Transportation News

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UTU, SMWIA arbitration set for June

Arbitrator Michael H. Gottesman will hear presentations by the UTU and the Sheet Metal Workers International Association during five days of arbitration in June to determine whether the merger agreement between the UTU and the SMIWA is an enforceable agreement. Gottesman, a l [...]

CSX profit jumps again in first quarter

CSX profit jumped 30 percent during the first quarter 2011 versus the first quarter 2010, the railroad reported April 19. This comes on the heels of a 35 percent improvement in operating profit for calendar year 2010. The CSX employee headcount rose in March to 30,464 employe [...]

Oklahoma launches latest anti-union assault

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma legislature, following in the footsteps of Ohio and Wisconsin, has repealed a 2004 state law granting collective bargaining rights to non-uniformed public employees in cities with populations greater than 35,000. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin is [...]

Non-union bus drivers need our help

By Calvin StudivantAlternate vice president — Bus Department A tragic bus accident in New York City in March, which killed 15 passengers, has put an unfriendly spotlight on low-fare tour bus drivers. The driver of the ill-fated low-fare tour bus reportedly had previousl [...]

Conductor, engineer dead in Iowa collision

RED OAK, Iowa — A BNSF conductor and an engineer were killed in a rear-end train accident near here Sunday morning, April 17. Red Oak is southeast of Council Bluffs and is part of BNSF’s Creston subdivision, which has centralized traffic control, according to the [...]

New STB member; RRB, NMB hopefuls waiting

WASHINGTON — A former John McCain aide, Ann Begeman, has been confirmed by the Senate as the one Republican on the three-member U.S. Surface Transportation Board. Two other presidential nominees — Walt Barrows to become the labor member on the Railroad Retirement [...]

Harsh cuts by Congress to transport funding

WASHINGTON — The vote by Congress April 15 on a budget that keeps the federal government operating through Sept. 30 contains harsh spending cuts for Amtrak, transit and high-speed rail. Especially troubling to UTU members are the Amtrak and transit budget cuts, which co [...]

UTU Iowa Northern members ratify first pact

UTU-represented conductors and engineers on Iowa Northern Railway have ratified their first agreement covering wages, benefits and working conditions. Iowa Northern T&E employees chose the UTU as their collective bargaining agent in November 2008. The agreement was negoti [...]

Share info on your fraternal activities

The UTU is extremely proud of the fraternal activities performed by our members and is asked to report these activities to the National Fraternal Congress of America. This data is used by the NFCA to increase public awareness of the benevolent activities of its fraternal orga [...]

We can learn a lot from baseball

By UTU Assistant President Arty Martin While watching the Major League Baseball Game of the Week Saturday between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, I was reminded of how important history and heritage are. Prior to the start of the game, a special guest of the Red Sox [...]