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Thompson
Kim Thompson, general secretary & treasurer of the UTU International and the UTU Insurance Association since 2008, will retire Dec. 31.

The UTU Board of Directors has elected International Vice President Delbert Strunk to succeed Thompson Jan. 1. Strunk will retain his position as an International vice president.

Also, International Vice President Paul Tibbit will retire Dec. 1, but the UTU board has not yet elected a successor.

UTU International President Mike Futhey praised Thompson as “one of the most dedicated union officers I have had the honor and privilege to work with. Kim’s stewardship of UTU and UTUIA finances is a principal reason both organizations have meaningfully improved their bottom lines in spite of this lengthy economic downturn.

“Delbert Strunk is one of the most loyal and hardworking of International officers,” Futhey said. “His experience at all levels and facets of this organization will ensure a seamless transition.

“The retirement of Paul Tibbit will be felt throughout the UTU, as his assistance to general committees in negotiating contracts and successfully pursuing grievances has earned him deep respect from all who have benefited from his expertise and advice,” Futhey said.

Thompson, who will be 65 in January, began his railroad career in 1966 as a brakeman on the Moberly Division of the former Wabash Railway (later merged into Norfolk & Western, and now part of Norfolk Southern). He was promoted to conductor in 1972 following four years of U.S. Navy service.

In 1975, Thompson was elected president and chairperson of Local 226, Moberly, Mo., representing conductors, brakemen and yardmen, and was elected by his local as a delegate to two UTU conventions. He was elected legislative representative of his local in 1976.

In 1985, Thompson was elected a full-time vice general chairperson (GO 719, merged in 1998 into GO 687), and elected general chairperson of GO 719 in 1989, representing conductors, brakemen, yardmen, firemen and engineers on the former Wabash lines of Norfolk Southern.

Thompson was elected to the UTU International’s Executive Board in 1987, and served as board chairperson for eight years. In 1995, he was elected UTU International first alternate vice president for the South; and elevated to UTU International vice president in 1997.

He served as vice president until he was elected general secretary & treasurer at the UTU International convention in 2007. He took office Oct. 1, 2007, upon the retirement of GS&T Dan Johnson.

From 1988 through 1997, Thompson served on the board of the Wabash Memorial Hospital Association in Decatur, Ill.

“My impending retirement comes with mixed feelings,” Thompson said. “There is always another task to do. There is always someone in need of help. But I have learned that there is someone to step up as I once did and the time comes for them, just as it did for me.

“I am indebted to Jim Oliver, former Local 881, Montpelier, Ohio, a vice general chairperson who taught me that preparation fosters success. I am also thankful for Tom DuBose, who taught me to take care of business and the rest will take care of itself. And I will forever be thankful to Mike Futhey for his leadership through the most challenging time faced by this organization.

“I am thankful for the love and support of my bride, Connie, and her sacrifices in following my dream and I look forward to our time being ours.”

Thompson and his wife, Connie, have five children and five grandchildren.

DELBERT STRUNK

Strunk

Strunk, 62, began his career in 1973 as a brakeman on the Cleveland Division of New York, Chicago & St. Louis (Nickel Plate, which later merged into Norfolk & Western and is now part of Norfolk Southern.) He was promoted to conductor in 1977.

In 1975, Strunk was elected legislative representative of Local 225, Bellevue, Ohio, which represents conductors, trainmen, yardmen and engineers. Over the next 35 years, Strunk held the offices of vice local chairperson, local chairperson, alternate legislative representative, legislative representative, general secretary (GO 687) and delegate to the 2007 UTU convention.

In 1983, Strunk was elected as general secretary of GO 687; he was elected full-time general chairperson of the general committee in 1989. Strunk served as general chairperson, representing conductors, trainmen, yardmen and engineers, for the next 20-plus years.

In 1998, Strunk merged GO 719 (former Wabash) into GO 687 (former Nickel Plate), forming what is now one of the largest general committees on Norfolk Southern. Strunk was elected alternate vice president-East in 2007, was elevated to International vice president in July 2009 and was re-elected International vice president in 2011.

He was elected as vice chairperson for the District No. 1 General Chairpersons’ Association and was elevated to the position of chairperson when the former chairperson retired.

Strunk has been appointed to the last three UTU national negotiating committees, as well as appointed to the National Wage and Rules Panel. He served as chairperson of the 2007 UTU Constitution Committee and is a member of the UTU Board of Directors.

Strunk and his wife, Diane, have four children and 16 grandchildren.

PAUL TIBBIT

Paul Tibbit; Tibbit, Paul
Tibbit

Paul Tibbit, 65 and from Texarkana, Tex., is a member of Local 331 at Temple, Tex.

He served in the U.S. Navy from 1965 to 1968 and began his rail career with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (now part of BNSF) in 1971.

He has served the UTU as a local secretary & treasurer, local chairperson and general chairperson of GO 393.

Tibbit was elected alternate vice president-West in 2007, elevated to International vice president in 2009, and elected an International vice president at the 2011 quadrennial convention.

UTU-represented yardmasters employed by Canadian National Railway’s Illinois Central Railroad have ratified their first collective bargaining agreement.

The four-year agreement, reached following mediation assistance by the National Mediation Board, provides for hourly wage increases, coverage under the UTU National Health Care Plan, a signing bonus and wage parity for all yardmasters.

Negotiations were led by UTU International Vice President Paul Tibbit and UTU General Chairperson Doyle Turner (GO 347), who heads the UTU’s shortline outreach program.

Turner

UTU-represented maintenance-of-way employees on Georgia & Florida Railway are voting through Sept. 22 on a tentative new agreement — their first since voting “UTU, yes.”

Negotiations were led by UTU International Vice President Paul Tibbit and UTU General Chairperson Doyle Turner (GO 347). Turner heads the UTU’s shortline outreach program.

“This tentative agreement, as with others negotiated with shortlines, is intended to bring parity in wages, benefits and work rules to the thousands of employees in the shortline industry, along with the many other protections offered by union membership,” Turner said. “The seniority, scope and discipline rules these members now enjoy are what makes union membership valuable.”

Georgia & Florida Railway, an OmniTrax property, is a 264-mile shortline serving south central Georgia and extending into Florida. It interchanges with CSX and Norfolk Southern. Its principal commodities include beer, wood pulp, ethanol and agricultural products.

Train and engine, mechanical and maintenance of way employees on Columbia & Cowlitz Railway in Washington state – all represented by the UTU — have ratified their first agreement since voting “UTU yes” in October 2011. They are members of UTU Local 1348.

Negotiations were led by UTU International Vice President Paul Tibbit and UTU Assistant President Arty Martin.

Tibbit praised the efforts of members Sean Kibbee and Eddie Steed, “who worked with the membership every step of the process and fully explained the tentative agreement. They presented their case very well and in a professional manner and we achieved nearly everything we sought,” Tibbit said.

Columbia & Cowlitz Railway is part of the Patriot Rail group and operates in southwest Washington state.

UTU-represented yardmasters employed by Canadian National Railway’s Illinois Central Railroad have reached a new tentative agreement following mediation assistance from the National Mediation Board. A March tentative agreement was rejected by the membership, which will now vote, through Sept. 15, on the new tentative pact.

Negotiations were led by UTU International Vice President Paul Tibbit and UTU General Chairperson Doyle Turner (GO 347).

“This tentative agreement, as with others negotiated with Class 1 railroads, is intended to bring parity in wages, benefits and work rules to the thousands of employees in the railroad industry, along with the many other protections offered by union membership,” Turner said. “The seniority, scope and discipline rules these members now enjoy are what makes union membership valuable.”

Illinois Central connects Chicago with New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., and also reaches Omaha, Neb., and Sioux City, Iowa. Canadian National gained control of Illinois Central in 1998.

Turner

Train, engine and mechanical forces represented by the UTU on shortline Western Rail Road in Texas have ratified a new agreement reached with mediation assistance from the National Mediation Board.

Negotiations were led by UTU Vice President Paul Tibbit and UTU General Chairperson Doyle Turner (GO 347), who heads the UTU’s shortline outreach program.

“This agreement, as with others negotiated with shortlines, brings parity in wages, benefits and work rules to the thousands of employees in the shortline railroad industry, along with the many other protections offered by union membership,” Turner said. “The seniority, scope and discipline rules these members now enjoy are what makes union membership valuable.”

Western Rail Road, owned by Cemex, connects a quarry and cement plant at Dittlinger with Union Pacific’s Austin, Texas, subdivision. Dittlinger is four miles south of New Braunfels and about 50 miles south of Austin.

 

Train, engine and mechanical forces represented by the UTU on shortline Western Rail Road in Texas are voting on a tentative new agreement reached with mediation assistance from the National Mediation Board.

An October tentative agreement was rejected by affected members, leading to participation of the NMB in this renewed round of negotiations. Affected members will be voting through Aug. 3.

Negotiations were led by UTU Vice President Paul Tibbit and UTU General Chairperson Doyle Turner (GO 347), who heads the UTU’s shortline outreach program.

“This tentative agreement, as with others negotiated with shortlines, is intended to bring parity in wages, benefits and work rules to the thousands of employees in the short line railroad industry, along with the many other protections offered by union membership,” Turner said. “The seniority, scope and discipline rules these members now enjoy are what makes union membership valuable.”

Western Rail Road, owned by Cemex, connects a quarry and cement plant at Dittlinger with Union Pacific’s Austin, Texas, subdivision. Dittlinger is four miles south of New Braunfels and about 50 miles south of Austin.

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 transportation workers’ bargaining representative in 2011.

The five-year contract provides for retroactive pay, a steep jump in hourly wages, a 401(k) plan, a health insurance plan, sick pay, paid vacation, and a discipline program requiring all investigations include the presence of a UTU representative.

Rich Ross, the UTU’s director of organizing, and International Vice President Paul Tibbit negotiated the agreement. “Paul met with ISA workers on all three shifts to learn their concerns, and brought these concerns to the bargaining table to produce an outstanding first agreement with ISA,” Ross said.

LONGVIEW, Wash. — UTU-represented train and engine employees of Columbia & Cowlitz Railroad here have a new employer in Patriot Rail Corp. after Patriot completed purchase of the shortline from paper manufacturer and forest products supplier Weyerhaeuser.

Also included in the sale is Weyerhaeuser Woods Railroad (a non-UTU property) that connects with Columbia & Cowlitz. The two are slated to be consolidated into one shortline by Patriot, a shortline holding company whose properties include UTU-represented Louisiana & North West Railroad.

UTU Assistant President Arty Martin has met four times in recent months with the UTU train and engine employees on Columbia & Cowlitz, and has assigned International Vice President Paul Tibbit to work in conjunction with General Chairperson Sean Kibbee to monitor the transfer of ownership, which includes protection of seniority and work assignments.

“As the nation’s largest rail union, the UTU has a long history of successful experience in processing grievances governed by the Railway Labor Act, and the UTU will work diligently on behalf of our Columbia & Cowlitz members to ensure a smooth and properly protected transition,” Martin said.