Category: News

UTU member killed in Ind. rail accident

February 3, 2012 GARY, Ind. – Michael M. Shoemaker, 55, a conductor and member of UTU Local 1383, was killed Jan. 30 in a switching accident on at U.S. Steel’s Gary Works here. Reports are that he was wedged between two freight cars. Shoemaker, of Hobart, Ind., was an 10-year employee, of Gar [...]

Tags Gary Railroad, killed, Michael M. Shoemaker

House committee kills killer truck effort

February 3, 2012 WASHINGTON – UTU members can make a difference in Congress, and your emails and phone calls — as requested by the UTU International — helped derail an attempt by House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) to permit longer and h [...]

Tags heavier trucks, killer trucks, longer trucks

Wisconsin Rally; Wisconsin; Rally; protest

Repeal referendum likely in Indiana

February 2, 2012 INDIANAPOLIS – Gov. Mitch Daniels has signed into law right-to-work (for less) legislation in Indiana that prohibits union-shop agreements and prohibits union contracts that require those who decline to join a union from paying any fees for representation – essentially encour [...]

Tags Gov. Mitch Daniels, Indiana, recall. UTU Collective Bargaining Defense Fund, right-to-work

Members on ISA ratify first CBA

February 1, 2012 Tibbit UTU-represented members employed by Intermodal Services of America (ISA), which does contract switching for Union Pacific at Joliet, Ill., and Chicago, have ratified their first collective bargaining agreement (CBA). ISA voluntarily recognized the UTU as its transporta [...]

Tags Internal Services of American, ISA, Paul Tibbit, Rich Ross

Transport labor urges ‘no tinkering’ with RLA

January 31, 2012 WASHINGTON — The UTU and 17 other transportation labor organizations urged Congress Jan. 30 to pass a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization without making what they called “drastic and unnecessary changes to the Railway Labor Act.” Historically, any changes to [...]

Tags Federal Aviation Administration, National Mediation Board, Railway Labor Act, voting rule

Apache Railroad members ratify new contract

January 30, 2012 UTU-represented engineers and conductors employed by Apache Railroad in Arizona have ratified a new three-year agreement providing for wage increases, certification pay, improvements in disability and life insurance benefits, an increase in the employer match for a 401-k plan [...]

Tags Apache Railroad, Danny Young, John Prevesich

CN, CP, CSX, KCS, NS, UP report 2011 earnings

January 28, 2012 CANADIAN NATIONAL Canadian National reported a 9 percent increase in profit for calendar-year 2011 versus calendar-year 2010. The CN calendar-year operating ratio of 63.5 percent was a slight improvement over the 63.6 percent operating ratio for calendar-year 2010. Operating [...]

Tags 2011 profits, Canadian National, CSX, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, operating ratio, profits, Union Pacific

Chicago South Shore members ratify new pact

January 27, 2012 UTU engineers, conductors and collectors employed by Chicago South Shore & South Bend, an electric-line passenger operation between Chicago and South Bend, Ind., have ratified a new two-year agreement. The new contract provides for several favorable rules changes, certifi [...]

Tags Chicago South Shore & South Bend, John Babler, Kay Harmon, Local 1526, Robert Kehoe, Tony Wojasinski

LIRR’s Anthony Simon elected Dist. 1 chairperson

January 27, 2012 Anthony Simon, general chairperson on Long Island Rail Road, has been elected to a four-year term as chairperson of District 1 of the UTU’s Association of General Chairpersons. District 1 is made up of some 190 railroad general chairpersons. Its purpose is to formulate concer [...]

Tags Anthony Simon, Association of General Chairpersons, Division 1, Long Island Rail Road

Another organizing victory for UTU

January 26, 2012 In its latest organizing victory, the UTU now represents maintenance-of-way employees on Missouri & North Arkansas Railroad, a RailAmerica property. Contract negotiations, led by UTU Alternate Vice President Doyle Turner, will begin shortly. Turner heads the UTU’s shortli [...]

Tags Doyle Turner, Mike Lewis, Missouri and North Arkansas, organizing, Rich Ross