UTU NEWS
| Volume 31 | May 1999 | Number 5 |
UTU NEWS ONLINE EDITION
May 1999
PROGRESS THROUGH UNITY
A Service of the United
Transportation Union
Public Relations Department
Charles L. Little
International President
Roger D. Griffeth
International General Secretary & Treasurer
Editorial Offices:
UTU NEWS
14600 Detroit Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44107-4250
UTU@compuserve.com http://www.utu.org
WELCOME TO
THE VOICE OF TRANSPORTATION LABOR
"If S. 621 becomes law, we will face
the constant threat of
losing jobs or losing pay. We shouldn't have to face either."
James M. Brunkenhoefer,
UTU National Legislative Director
TABLE OF CONTENTS
IN THIS EDITION
UTU, BLE oppose Senate Bill 621 ..................##A
Unions tackle entry-rate pay ..................##B
FRA watches Conrail safety .......................##C
O.N.E. Bus workers stalled by employer ........##D
Local 1589 approves four-year pact ...............##E
Section 6 suggestions invited .................##F
Unions collect unsafe-crossing reports ...........##G
New software available for treasurers .........##HAROUND THE UTU
News from around the U.S. and Canada .............##I
Local 228 members share special award .........##JBUS DEPT. / STREET BEAT
"Price of peace measured in lives" ........... ...##K
Editorial by Bernard J. McNelis
Vice President and Director, UTU Bus Dept.YARDMASTER REPORT
"Bob Arthur served yardmasters well" ..........##L
Editorial by Don R. Carver
Assistant to the President, Yardmasters' Dept.EDITORIALS
Protecting rights: Wage & Rule Panel .............##M
Big Chill: American Airlines vs. Pilots .......##N"After Conrail, what?" ...........................##O
Editorial by Byron A. Boyd, Jr.
UTU Assistant President"They keep trying to take your job" ...........##P
Editorial by James M. Brunkenhoefer
UTU National Legislative DirectorVoices: Members share their opinions .............##Q
Feedback: Letters to the editor ...............##RSTATE WATCH
News from UTU State Legislative Boards ...........##S
FEATURES
Regional Meeting tours offer family fun .......##T
Regional Meeting workshop agendas detailed .......##USENIOR NEWS
Strong economy buoys Medicare, pensions .......##V
Retired conductor prepared for award .............##W
Terre Haute club extends invitation ...........##X
R. M. Gambrell dies at 80 ........................##Y
W. A. Barnes passes away at 69 ................##Z
The Final Call ..................................##AATPEL HONOR ROLL
Contributors' continued support recognized....##BB
FELA UPDATE
Choice of doctors key when injuries occur .......##CC
NOTICES
Monthly apparel winner announced .............##DD
United HealthCare notes changes, enrollment .....##EE
TPI to terminate association with Aetna ......##FF
UTU 1999 Quadrennial Convention information .....##GG
UTU/UTUIA 1999 Regional Meeting information ..##HH
Regional Meeting pre-registration form ..........##II
Airline offers discount fares ................##JJ
Regional Meeting golf outings planned ...........##KK
Regional Meeting golf registration form ......##LL
UTUIA offers Disability Income Replacement ......##MM====================================================
IN THIS EDITION
UTU, BLE oppose Senate Bill 621 ..................##A
WASHINGTON -- A bill before the U.S. Senate which would re-authorize the Surface Transportation Board (STB) but would cost thousands of railroad workers their jobs is being opposed by the UTU and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE).
"We oppose S. 621 because it would result in the loss of thousands of well-paying union railroad jobs at a time when railroad employment is gaining thousands of new jobs," said Charles L. Little, UTU International president. "To defeat S. 621, the UTU and BLE have formed a political coalition with the carriers to tell Senators that they shouldn't re-regulate the railroads and stop progress and kill jobs."
A team of UTU and BLE legislative representatives has lobbied members of Congress, especially the Senate, in recent weeks in opposition to S. 621.
A number of STB re-authorization bills have been introduced in the Senate. However, both rail labor and the major carriers oppose S. 621 because some of its provisions would potentially cost thousands of union jobs and give shippers an upper hand over the railroads.
"The most threatening STB re-authorization is S. 621," said James Brunkenhoefer, UTU national legislative director. "We could lose jobs to non-union shortlines in both the farm sector and in terminal areas the way this bill is written.
"If S. 621 becomes law, we will face the constant threat of losing jobs or losing pay," Brunkenhoefer said. "We shouldn't have to face either."
Brunkenhoefer said that one of the most dangerous threats posed by S. 621 is that some of its anti-union, anti-worker provisions could get tacked onto another STB re-authorization bill.
Both Little and Brunkenhoefer urged UTU members, families and friends to contact their U.S. Senators and ask that they oppose S. 621 and make sure its anti-jobs, anti-worker provisions are not included in any future STB re-authorization bill.
Unions tackle entry-rate pay ..................##B
CLEVELAND -- After recently negotiating a landmark agreement to eliminate serious work/rest issues, the United Transportation Union (UTU) and Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) plan to tackle the entry-rate pay system for railroad operating employees.
The entry-rate pay system was one of 14 issues referred to the National Wage and Rules Panel for disposition following the 1996 round of collective bargaining. The BLE and UTU are negotiating together for the first time in history as a result of their continued efforts to form a new labor organization.
The UTU and BLE jointly notified the National Carriers Conference Committee (NCCC) that they intend to discuss replacing the entry-rate pay system at the next National Wage and Rules Panel meeting. All employees hired after 1985 have been subject to entry rates, and the UTU and BLE are now seeking to negotiate the end of this "dual-pay system."
"Assistant President Byron Boyd said in January at the National Press Club that it is time to eliminate the disparity in the wage structure and restore payroll parity in the railroad industry for union operating employees," said Charles L. Little, International president of the United Transportation Union. "We intend to negotiate with the carriers under the direction of the National Mediation Board and get rid of the inequity caused by the dual-pay system. The time is right to get this done."
Little noted that employment in the railroad industry for operating employees is "increasing for the first time in years" and that the "time is right to make this change."
Clarence V. Monin, president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, said the unions are determined to put an end to the two-tier pay system. "It's time to put an end to this injustice," Monin said. "Workers performing the same tasks should be compensated at the same rate of pay. Through our combined efforts, we plan to eliminate this inequality."
On March 18, a joint UTU/BLE committee approved a series of groundbreaking principles with the NCCC to resolve long-time work/rest issues. Under the new guidelines, each Class I rail carrier will establish joint worker/management work/rest committees to develop within six months and implement within nine months specific programs that would develop work schedules with predictable rest days for extra and pool employees working in unassigned freight service, guarantee at least eight hours of undisturbed rest for crew members at their home terminals, and more.
FRA watches Conrail safety .......................##C
CLEVELAND -- At the urging of the United Transportation Union (UTU), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has doubled the number of inspectors on Conrail and says it will maintain a tighter safety watch on the carrier during its waning days. Conrail is scheduled to be divided between CSX and Norfolk Southern (NS) on June 1.
"Since January, when there were four fatalities during a nine-day period, we have been pressing the FRA to keep a closer safety watch on Conrail," said Charles L. Little, UTU international president. "We are glad the FRA has acted, and it is worth pointing out that there have been no more major incidents since they did."
However, Little noted that the UTU has received reports of worker safety being compromised due to fatigue and that he has warned the carrier not to harass UTU members during "this limbo period." A severe shortage of skilled operating employees has made it difficult for Conrail employees to get rest or regular time off, according to reports.
At a recent National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearing, UTU Assistant President Byron A. Boyd, Jr., testified he was concerned about employee safety on Conrail. NTSB officials also voiced similar concerns. The FRA acted after the NTSB hearing to increase its safety force on Conrail.
"We want to make sure Conrail operates in the safest manner possible while it still exists," said Boyd. "Employees shouldn't have to work under unsafe conditions just because a railroad finds itself in limbo."
Boyd said that Conrail employees represented by the UTU should notify the union and FRA of any safety concerns "as we wait to see what happens on June 1."
The national media also is focusing on the ramifications of the railroad mega-merger. Both the Washington Post and Journal of Commerce (JOC) have raised questions about operating crew shortages and culture clashes between the railroads.
The JOC reported that some key union officials fear that train crew shortages on Conrail today could signal trouble ahead when NS and CSX take over the carrier on June 1.
Conrail's safety and staffing have been in the spotlight since a post-merger service crisis on UP began in mid-1997. During that breakdown, UP had three fatal collisions and suffered through three consecutive quarters of traffic and financial losses.
The JOC said that officials from the UTU and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers have pinpointed current Conrail crew shortages at Detroit; northern New Jersey; Chicago; Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo, Ohio; Indianapolis; and Kankakee, Ill.
"Both (NS and CSX) will experience a shortage of qualified people," Charlie Winebrenner, Conrail general chairperson in the Cleveland area, told the JOC. "We have the problem today with Conrail. If we have a problem with Conrail today, someone will have the same problem on the split date. NS and CSX don't have any extra bodies laying around either."
Frank Pickell, Conrail general chairperson in Columbus, Ohio, told the JOC: "I think we will have some problems splitting up the railroad, having people at the proper locations on the proper jobs who are qualified to do them."
In a reference to the origin of UP's meltdown, according to the JOC, Pickell called Cleveland "a Houston waiting to happen. You have so much (traffic) being shoved through that funnel. That (Cleveland) could be a bottleneck that is out of this world, when coupled with insufficient manpower. We've worked to try to make this as smooth a transition as possible, but there are lots of things out there you don't know until you trip over them."
NS, CSX and Conrail have hired about 2,000 operating employees, but a substantial portion of those employees will not complete a qualification process before June 1.
The JOC also said some union officials in other parts of the country are not as concerned as others. William Reddy, a UTU general chairperson in the Indianapolis area, told the JOC that there are crew shortages "off and on. Some days the men work eight (hours) on and eight (hours) off. Sometimes they work two days a week. They (Conrail) are in a hiring mode. They will have enough qualified people on Conrail and CSX. There won't be problems like UP."
Mike Maloof, UTU general chairperson in Massachusetts, told the JOC: "We tried to make it as simple as we could. We tried to preserve everything that's currently in place. If all the same trains are running for the most part and all the same employees are on the same assignment, the only difference they will experience is a different paycheck."
O.N.E. Bus workers stalled by employer ........##D
A New Jersey transit operation has temporarily stalled their employees' efforts to join the UTU.
Last month, 23 part-time drivers at O.N.E. Bus in New Jersey voted for UTU membership, but management is seeking to have the election overturned.
O.N.E. Bus claimed that pension plan materials for the full-time drivers may have influenced voters. Full-time drivers at O.N.E. Bus are represented by UTU Local 759 at Newark, N.J.
"The voting was held in the employees' room on the property and a pension plan flyer for our full-timers was in the room. Management is claiming this was a violation, but they're really just crying sour grapes," Bus Vice President McNelis said. "I believe the NLRB will uphold the election."
McNelis also praised the efforts of Local 759 General Chairperson Tony Ortiz, Local Chairperson Joe Frierson and Vice Local Chairperson Nelson Manzano. "These guys really did an outstanding job."
Local 1589 approves four-year pact ...............##E
A four-year contract has been ratified by members of Local 1589, New Brunswick, N.J., who operate buses on the Rutgers University campus.
Thanks to the efforts of General Chairpersons Bill Roberson and Lilian Clay, the pact brought wage increases and other improvements, and included retroactivity to the expiration date of the old contract, which ran its course a year ago.
Section 6 suggestions invited .................##F
Section 6 Notices for wage and rules changes can be served on railroads after November 1, 1999, to become effective no earlier than January 1, 2000.
The UTU International has received several letters containing suggestions and recommendations of items to include in this Section 6 Notice, and the union invites all members at every level to submit items for consideration no later than July 16, 1999.
The UTU International will compile the recommendations for referral to a review committee of general chairpersons, which will submit its report to the Association of General Chairpersons, District 1. The association will finalize the Section 6 Notice to be served on the railroads.
Unions collect unsafe-crossing reports ...........##G
The UTU, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Brotherhood of Railway Signalmen are conducting a national campaign to identify the most unsafe railroad grade crossings.
All railroad employees are being urged to report unsafe rail highway grade crossings to the Rail Crossing Task Force, UTU, 14600 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, OH 44107; the UTU Hotline toll free at (800) 964-9464, or via e-mail to <utu@compuserve.com>.
Please be sure to include your name and telephone number, employer, exact location of crossing and reasons why it is unsafe.
New software available for treasurers .........##H
The UTU International has developed new software to aid local treasurers in the keeping and filing of records and year-end reports with the UTU International.
WinStabs V.1, written by UTU International software engineers as an addition to the popular Microsoft Access '97 accounting database application, was released in a test version earlier this year, and after rigorous testing by more than 150 local treasurers, WinStabs is ready for general release to all UTU local treasurers.
"The Windows version of STABS appears to be a winner," said Local 1883 Treasurer D.L. Kortum.
WinStabs is offered as an alternative to the Q&A version of STABS, although that application will continue to be supported by the UTU, as well as manual reporting. Compressed, it fits on one floppy disk.
To obtain more information about this new software or a copy, call Matt Dolin or Cary Nitschke at the UTU International at (216) 228-9400.
AROUND THE UTU
News from around the U.S. and Canada .............##I
LOCAL 18, EL PASO, TEX.
Members are making final preparations to host the first UTU WES-TEX Mini Regional on June 21, according to PETE SANDOVAL. This day-long educational and social event will welcome International President CHARLES L. LITTLE and representatives from the FRA, the Railroad Retirement Board, United HealthCare and UTU Designated Legal Counsel. For information and to reserve a spot, call (915) 532-1818 and leave a message.
LOCAL 105, LAS VEGAS, NEV.
Members working for Coach USA are mourning the deaths of CHARLES BURGER, who was killed in a bus accident, ARTHUR JENKINS, who died of a heart attack, and maintenance employee KEVIN CALADRONE, who was killed in a car accident. Meanwhile, the local recently submitted applications for 105 new members, and expect more to come. Among those deserving credit for promoting the value of UTU membership are General Chairperson TONY MAGEE, Vice Chairperson JIM MCNEALY, and Secretary and Treasurer MIKE RAMOS.
LOCAL 292, E. SYRACUSE, N.Y.
THOMAS J. QUINLAN, a conductor at Dewitt Yard in Syracuse, is undergoing an operation this month to donate a kidney to keep his younger brother alive, according to General Chairperson R.C. McVEEN of Local 1007, Syracuse, N.Y. A collection has been initiated to aid his wife and family during the time he'll be convalescing. To make a donation, contact Secretary and Treasurer FRED CHASE by calling (315) 437-7249, or write to him at 313 Colfax Ave., E. Syracuse, NY 13057.
LOCAL 556, TACOMA, WASH.
Plans are being made for the second annual Bill Reeves Memorial Golf Tournament, named in honor of Brother W.H. REEVES, according to Legislative Representative JAMES P. SHELLEY. The inaugural tournament raised $5,000 for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Wash., presented in Reeves' name by MARK MITCHELL and TED WILLIAMS of UTU Designated Legal Counsel Yaeger, Jungbauer, Barczak & Roe, sponsors of the event. For details about the upcoming tournament, call Shelley at (253) 752-2980.
LOCAL 768, DECATUR, ILL.
With last year's statistics tabulated, members working for the Chicago & Illinois Midland Railway can look back on 1998 as the year that went by without any reportable injuries, according to B.L. JERN, chairperson of the local committee of adjustment.
LOCAL 898, BOSTON, MASS.
Members are mourning the death of Brother JAMES G. GRIFFIN, JR., who passed away at the age of 41, according to Treasurer RICHARD M. LaPORTE. Griffin was a former OnBoard Service employee and Amtrak conductor working on the Lake Shore Limited who had been in ill health.
LOCAL 1589, NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.
Member STEVE MAJOFSKY, who has operated buses for Suburban Transit Corp. since 1971, was recently spotlighted in a local newspaper that noted his collection of 200 model and toy buses are on exhibit through the end of the year at the East Brunswick Museum, said Delegate WALT MITCHELL. Many of the items are actually coin banks, while others include built-in clocks and working lights.
LOCAL 1670, LAREDO, TEX.
By a two-to-one margin, Transit Management of Laredo (El Metro) workers last month ratified a two-year contract bringing raises of $.50 per hour in the first year and $.60 per hour in the second year, retroactive to March 21, when the old contract expired. It also boosted the company's contributions to workers' 401(k) plans and improved grievance procedures, said General Chairperson BILL KOEHN, who thanked JOE ORTIZ and JUAN MORALES for their efforts in reaching the pact. At the same time, an arbitration case was settled, bringing an additional week of vacation to 56 members.
LOCAL 1697, LUBBOCK, TEX.
The lack of safety shields on buses remains a problem at Texas, New Mexico & Oklahoma Coaches, Inc., but otherwise things are looking up, according to General Chairperson ROY ARNOLD, who said a new five-year contract went into effect on March 1. Highlights include a uniform allowance, safety bonus pay, a mileage-pay raise working out to about $1,000 per year per member, and more. "It's the best contract we've ever gotten," said Arnold, "and it's due to International Vice President BERNIE MCNELIS." Others credited include Vice Chairpersons MARVIN WHITE, KEN FRITSCH, LARRY PERRY, MIKE SCARBOROUGH and FRANK THOMPSON, who used their vacation time to work on the negotiating team on a voluntary basis.
LOCAL 1748, CLEVELAND, OHIO
Members working as engineers, firemen and hostlers on the Cuyahoga Valley Railroad recently ratified an agreement that provides retroactive general wage increases, pension and health & welfare improvements, lump-sum payments, and other benefits. According to International Vice President PETER L. PATSOURAS, the local committee of adjustment chaired by Brother LARRY MOORE did an outstanding job in representing the members and bringing about a fair and equitable settlement.
LOCAL 1800, TUCSON, ARIZ.
Forces in the state, and in adjacent states, are laying the groundwork for legislation to permit bigger trucks on the highways, according to Legislative Representative CHARLES E. LOUD, JR. If successful, the development could imperil safety and negatively impact the rail industry. Loud said members opposing the effort can learn more from the website of the Association for Safe Highways at <http://www.cabt.org>.
AUXILIARY OF THE UTU
The organization last month welcomed 28 members to the newly chartered Auxiliary Lodge 181 ("Inland Empire") in Upland, Cal., organized by Sister MAE PARKER. Meanwhile, LYNNWOOD PRICE and HARRY KENTNER were initiated into Lodge 264, San Antonio, Tex., in February, becoming the first two male members of the organization, according to International President EDYTHE WALTER. Also, Sisters Parker and MARILYN HORNE will be representing the organization May 24-26, 1999, at the UTU/UTUIA Regional Meeting in Los Angeles.
Local 228 members share special award .........##J
The approximately 40 UTU members of Local 228 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, working on the Cedar Rapids & Iowa City Railway (CRANDIC), recently learned that a cooperative work environment has its rewards.
Along with the rest of the workers on the 100-employee switching operation, they recently shared in receiving the PRO-FORMANCE Crystal Excellence Award for their part in achieving mechanical, engineering, transportation and administrative improvements over the past year.
To show its appreciation to the workforce, the railroad rewarded each of its employees with a high-quality jacket to mark their accomplishment.
According to former Local Chairperson Jerry L. Jones, workers participated in a process developed by Visucom Systems of Redwood City, Cal., that aims to empower employees to make on-the-job changes that result in safer, more effective operations.
"Our goal in 1998 was to put into effect 150 ideas that would improve the quality of our lives here at work while improving the company and making it more competitive," Jones explained. "We ended up implementing 192 improvements. We also aimed to reduce reportable accidents to four a year, and we came in under that."
"We weren't motivated by the lure of gifts or cash bonuses," said Jones, who was one of six or seven trainmen empowered to approve ideas. "We're in a competitive field, and we're all just trying to work together on this."
BUS DEPT. / STREET BEAT
"Price of peace measured in lives" ........... ...##K
Editorial by Bernard J. McNelis
Vice President and Director, UTU Bus Dept.The Easter season is, to many, a serious religious holiday, and with Easter comes the message of peace.
The Easter season did not always bring peace, even in our own country.
John D. Rockefeller controlled the Colorado Fuel & Iron Corporation, whose miners went on strike in 1914. With their families, they were evicted from company-owned homes in Ludlow, Colorado. The families erected tents and lived closely together in colonies. The miners and their families were surrounded by members of the National Guard, who, on occasion, fired into the colony.
To protect their wives and children, the miners dug caves under the larger tents. On Easter night in 1914, company-hired gunmen and some of the National Guard members poured oil over the strikers' tents and set them on fire. When the miners and their families ran for safety they were fired upon with machine guns. Thirteen children and a pregnant woman in a cave were killed.
Of course, we have had other struggles. Throughout the history of labor unions there were unionists and activists, including both bus and rail unions, whose lives were lost for the cause.
Today those who want to organize into unions are not gunned down or beaten, nor are their homes set afire. Employers today, to keep employees from organizing, threaten them with the loss of their jobs, or fire those who are the activists, or attempt to limit their rights through legislation.
This year on Memorial Day as we think about and honor those who sacrificed their lives for us by serving this country in past wars, let us also remember those who lost their lives in this past century in the war to unionize.
In unity there is strength.
YARDMASTER REPORT
"Bob Arthur served yardmasters well" ..........##L
Editorial by Don R. Carver
Assistant to the President, Yardmasters' Dept.Robert C. Arthur, assistant director of the UTU Yardmaster Department, retired at the end of April.
Bob had 44 years service in the rail industry. His railroad career began in 1955 at Cumberland, Md., on the Baltimore & Ohio. His yardmaster career began in 1962. He was elected to the office of general chairperson in 1979.
As a member of the Railroad Yardmasters of America (RYA) Executive Board, he was directly involved in the RYA merger with the UTU. Bob came to the UTU International in 1987 to assist in the representation of the yardmaster craft. He assisted the yardmaster committees in dispute resolution through the National Railroad Adjustment Board and Public Law Boards, and assisted them with contract negotiations and other matters.
As chairman of the National Railroad Adjustment Board, he worked to protect and enhance the interests of the yardmaster craft. Knowledge gained through 27 years of experience as a yardmaster representative gave him excellent insight in training new representatives.
Bob also worked tirelessly to insure that retired yardmasters and their dependents received the proper insurance coverage and benefits through the retired yardmaster insurance plans.
As a dedicated unionist, Bob diligently worked for the betterment of union brothers and sisters.
The officers and members of the Yardmaster Department wish Bob and his wife, Pat, the very best in their retirement.
EDITORIALS
Protecting rights: Wage & Rule Panel .............##M
Work/rest issues. Getting rid of the entry-rate pay system. Dealing with the major issues that affect your working life.
The National Wage and Rules Panel was created at the request of the UTU to study and evaluate the issues affecting everyday working conditions and the quality of life.
While pilot projects have been initiated on many different issues, there will be no implementation of any agreements without the ratification procedures of the UTU Constitution being fully adhered to.
That's our law and the way it will be done.
Additionally, the Wage and Rules Panel has created the opportunity to proactively address the issues of greatest concern to our members, not those of the greatest concern of the railroads.
The UTU is driving the agenda, which helped us create new groundbreaking work-rest principles and which we hope will help to eliminate the entry-rate system.
Negotiating from a position of mutual interest instead of confrontation is paying early dividends.
There's a lot more work to do, but the end result could very well be worth it.
Big Chill: American Airlines vs. Pilots .......##N
A Texas judge said that the union that represents American Airlines pilots must pay about $45 million in damages for a "sick-out" that disrupted the airline. The message from Judge Roy Bean is plain and simple: "Business wins."
The union is appealing the judgment, which would clean out its bank account and could possibly cause its members to have to dig into their own pockets. Unless it is overturned on appeal, this case will put a big chill on labor tactics for a long time.
"After Conrail, what?" ...........................##O
Editorial by Byron A. Boyd, Jr.
UTU Assistant PresidentOn June 1, if all goes as now scheduled, Conrail will cease to exist as we know it.
On June 1, if all goes as planned, CSX and Norfolk Southern will split Conrail in half.
While the end of the "limbo period" for Conrail is near, the beginning of something new and unknown is fast approaching. During the last few months, Conrail has been under duress. We have reported about the shortage of operating employees as deadlines were set and missed for the carve-up. Each time a deadline was passed it placed an incredible burden on the men and women who make Conrail work.
During a rash of fatal accidents at the beginning of the year, the UTU strongly urged the FRA to step up its safety watch on Conrail. After a critical NTSB hearing in Dallas, the FRA announced it would do the right thing and double its inspectors on Conrail. We're grateful that the FRA did the right thing, and since then there have been no more serious accidents on Conrail.
But the big question is whether the Conrail carve-up will create another situation similar to the Union Pacific meltdown. Everyone in railroading knows that the news media and the government watchdogs are going to be watching this merger very closely.
What's at stake in the biggest merger in railroad history is the future of the railroad industry as we know it. Another merger fiasco like UP-SP will mean that the government will step in, and that's something the railroads dread.
That's why CSX and NS have delayed the split of Conrail for months. They know what's at stake if the Conrail merger turns into another version of Houston, which one UTU leader said could happen in Cleveland.
Nobody wants a repeat of what happened on the UP. But there is a well-known shortage of operating employees on Conrail in several key areas, which are highlighted in our Page 1 article. A shortage of operating employees on the UP created intolerable working conditions for many.
In addition, we are concerned that there may be too many undertrained employees pressed into service, before they are ready, after June 1. Many experienced hands are raising a chorus of serious concerns about this safety issue. It's something the railroads and the FRA should look into.
Everyone is also keeping an eye on the "culture clash" that's coming when Conrail workers become NS employees. Many UTU Conrail members are telling us that when they have a choice between CSX and NS they choose CSX. What that says to me is that UTU members would prefer to work at Pete Carpenter's "new CSX" rather than under the legendary NS thumb.
All of that tells me that NS needs to look at its culture, unless it wants to find itself without enough qualified operating employees. UP took a hard look at its culture during the meltdown and changed its ways. The best way for NS to succeed is to look at how the UP and CSX are changing their "cultures" to prepare for the 21st Century.
"They keep trying to take your job" ...........##P
Editorial by James M. Brunkenhoefer
UTU National Legislative DirectorWell, you must have a pretty good job, you must get paid pretty well and you must have good health insurance and retirement benefits. The reason I am able to make that observation is because, every day in Washington, someone is trying to develop a new way to take these things away from you.
There is a front-page article on S. 621 in this publication, and this legislation if enacted would take your job away and give it to a worker at a non-union shortline railroad.
Also, it looks like truck-trailer manufacturers want legislation passed that will allow trailers that are five feet longer and weigh 10,000 pounds more. Once again, this is an effort to run trains down highways and call them trucks.
I think that we have all seen the cartoon of the engineer and conductor on their train, stopped at the grade crossing waiting for a mile-long truck, saying, "I knew it would come to this." We don't always agree with the major freight railroad carriers but this is one issue that we will be working with management on to keep our jobs.
The railroad company that you work for has a right-of-way for its trains. It has to build, maintain and pay taxes on the track and all of the equipment that operates over it. Not only are bigger trucks a jobs issue, but bigger, longer and heavier trucks are a safety issue on American highways.
Beyond the safety issue is the cost to the U.S. taxpayer. Through your gas tax, you pay for the U.S. highway system. You are told that this highway system is for you and your family to use at your convenience and as necessary. Most of us are taller than our personal cars, minivans, sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, etc. But the highway overpasses run from 12 to 16 feet high. This is to let tall trailers travel on the highway, and they are not cheap to build and maintain.
Also, the reinforcement and the thickness of pavement are not just for your car; they are to accommodate large trucks. Bigger, longer and heavier trucks also do enormous damage to our highway systems. The company that you work for takes some of the money that ought to go to your wages, benefits and retirement and uses it to pay local, state and federal taxes to maintain roads damaged by trucks.
The trucking companies pay fuel taxes just like you do, but they do more damage than they pay for. U.S. federal government provides them a right-of-way that is paid for by your tax dollars. Trucks also use more energy for every ton-mile they haul than railroads do. Trucks also pollute more for every ton-mile they haul than railroads do. We already have a national transportation policy that favors the trucking industry at your expense. This has to change.
Now is the time to write Congress and tell them that you do not want a transportation policy that allows for bigger, longer and heavier trucks. Tell them that you want a balanced transportation policy that examines issues like energy efficiency and the environment.
If we can get our government to accomplish this, then maybe it will serve to reduce the list of those who are trying to eliminate your job by one and maybe even add more jobs for you.
Voices: Members share their opinions .............##Q
Periodically, the UTU NEWS will contact members at random to report their thoughts on a question of interest to the general membership.
This month's question: WILL YOU ATTEND A UTU/UTUIA REGIONAL MEETING THIS YEAR?
"I've been going to these meetings for 10-15 years, since I started with the Kansas City Southern, and I'll be attending the St. Louis meeting this year. I find each year's meeting adds something different to keep us interested, so it's not repetitious. Because there's so much material covered, I think you could grasp more if they were a little longer than three days. The local's kicking in some funds this year to help me attend the meeting, but the last two years they didn't."
LESTER THOMAS, L-1066, NEW ORLEANS, LA.
"I haven't made reservations yet, because we've been tied up in arbitration, but some of us in the local hope to get to the California meeting. With the classes and training we get, it's something for every member to see. It's too bad not all members can go. A lot of locals don't have the resources to help members attend. I've been to three meetings, and there's always something new and educational at each one. It's hard work, but there's usually something entertaining in the evening."
JOE ORTIZ, L-1670, LAREDO, TEX.
"The Reno meeting last year was my first. I'll be at the Los Angeles meeting this year so I can bring information back to the brothers and sisters here. Everyone should attend at least once so they know what the union is really about, instead of believing all the B.S. they hear in the shanties. The UTU can't grow or expand unless ideas are floated around, and this is a good opportunity for that. As a legislative representative, I'd like to see better training for that position."
CHARLES E. LOUD, L-1800, TUCSON, ARIZ.
"Because I enjoy the educational purposes, as well as the fraternalism, I'll be going to the Washington, D.C., meeting. I hold a number of union offices, and this will be the fourth year I attend. I didn't go until I became an officer, but I would recommend that everyone attend, if possible. You get a whole new perspective on the union and what it does for you. My family usually comes, too. They enjoy the social events and things like that, so we turn it into a family vacation."
TOM GEORGE, L-631, BRUNSWICK, MD.
Feedback: Letters to the editor ...............##R
The following was written to Assistant President Byron A. Boyd, Jr., by members of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Division 366.
Dear Sir and Brother,
I just wanted to convey to you our sincere appreciation that you honored Division 366 by attending our regular monthly meeting on March 18, 1999. History was made that night, Brother Boyd, when you and Brother Monin stood before a joint BLE/UTU assembly to discuss the BLE/UTU union.
What your and Brother Monin's presence at that meeting did for the morale of not only the memberships of the BLE and the UTU in the greater Houston area, but to the carrier as well, indicates your decision to attend our divisional meeting was the right thing to do in light of all the controversy surrounding attempts to unite our respective memberships.
The UTU and BLE membership left that meeting supporting your position as to the BLE/UTU affiliation. One result of this meeting was the creation of a consortium of BLE and UTU local chairmen that will work to address "quality of life" issues as one group with the carrier.
Speaking of the carrier, when the notices went out about you and Brother Monin attending our meeting, UP senior management in Houston openly questioned me and other BLE/UTU officers as to why you were attending. We replied that it concerned "quality of life" issues that were brought up at the recent NTSB hearings in Dallas. They turned "pale" at that answer. Well, one must "tweak" their nose when we can.
Sincerely yours,
D.C. Battle, president
J.W. Claiborne, vice president
R.J. Stutes, chairman, local committee of adjustment
M.R. Blake, secretary/treasurer
S.K. Knight, director, member services
G.Y. Bailey, assistant local chairman, Zone 5
G.R. Koltermann, assistant local chairman, Zone 2
B.R. Wright, assistant local chairman, switchmen
A.C. Schroder, assistant local chairman, trainmen
(Members of BLE Div. 366)-----------------------------------
The following was written by Michael J. Lydon, Jr., a member of Local 1722 at York, Pa., and former chairperson of the Conrail Labor/Management Critical Incident Response Team
Dear Sir:
Everybody's aboard: The UTU, the BLE, the train dispatchers, and even our supervisors have sung the praises of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) teams.
Joining our industry in recognizing the value of CISM teams are police forces, ambulance services, and the aviation industry. Numerous newspaper articles have chronicled their importance and worth.
But with all this awareness, where is Conrail? The Conrail Labor/Management Critical Incident Response Team, considered the "leader of the industry," was terminated as of January 1, 1999.
Why would a program so highly honored by just about everyone in the rail industry, even transportation managers, be eliminated? Fear? Money?
I don't know, but I do know Conrail has been acquired by two other carriers. As Norfolk Southern (NS) and CSX Transportation begin digesting their acquisition, it appears the work force is being driven from a "we" approach, which got things done, to an "us-and-them" mentality.
As NS and CSX consider this issue, they may be tempted to follow the examples of those who have ventured into the field of CISM by assigning managers to provide crew support. This approach is akin to sending hungry foxes into the hen house to help confused chickens, and in my opinion, is a complete waste of time and money. No train crew involved in a critical incident would trust or confide in any manager, especially one they don't know.
It all boils down to two issues: Quality of life, and a type of first-aid applied in the wake of a critical incident. Are we numbers, or are we human beings? If the situation warrants it, shouldn't rail crews be relieved of duty, and if necessary, be given time off to recover?
This issue is not going to be magically fixed. It's something we all must demand as a basic right of humanity. Tell your local officers, general chairpersons and committees, international officers, legislative representatives, and politicians exactly where you stand on this issue. The ball is in our court. If our voices are not heard, we have only ourselves to blame.
The favorite theme of railroad mission statements today is "safety." It's time they stop talking and do some walking. Put CISM teams in place on all railroads, and we'll have a safer transportation industry.
If I can be of any help to any of our brothers or sisters interested in this vital issue, please call me at (717) 684-5340.
Fraternally yours,
Michael J. Lydon, Jr.
UTU Local 1722 (York, Pa.)-----------------------------------
The following was written by UTU Retiree Program member A.W. Westphal, a retired member of Local 367 at Omaha, Neb., and national president of the National Association of Retired and Veteran Railway Employees (NARVRE).
Dear Editor:
As a long-time member of the UTU Retiree Association I applaud the UTU News for the editorial regarding the Spouse Minimum Benefit and House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 52 (UTU News, January 1999, Vol. 31, No. 1).
We have supported this important undertaking since the proposal and discussion were initiated with Cong. Jack Quinn (R-N.Y.) in 1996.
A hearing was held on HCR 52 on September 17, 1998, before the Subcommittee on Railroad Retirement of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Clarence V. Monin, president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE), represented rail labor on behalf of the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO.
The result of the hearing was that rail labor, management, and the retirees' organization known as the National Association of Retired and Veteran Railway Employees, Inc., must meet to discuss the funding of the proposed amendment to the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974. We have addressed a letter to all the chief executive officers with copies to the parties, management and the RRB, requesting that we be notified as to when the meeting will take place.
Also, your editorial indicated that HCR 52 and Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 80, its companion measure in the Senate, would be supported again. In fact, when the 105th Congress adjourned in December 1998, all legislation and resolutions ceased to exist. The 106th Congress which convened in January 1999 will assign new numbers to these resolutions when the subject matter is re-introduced.
We fully agree with the content of the editorial. However, the issue is more grave than pointed out. The records of the Railroad Retirement Board indicate there are 8,000 new widow(er)s created each year. Action on the subject matter, amending the act, is imperative for both active and retired individuals who come within the scope of the Railroad Retirement Act.
There is a solution to this important matter, and that has been pointed out in our letter to the chiefs dated January 1, 1999.
Fraternally yours,
A.W. Westphal
-----------------------------------
The following was written by Frederick Gamst, Ph.D., a professor in the Anthropology Department at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Gamst also is a transportation specialist and consultant to rail labor unions. He once worked as a locomotive engineer on the Union Pacific and is a former member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
Dear Brother Brunkenhoefer:
My students and I much enjoyed your article "Look to the Future, Not to the Past, in Unification," in the January UTU News. As you say, Jim, building a stronger union is indeed in everybody's interest.
With the newly combined mega-railroads as adversaries at the bargaining table and influencing Congress, we need a mega-railroad union. What we cannot afford now are old heads spilling out bitter comments concerning some historic event in the history of one union or another. The past is history: we must now build for the future.
The news of the amalgamation of crafts into the new North American Rail and Transportation Union (NARTU) is truly momentous for railroad employees. The NARTU will provide the requisite expertise and necessary political and economic power to protect the hard-won rights of railroaders and to further their interests in an increasingly hostile labor market and regulatory environment.
Above all, in the coming new millennium, economies of scale in running an effective labor organization are now achievable in the face of lessening numbers of railroaders and increasing costs of union services. In the NARTU, we will have the correctly attuned union for future changing and unpredictable times.
Congratulations to the UTU on deftly negotiating the principles for the new rail labor organization. With the potential of the NARTU to unite all of rail labor, Gene Debs must be applauding from his grave, "Well done brothers and sisters."
Sincerely,
Frederick Gamst, Ph.D.
University of Massachusetts Boston
STATE WATCH
News from UTU State Legislative Boards ...........##S
LOUISIANA
The UTU has endorsed Democrat R.H. "Bill" Strain in a special election to be held this month for the U.S. House of Representatives seat that was vacated by former Rep. Robert Livingston, said T.G. Boudreaux, state legislative director.
MARYLAND
The state legislative board is pleased to announce the development of a four-year, continuing scholarship benefiting UTU members in the state of Maryland, or their spouse, child, step-child or grandchild.
The $500 scholarship, reports Legislative Director Larry Kasecamp, will be awarded each year to the winner of a drawing held at the UTU Regional Meeting attended by the board.
Applications for this year's drawing must be received no later than June 1, 1999, and applicants must already be accepted or enrolled at a recognized, accredited university or college.
The scholarship is dedicated to the memory of James E. Major Jr., a CSX passenger conductor working for the Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) who was killed in a head-on collision with an Amtrak passenger train in 1996.
The annual James E. Major Memorial Golf Classic will serve as the sole vehicle for funding the scholarship.
For more information about the scholarship or golf tournament, or to receive an application, contact a local UTU officer, or write to: United Transportation Union, Maryland State Legislative Board, 19326 Lower Consol Rd. NW, Frostburg, MD 21532.
MISSOURI
The Missouri Legislative Board would like to thank all UTU members there who contacted their state lawmakers in support of legislation highlighted in this column last month.
State Director W. Larry Foster provided the following updates and prediction:
-- Due to the efforts of UTU members, Amtrak will receive its original budget request of $6.2 million, which had been reduced to $5 million by the Senate Appropriations Committee. State Rep. Joan Bray (D-84) thanked Foster and all UTU members for their assistance.
-- HB 338, which would have revised Division of Motor Carrier and Railroad Safety Law and would also have required van drivers who transport more than five passengers in charter service to possess a commercial driver's license, was defeated by the Senate Transportation Committee. The eight-part bill included several substantial trucking issues, Foster said.
-- HB 678, which will allow the Division of Motor Carrier and Railroad Safety to use money from the grade crossing safety account to keep rail safety inspectors on the job, will pass by May 15.
NEW JERSEY
Legislative Director Dan O'Connell and the New Jersey Legislative Board would like to encourage all UTU members and their families to attend the AFL-CIO's Union Industries Show being held May 14-17, 1999, at the new Atlantic City Convention Center. The UTU will be represented with an exhibit booth.
O'Connell said that the Union Industries Show, first held in 1938, has been held annually since 1948. "It is a colorful, exciting and educational exhibition of union-made, American-made products and services," he added.
NEW YORK
Long Island Rail Road General Chairperson Michael Canino was presented with the U.S. Secretary of Labor Peter A. Brennan Award by the Nassau County Republican Committee at a formal dinner at Crest Hollow Country Club on March 12, reports State Director Sam Nasca.
The award is presented each year to an individual who, as a representative of organized labor, is honored for his work, particularly with government officials.
The event was attended by more than 2,000 people, including Congressmen Peter King, Michael Forbes, Rick Lazio, former Sen. Alfonse D'Amato, and Gov. George Pataki.
WYOMING
Assistant Legislative Director George Bagby will be serving as acting legislative director during a six-month leave of absence by Titus R. Shelby.
Bagby is a Union Pacific conductor and serves as the legislative representative of UTU Local 866 at Rawlins, Wyo. He had previously served as president and vice president of his local.
Bagby was recently elected to his third term on the Carbon County State Committee of the Democratic Party, which is instrumental in getting Democratic state legislators elected in that state.
All UTU members wish Bagby success in this new position.
FEATURES
Regional Meeting tours offer family fun .......##T
At each UTU/UTUIA Regional Meeting, families are invited to take a guided tour of local attractions. Listed below are details of those tours.
LOS ANGELES, CAL. (May 24-26, 1999)
The elegance of Beverly Hills and the glamour of Hollywood await UTU families attending the Los Angeles Regional Meeting.
On Monday morning, May 24, guests will board a motorcoach at the host hotel to begin their journey to Tinseltown. First guests will cruise the infamous Sunset Strip and see the clubs that have made this boulevard famous. From the Sunset Strip, guests will travel Hollywood Boulevard to Mann's Chinese Theater, famous for the foot and hand prints of the stars immortalized in the cement. Guests will have time to hunt for the footprints of their favorite stars.
From the Chinese Theater guests will travel to Beverly Hills via Melrose Avenue. Once there, guests will have a brief walking tour of Rodeo Drive followed by lunch at Planet Hollywood. After lunch, guests will have time to shop and explore Beverly Hills on their own.
Another option would be to take a trolley tour of residential Beverly Hills, where celebrity homes will be noted.
Meanwhile, Universal Studios Hollywood will open a fantastic new attraction in May, just in time for UTU Regional Meeting's May 25 night out there. UTU members will be among the first in the country to see the fantastic new "TERMINATOR 2:3D." You'll be engulfed in a barrage of effects so lifelike you won't know where reality ends and fantasy begins! Check it out on Universal Studios' website at <www.unistudios.com>.
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ST. LOUIS, MO. (June 14-16, 1999)
Families of UTU members attending the St. Louis Regional Meeting are invited on a five-hour tour of the city, which includes lunch and shopping, on Monday, June 14 beginning at 10 a.m.
The first stop will be Laclede's Landing, the city's original settlement, which has been transformed into a historic district filled with renovated shops, eateries and offices.
Next visitors will tour the historic Central West End and see turn-of-the-century mansions bordering Forest Park. Forest Park, the site of the 1904 World's Fair, is the third largest city park in the country and home to the St. Louis Zoo, the Science Center, the History Museum and the St. Louis Art Museum.
UTU families will then travel to St. Charles, Mo. This carefully preserved river town was Missouri's first state capitol. Visitors will enjoy a driving tour of Main Street, a historic district filled with 80 restored buildings dating from 1790, many of which contain antique, craft and gift shops. Visitors will enjoy a seated lunch and have time to shop before returning to the Regal Riverfront Hotel.
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WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 12-14, 1999)
In 1791, President George Washington authorized French Maj. Pierre Charles L'Enfant to draft design plans for a federal district. One of the first and most influential architects of what is now the District of Columbia, L'Enfant's design was influenced by European cities of the same era.
This family tour of the city by chartered motorcoach, scheduled for Monday, July 12, 1999, will include observations of Georgetown, Embassy Row, the White House and Lafayette Park, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Monument, Watergate, the Kennedy Center, U.S. Capitol Building, the Smithsonian Museum, the Mall and other Washington landmarks. The tour will include shopping and lunch at the revitalized Union Station.
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GOLF CONTEST / ALL MEETINGS
The UTU is holding a Hole 'n One contest at each of its three Regional Meetings, where members can win anything from a $22,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycle to golf vacations and equipment.
Regence BlueCross BlueShield and Magellan Behavioral Health are sponsoring the Hole 'n One contests.
A $22,000 Harley-Davidson will be one of the prizes available at each contest. Golf vacation prizes include a seven-day Aruba package for two at Tierra del Sol, and a four-day, three-night stay for two at the San Destin Hilton in San Destin, Fla. Golf equipment prizes include sets of Maxfli Australian Blade irons.
Space is limited for the UTU Hole 'n One contests, so sign up now. A golf outing registration form is included in this edition of the UTU NEWS.
Regional Meeting workshop agendas detailed .......##U
ORGANIZING FOR CHANGE
Participants will learn tools to help them understand change in the work place, identify coping skills and resources they can use to adjust to change, and learn how to manage change in an ever-changing work setting. Also, participants will have opportunities to exchange ideas, learn ways of dealing with change, and strategies to more effectively help co-workers deal with change.
LEADERSHIP SKILL-BUILDING
In a changing world, demonstrating leadership and resourcefulness in getting the job done gets harder all the time. This workshop is designed to help union leaders learn, refine and adopt leadership skills that will help them meet obligations.
UTU AUXILIARY WORKSHOP
Coping Skills: What Works and What Doesn't When Your Spouse Is (Always) On The Road For The Job?
This workshop will examine what happens to the spouse/partner who is left at home to take care of everything regarding the family. Participants will learn practical coping skills by assessing personal coping styles, strengths and weaknesses.
CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION AND GRIEVANCE RESOLUTION
This workshop will deal with the knowledge necessary to reach a satisfactory resolution of the claimed contract violation on the property and to prepare a winning case for arbitration.
GENERAL CHAIRPERSONS' WORKSHOP
ARBITRATION ADVOCACY SKILLSThis workshop will focus on developing advocacy skills of general chairpersons to deal with contract disputes in arbitration. Topics of discussion deal with an overview of the arbitrator's role in interpreting and applying collective bargaining agreements.
FATIGUE WORKSHOP
Participants will explore issues regarding fatigue in the transportation industry, including regulation, collective bargaining and the scientific approach. A roundtable discussion of concepts and principles related to these issues contained in the development of fatigue countermeasures will be held.
UTUIH: THE WORLD WIDE WEB
People use the Internet to find information and conduct research more than ever. This workshop focuses on developing basic skills in understanding what is available through the World Wide Web, how to access information on the web, and popular information sources.
LOCAL CHAIRPERSONS' WORKSHOP
STANDARDS FOR DISCIPLINE AND DISCHARGEThis workshop examines all aspects of the investigation process from an arbitrator's perspective in order to improve the skills of the representative who must prepare for hearings. Instructors will provide guidelines which cover all aspects of the process.
UTU TRANSPORTATION SAFETY TEAMS
The UTU's Transportation Safety Team works to insure railroad safety through participation in National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) incident investigations. Participants will discover the comprehensive nature of these investigations and the impact the UTU has had on the outcome of some investigations.
PREPARING FOR A DEPOSITION
This workshop, designed and developed by UTU Designated Legal Counsel, explores the purposes of a deposition, the role of counsel in the deposition process and some guidelines for the member when they are to be deposed.
THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
In order to be effective and support a politically pro-active UTU agenda, members must be involved and know how to effectively communicate with legislative policy makers at the national, state and local levels. Leaders of the UTU Legislative Department will help participants become familiar with priorities affecting the UTU legislatively, both now and in the future.
UNDERSTANDING TRANSPORTATION STOCK ANALYSIS
This workshop will help participants view their industry from a new and unique perspective: Wall Street. Investors and labor are no longer on opposite sides in the effort to create a viable transportation system. The role of the stock market will be explored with simple analyses made regarding how investors view the value of railroads and rail service.
CONDUCTING AN EFFECTIVE MEETING
This workshop will identify and compare characteristics of both good and bad meetings as well as provide information on how to manage meetings effectively.
NEW YORK DOCK HISTORY: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
This workshop will explore the origins of New York Dock and, through an examination of applications in various historical situations, help the participants understand the importance of its use in the railroad industry today.
PERSONAL FINANCIAL PLANNING
Using three fictitious transportation workers and their families, this workshop will examine what you should be doing with your money in the year 2000 and beyond.
DESIGNATED LEGAL COUNSEL
Designated Legal Counsel will help participants understand when they have rights to an attorney, the specific role of Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA) attorneys, and the role and value of a UTU attorney to both the member and the organization.
BEYOND THE RAILWAY LABOR ACT
While the Railway Labor Act governs most formal procedures in the rail industry, other acts are playing an ever increasing role in the work lives of railroaders. This workshop will review some of these, including disabilities laws and sexual harassment.
STRATEGIES FOR CHANGE
In a railroad world of almost constant change, this workshop will outline and help participants understand the forces driving change and how to better manage change in a constructive way. Additionally, participants will be able to demonstrate the benefits of unification as well as motivate members to help bring the UTU and the BLE together.
CORNELL WORKPLACE STUDY
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE CORNELL STUDY OF UTU MEMBERSHIPThis session will provide an overview of the ILR/Cornell University study. It will provide feedback on a variety of issues, including commitment to the UTU, the quality of supervision, workplace hazards, work/family conflicts, and the effects of seniority and age on these issues.
CORNELL WORKPLACE STUDY
IMPLICATIONS FOR ORGANIZING AND BARGAININGParticipants will have an opportunity to consider how the data acquired in the Cornell workplace study can be utilized by the union in its key functions of collective bargaining, developing organizational strategies (both internally and externally), and influencing legislative initiatives.
SAC-P WORKSHOP
This workshop will highlight the successes of the SAC-P process by having individuals from each of the four Class I railroads illustrate the positive impact the SAC-P process has had on their respective railroads and members.
STATUS OF THE ALCOHOL AND DRUG PROGRAM
IN THE RAILROAD INDUSTRYThis workshop is designed to address the history, current status and the future of the drug and alcohol rules and programs within the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT). FRA's drug and alcohol program manager will provide his analysis of FRA's efforts to enhance program effectiveness, and current initiatives and actions to address foreign entities affecting safe rail operations in the United States.
ELECTRONIC HOURS OF SERVICE RECORDKEEPING
This workshop will address the issues concerning the FRA's experience in electronic hours-of-service recordkeeping and afford attendees an opportunity to ask questions about the requirements of the law.
THE POWER OF LABOR ECONOMICS
This workshop has three basic objectives: to engage unionists in an open and frank discussion about current economic issues; to provide an explanation of the economy from the workers' point of view, and to illustrate how economic issues are connected to the union's organizing, bargaining, legislative, political and community action goals.
SENIOR NEWS
Strong economy buoys Medicare, pensions .......##V
For the second year in a row, a strong U.S. economy has meant a reprieve for the Social Security and Medicare programs, according to the annual reports recently released by the programs' trustees.
Until last year's reports appeared, it was widely believed Social Security would go bankrupt in 2029, but the program's trustees found it healthy enough to last until 2032. This year, the report extends that time frame even further into the year 2034.
Likewise, Medicare was viewed as ready to go belly up in 2001, until the trustees reported last year that it would last until 2008. Now, the most recent calculations forecast its insolvency in 2015.
In their reports, the trustees gave credit to the robust economy, restrained expenditures due to aggressive management of the systems, and structural reforms achieved through the Balanced Budget Act.
Despite the relatively good news, the trustees noted "the need to put these programs on sound financial footing for the long term must still be met."
House Republican leaders recently have spread the word among GOP members in the House that trying to overhaul Social Security before the 2000 election campaign may involve too much political risk.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) said the failure of the White House to get serious about Social Security is preventing Congress from acting on reform this year.
Asked specifically about the chances for Social Security legislation this year, Lott said, "I don't see it happening this year, because I don't believe the president will really honestly address it."
President Clinton is backing a plan that would earmark most of the expected $70-billion federal budget surplus for the two programs.
Republicans have committed themselves to setting aside money for Social Security, but have not done the same for Medicare.
Complicating the matter is the military action in Kosovo. President Clinton has asked Congress to tap the Social Security surplus for $6.05 billion to pay for the conflict. Lott predicted Congress will actually seek as much as $6 billion more than the president has requested. This year's expected surplus will total about $110 billion, all from Social Security taxes.
Retired conductor prepared for award .............##W
Retiree Program member James A. Kirkpatrick received an award last month for which he was well prepared.
Kirkpatrick was presented with the George Meany Award For Outstanding Service to Youth, symbolized by a special medallion and an accompanying certificate.
The award, created in 1974 by the AFL-CIO Executive Council, recognizes union members who have made a significant contribution to the youth of their communities by volunteering in the various programs sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).
A member of Local 1358 in Danville, Ill., Kirkpatrick has been involved with the BSA for 54 years, beginning with his membership in Danville's Cub Scout Pack 223 in 1947.
"All my friends were Scouts when I was a kid," said Kirkpatrick. "My dad was a committeeman with the organization, and when I was 13, he passed away. I had enjoyed fishing and camping with him, so I continued with the Scouts."
The degrees of accomplishment in scouting are measured by attainment of such ranks as Tenderfoot, Star, Life, and then Eagle Scout. "I was never an Eagle Scout," Kirkpatrick explained. "I was a Star Scout when I turned 18. Then I affiliated with an exploring post, and joined the Navy's amphibious force. But I remained affiliated with the Scouts through the Sea Scouts in Norfolk, Va."
Kirkpatrick began his rail career in 1955 as a brakeman on the New York Central, working his way up to become a conductor. He retired in 1992 as local chairperson with GO-777, but continued his involvement with the BSA.
Today, Kirkpatrick is a Unit Commissioner affiliated with Prairielands Council #117.
Having raised three sons who achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, Kirkpatrick has turned his attention to the next generation. "I have five grandsons and one granddaughter," Kirkpatrick said about his future plans. "I think I'll stay with Scouting."
Terre Haute club extends invitation ...........##X
The Railroad Retirees Club, a group of pensioners from every craft and railroad, is holding one of its two annual dinners this month, and has extended an invitation to all retired rails in the vicinity of Terre Haute, Ind., to join the fun, according to William R. "Bill" Soules, Sr., of Local 1399, Terre Haute, Ind.
The dinner, scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. on May 12, 1999, will be held at VFW Post 972 at 11th and Eagle Street in Terre Haute.
Members of the group pay $2 in annual dues (or a one-time lifetime membership fee), meet each Wednesday, and annually elect a slate of officers. For more information contact Bob Dyer at (812) 234-1276.
R. M. Gambrell dies at 80 ........................##Y
Retired former Norfolk Southern General Chairperson Robert M. Gambrell (GO-898) of Local 622, Birmingham, Ala., passed away March 22, 1999, at the age of 80.
Brother Gambrell began his 43-year rail career on the Alabama Great Southern Railway, where he was employed when he joined the Brotherhood of Locomotive Enginemen and Firemen (BLF&E) as a member of Lodge 604 in January 1942.
Gambrell was promoted to fireman in 1952, and held a number of union positions through the years, becoming general chairperson for enginemen and conductors in 1963. He held that position on the Southern Railway System until his retirement in March 1985.
W. A. Barnes passes away at 69 ................##Z
UTU Retiree Program member Walter A. Barnes of Local 313, Grand Rapids, Mich., who had served on the UTU Board of Appeals, passed away January 8, 1999, at the age of 69.
Brother Barnes began his rail career with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad (C&O) in 1955, worked briefly on the Southern Pacific during 1956-57, and returned to the C&O, where he became a road and yard conductor.
Active in community politics, Barnes had been a member of the Kent County Democratic Committee since 1962. He served his local as chairperson, secretary, and legislative representative, and attended five UTU conventions as a delegate. He was elected to the Board of Appeals at the 1983 convention and re-elected to the post in 1987. Brother Barnes retired in July 1993.
The Final Call ..................................##AA
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 0018 |
NAME Hurst, James L. |
CITY El Paso, TX |
TPEL HONOR ROLL
Contributors' continued support recognized....##BB
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 month. This list is a regular feature in the UTU NEWS, honoring those men and women who help make this union and nation great.
* Denotes Retired Member
PLATINUM CLUB
($1,200 or more per year)NAME LOCAL CITY/STATE
Naumes, Robert T. 262 Boston, MA
McGough, John J. 300 Philadelphia, PA
Diegel, Robert C. 627 Wymore, NE
Rabb III, Lloyd L. 807 Tucson, AZ
Higginbotham, W.E. 903 Jacksonville, FL
Zakovics, Zig I. 1468 Walla Walla, WA
Colvin, David L. 1836 New Orleans, LA
Kratz, Ronald C. 1949 Baltimore, MD
DOUBLE DIAMOND CLUB
($600 or more per year)NAME LOCAL CITY/STATE
Brummett, Albert J. 750 Knoxville, TN
DIAMOND PLUS CLUB
($400 or more per year)NAME LOCAL CITY/STATE
Huschka, Joseph L. 486 Glendive, MT
Stubbs Jr., Joseph L. 773 Galveston, TX
Wolf, James M. 1929 E. St. Louis, ILDOLLAR-A-DAY CLUB
($365 or more per year)NAME LOCAL CITY/STATE
Lingane, Jeremiah 30 Jacksonville, FL
Elliott, William D. 338 Chattanooga, TN
Ferguson, William L. 383 New Albany, IN
Harrington, Jack R. 490 Princeton, IN
Taylor Sr., James E. 622 Birmingham, AL
Wallace, Robert D. 782 Asheville, NC
Walls, Gary A. 793 Columbia, SC
Hight, Karen C. 898 Boston, MA
Brown, Patrick W. 924 Richmond, VA
Allen, Thomas L. 931 Greenville, SC
Byars, Gerald L. 931 Greenville, SC
Norris, Pleasant Q. 931 Greenville, SC
Robertson, Samuel W. 931 Greenville, SC
Sweat, Teddy 942 Florence, SC
Holit, David L. 1166 Charlotte, NCDIAMOND CLUB
($300.00 or more per year)NAME LOCAL CITY/STATE
Wilhoit Jr., D. C. 750 Knoxville, TN
GOLD CLUB
($100 or more per year)NAME LOCAL CITY/STATE
Canon, Robert D. 18 El Paso, TX
Brondstatter, Wally 23 Santa Cruz, CA
*Purnell, Thomas F. 150 Carnegie, PA
Bohonsky, Randal L. 185 Brookfield, MO
Peters, Virgil 219 Hannibal, MO
Asbridge, Kevin L. 234 Bloomington, IL
Waltzing, John E. 329 Boone, IA
*Sutton, Joseph L. 367 Omaha, NE
Workman, Joseph D. 432 Champaign, IL
Grier, Farris E. 489 San Antonio, TX
Bishop, James L. 490 Princeton, IN
Lanman, Gregory R. 490 Princeton, IN
*Stephens, Eugene R. 493 Waterloo, IA
Waggoner, Brent E. 533 Osawatomie, KS
*Geiger, Gerald R. 544 Havre, MT
Stephenson, Gary C. 590 Portage, WI
Looney, James R. 598 Mobile, AL
*Cole, Walter J. 734 Battle Creek, MI
Miller, James E. 750 Knoxville, TN
Pack, Lawrence B. 750 Knoxville, TN
Rader, Carl E. 750 Knoxville, TN
Seymour, Clyde W. 750 Knoxville, TN
Dipuccio Jr., Charles 773 Galveston, TX
Maronge, Lloyd J. 773 Galveston, TX
Roach, Richard O. 773 Galveston, TX
Gilkey, William R. 785 Paducah, KY
Critchley, James E. 807 Tucson, AZ
Guldner, Leonard E. 816 Harrisburg, PA
Viguers, John W. 816 Harrisburg, PA
Wrightstone, Clarence 816 Harrisburg, PA
Ashcraft, Patrick E. 818 Ft. Worth, TX
Hadden, Terry N. 818 Ft. Worth, TX
*Howard, Louis J. 847 Birmingham, AL
Battista, Paul V. 898 Boston, MA
Bellamy, R. William 898 Boston, MA
Wood, Thomas W. 903 Jacksonville, FL
Click, James G. 942 Florence, SC
Driggers, Timothy T. 942 Florence, SC
Harris, Larry C. 942 Florence, SC
McPherson, Thomas J. 942 Florence, SC
Tisdale, Yancey S. 942 Florence, SC
*Liston, Thomas F. 1006 Brownsville, PA
Cabingas, Duane 1117 Las Vegas, NV
Czech, Lance E. 1117 Las Vegas, NV
Mizzi, Steven S. 1117 Las Vegas, NV
Schwartz, Brian T. 1177 Willmar, MN
Sherwood, Douglas C. 1177 Willmar, MN
Vosika, Michael B. 1177 Willmar, MN
Cich, Peter A. 1292 Proctor, MN
Freeman, Steven D. 1292 Proctor, MN
Harney, Paul M. 1292 Proctor, MN
Helquist, Kerry T. 1292 Proctor, MN
Jackson, Thomas L. 1292 Proctor, MN
*Johnson, Warren W. 1292 Proctor, MN
Kaspari, Daniel L. 1292 Proctor, MN
Logergren, Gary A. 1292 Proctor, MN
Steager, James R. 1292 Proctor, MN
Ilari, Joseph C. 1328 Louisville, KY
Green, Keisha A. 1370 New York, NY
Woodley, Christine 1370 New York, NY
*Hayes, Franklin D. 1374 New Castle, PA
*Williamson, Wallace 1375 Philadelphia, PA
*Weaver, Herman R. 1376 Columbus, OH
Fuller, David F. 1382 Milwaukee, WI
Dils, Gary M. 1393 E. Buffalo, NY
Coughlin, Francis 1462 Boston, MA
Peregoy III, S. J. 1557 Memphis, TN
Johnson, David E. 1597 Chicago, IL
Paradise, Daniel M. 1614 St. Paul, MN
Grill, Thomas E. 1628 Pittsburgh, PA
Boyd, Alan R. 1663 Indianapolis, IN
*Williams, Walter 1722 York, PA
*Frenz, William G. 1882 Minneapolis, MN
Thomson, Paul A. 1976 St. Paul, MN
UTU Auxiliary Lodge 300 Lafayette, LA
UTU Auxiliary Lodge 474 Chaffee, MO
FELA UPDATE
Choice of doctors key when injuries occur .......##CC
If you get hurt on the job, you probably will go see a doctor. How do you decide which physician to see?
Some people go to the doctor the company recommends. Some decide to see the practitioner who handles their everyday family illnesses. Still others may make the decision after talking to a number of people and choosing among those they recommend.
We suggest that you look around until you find a doctor who specializes in the type of injury you have and who is someone you can talk with. A specialist without a bedside manner may very well be unable to explain to you what is wrong. A charming medical person without the necessary skills may not necessarily be able to help you.
Do not assume that the physician whom the company recommends is necessarily the one for you. You may be required to see a particular doctor because of certain contractual requirements, but that does not necessarily mean you have to treat with that doctor. On the other hand, do not blindly follow the advice of friends if you are uncomfortable with the doctor recommended.
In short, give some thought to the choice you ultimately make because your future may very well be on the line.
Monte Bricker, Coordinator
Designated Legal Counsel
1-888-241-7076
NOTICES
Monthly apparel winner announced .............##DD
This month's lucky winner of his choice of apparel bearing the UTU logo is Edward G. Halley of Phillipsburg, N.J.
Brother Halley is a retired member of Local 1390 in Trenton, N.J., which represents workers employed by Conrail (PC/Lines East).
These items are awarded every month by random drawing as a show of appreciation to the many members who have supported the UTU throughout the years.
Congratulations to Brother Halley!
United HealthCare notes changes, enrollment .....##EE
Effective June 1, 1999, several changes will be made to GA-23111, Plan D, which covers persons eligible for Medicare.
Plan D medical benefits will be improved significantly, but the prescription drug benefits will be reduced. Despite this reduction, the revised Plan D will still provide benefits equal to or greater than any standard Medigap plan.
In addition to the revisions to Plan D, a new Plan F will also be offered to persons eligible for Medicare. Plan F will have the same identical benefits as the revised Plan D, except that it will not cover prescription drugs.
These changes are being made after an analysis by United HealthCare and the railway labor organizations that participate under GA-23111. Continuing increases in the cost of prescription drugs and other medical services necessitated these changes. Without these changes, Plan D premiums could become unaffordable for most railroad retirees in the next few years.
Details of the changes to Plan D benefits were described in materials mailed in late February to the homes of all individuals currently covered under Plan D. For anyone who did not receive this material, copies can be obtained by calling United HealthCare at 1-800-809-0453.
United HealthCare will be holding a "special" open enrollment for all GA-23111 plans during June and July 1999 because of the significant changes made to Plan D and because all GA-23111 plans (including the new Plan F) are now being offered to a broader group of former railroad employees.
Beginning with this open enrollment, GA-23111 will now be available to any former railroad employee who was covered under any health plan and who is a retired member of a participating railway labor organization.
During this "special" open enrollment, any individual who is eligible can enroll during June or July 1999 without any requirement of good health or pre-existing restrictions. Complete details of the GA-23111 eligibility and benefit provisions can be obtained by calling United HealthCare at 1-800-842-5252 or 1-800-809-0453.
TPI to terminate association with Aetna ......##FF
The Physicians, Inc. (TPI), an association of primary care physicians and specialists in Louisville, Ky., has notified Aetna U.S. Healthcare that it intends to terminate its association effective July 3, 1999.
Aetna U.S. Healthcare says it has signed provider contracts with more than 1,000 of TPI's 1,800 physicians and expects to re-sign most of the remaining soon.
UTU 1999 Quadrennial Convention information .....##GG
UTU 1999 QUADRENNIAL CONVENTION
Monday through Friday,
August 23-27, 1999Fontainebleau Hilton Resort and Towers
4441 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33140Reservation number: (800) 548-8886
CUT-OFF DATE FOR ROOM RESERVATIONS: July 20, 1999
DAILY ROOM RATES: $125, single or double; $250 to $375 for suites
PARKING: $13, valet only
Room reservations for all delegates attending the 1999 UTU Quadrennial Convention will be made by the International. Delegates will be receiving a packet of information in April by mail explaining registration procedures, credential requirements and other details.
Admittance onto the floor at the 1999 UTU Quadrennial Convention is restricted to delegates from individual locals. Officers, members and others may observe the proceedings from a small gallery at the rear of the convention floor.
UTU/UTUIA 1999 Regional Meeting information ..##HH
Listed below are telephone numbers and room rates for the host hotels for the three UTU/UTUIA Regional Meetings scheduled for later this year. Due to the popularity of the meetings and the limited number of rooms available at the hotels, those members planning on attending one of these Regional Meetings should call as soon as possible to make their room reservations.
A one-night deposit is required to guarantee your reservation. It can be paid by credit card when you call.
The UTU web site ( www.utu.org ) features the latest Regional Meeting information, links to web sites of host hotels, and a registration form.
Remember, each Regional Meeting lasts three full days. A golf outing is held the day before the first meeting day.
The UTU works hard to ensure that each Regional Meeting offers something of interest to all members, from local members to local and general committee officers to members of the family. Come and see why a UTU/UTUIA Regional Meeting is something not to be missed. (All rates quoted are per day)
-----------------------------------------------
WESTERN REGIONAL MEETING
Monday - Wednesday, May 24-26, 1999
Wyndham Hotel at Los Angeles Airport
6225 West Century Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045Reservation number: (310) 670-9000
Cut-off date for room reservations: May 1, 1999
Room rate: $109 double/$99 single
Parking rates: $7 self park/$12 valet
Overflow hotel for Los Angeles meeting:
Sheraton Gateway Hotel (next door to Wyndham)
6101 West Century Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045Reservation number: (800) 445-7999
Cut-off date for room reservations: April 13, 1999
Room rate: $109 double/$99 single
Parking rates: $9 self park/$13 valet
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CENTRAL REGIONAL MEETING
Monday-Wednesday, June 14-16, 1999
Regal Riverfront Hotel Downtown St. Louis
200 South 4th Street
St. Louis, MO 63102Reservation number: (314) 241-9500
Cut-off date for room reservations: May 2, 1999
Room rate: $99, single or double
Parking rates: $11
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EASTERN/CANADIAN REGIONAL MEETING
Monday-Wednesday, July 11-14, 1999
Hyatt Regency Washington (on Capitol Hill)
400 New Jersey Ave. N.W.
Washington, DC 20001Reservation number: (202) 737-1234
Cut-off date for room reservations: June 1,1999
Room rate: $99, single or double
Parking: $22, valet only
NOTE: All rooms at the Hyatt Regency have been taken; there is no overflow hotel. However, registered members are welcome to attend all meetings, lunches and other activities as scheduled.
Regional Meeting pre-registration form ..........##II
UTU REGIONAL MEETING PRE-REGISTRATION FORM
By registering in advance for the UTU/UTUIA Regional Meetings, you will speed registration at the meeting sites and help organizers plan more accurately. Name badges and information kits will be waiting for you upon arrival.
Which Regional Meeting will you be attending?
_______Los Angeles, Cal., May 24-26, 1999
_______St. Louis, Mo., June 14-16, 1999
_______Washington, D.C., July 11-14, 1999
UTU Local_______or other affiliation_________________
Name/Title___________________________________________
Name for Badge (if different)________________________
2d Registrant name/title_____________________________
Name for Badge (if different)________________________
3rd Registrant name/title____________________________
Name for Badge (if different)________________________
Home address_________________________________________
City_________________________________________________
State_______________________ Code____________________
Daytime phone number (_______) ______________________
Advance registration fee of $100 (U.S.) per person included with this form?
______Yes ______No
All registration fees include: Sunday welcome reception; Monday lunch and evening theme reception; Tuesday lunch and special night out; Wednesday lunch and evening reception/banquet/awards dinner, and all training workshop materials. This registration fee is due 30 days prior to each meeting date. Make all checks payable to "UTU Regional Meeting." Send this completed form to: UTU Meeting Registration, 14600 Detroit Ave., Cleveland, OH 44107-4250. You may cancel seven full days prior to arrival with no penalty. Please fax any changes or cancellations immediately to the UTU International at (216) 228-5755.
Airline offers discount fares ................##JJ
Southwest Airlines, a unionized national air carrier, is offering discounted airfares for travel to and from the Regional Meeting cities of Los Angeles, St. Louis and Baltimore/Washington, D.C.
Members should call the Southwest Airlines Group and Meeting Desk at 1-800-433-5368, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., by no later than five days prior to the first date of travel, and refer to identifier code E8389 for Los Angeles, E8399 for St. Louis, or E8409 for Baltimore/Washington, D.C., to take advantage of this offer.
UTU members should make their airline reservations as soon as possible as fares are subject to terms and availability. Because of scheduling, reservations may not yet be available for confirmation.
Regional Meeting golf outings planned ...........##KK
Arrangements have been made for golf outings in each of the UTU/UTUIA Regional Meeting cities.These golf outings will be held the Sunday before the start of each Regional Meeting at challenging local golf courses.
Printed below is information about locations, tee-off times, fees and registration deadlines. A registration form follows. Please note the registration deadline for each golf outing.
The registration fee includes the greens fee and golf carts, as well as round-trip transportation to the course from the host hotel.
LOS ANGELES, CALIF., REGIONAL MEETING
DATE: Sunday, May 23, 1999; 8 a.m. shotgun start
PLACE: Camarillo Springs Golf Course, Camarillo, Calif.
FEE: $75 per person
DEADLINE TO REGISTER: May 14, 1999ST. LOUIS, MO., REGIONAL MEETING
DATE: Sunday, June 13, 1999; 7:30 a.m. shotgun start
PLACE: Stonewolf Golf Club, Fairview Heights, Ill.
FEE: $75 per person
DEADLINE TO REGISTER: June 4, 1999WASHINGTON, D.C., REGIONAL MEETING
DATE: Sunday, July 11, 1999; 7:30 a.m. shotgun start
PLACE: Marlborough Country Club, Upper Marlboro, Md.
FEE: $75 per person
DEADLINE TO REGISTER: July 2, 1999
Regional Meeting golf registration form ......##LL
GOLF OUTING REGISTRATION FORM
Name______________________________________Local_______
Address_______________________________________________
City/State/ZIP________________________________________
Which golf outing(s) will you be attending?
______Los Angeles
______St. Louis
______Washington, D.C.
Handicap or average 18-hole score_____________________
Registration fee included? _____Yes _____No
The format at all outings will be scramble/best ball. All foursomes will be established by draw from a handicap pool. No prearranged foursomes will be considered. Foursomes will be made up of one golfer from each of four classes: A, B, C and D.
Please complete this form and send it with your registration fee (payable to "UTU") by the applicable deadline to: UTU REGIONAL MEETING GOLF REGISTRATION, 14600 DETROIT AVE., CLEVELAND, OH 44107-4250.
UTUIA offers Disability Income Replacement ......##MM
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, contact your UTUIA representative, or call the UTUIA Marketing and Sales Department today toll-free at (800) 558-8842, Ext. 211.
UTU NEWS ONLINE EDITION
MAY 1999
PROGRESS THROUGH UNITY