder's rates as a result of such an accident. The law went into effect on July 1. Marshall and Assistant Legislative Director David Miracle were called to the Senate floor to be photographed with President of the Senate David Williams as the measure passed the Senate 37-0, and later attended a ceremony where Gov. Patton formally signed the bill into law. "The UTU was instrumental in the passage of this bill, which was considered at 11:30 p.m. on March 29 and was the last bill to be passed by the 2000 General Assembly," Marshall said.
Massachusetts/Rhode Island Non-union Bay State Transit Service was the low bidder to acquire maintenance work being performed by unionized Amtrak employees under contract to the MBTA when that contract expired. However, the 11-union coalition under the name of "Commuter Rail Workers United" began a grassroots campaign to pressure MBTA management and government officials to renew Amtrak's contract. Following a brief court skirmish with BSTS, MBTA signed a new three-year deal with Amtrak. Casey added that the members and officers of UTU Local 898 at Boston and General Chairperson Al Suozzo's office were very helpful throughout the process.
Washington Class I railroads have until Jan. 25, 2001, to meet the new walkway standards, which regulate the drainage, slope and width of walkways, the materials used for walkway construction, and other criterion. Class II and III railroads have until 2005 to meet the standards. For information regarding these standards, contact your local legislative representative. Retterath said that UTU Designated Counsel Larry Mann provided excellent testimony during the hearing process. He also thanked Legislative Reps. Jim Shelley (L-556), Bruce Noot (L-1713) and Eugene Bevacqua (L-1505) for their assistance in this successful effort.
Submissions welcome! |
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