Category: News

Update on Amtrak negotiations

October 22, 2011 Amtrak General Chairperson Dirk Sampson (GO 769), issued the following update on wage, benefits and work rules negotiations with Amtrak: “In continuing contract talks with Amtrak, we are striving to obtain an equitable agreement for our members. “We recently sent [...]

Tags Amtrak, Bill Beebe, Dirk Sampson, John Previsich

Benefit fund for family of deceased NS member

October 22, 2011 A benefit fund has been established for the family of Norfolk Southern conductor Christopher Ochoa, a member of UTU Local 1895, Chicago, who died Oct. 17. Ochoa is survived by his wife, Elly Medrano-Ochoa, and children: Daniel Medrano, age 15; Brian, age four; and twins Alexa [...]

Tags benefit fund, Christopher Ochoa, Local 1895, Rich Ross

Implementing agreement reached on 3 CN properties

October 20, 2011 Some 430 UTU represented conductors and brakemen employed by Canadian National properties Wisconsin Central; Duluth, Winnipeg & Pacific (DW&P); and Duluth Missabe and Iron Range (DM&IR) have ratified an implementing agreement — effective Jan. 1 — cons [...]

Tags Canadian National, CN, DM&IR, Duluth, DW&P, GO 315, GO 321, GO 325, GO 987, implementing agreement, John Babler, Ken Flashberger, Matt Koski, Missabi & Iron Range, Saint Laurent, Steve Haus, Winnipeg & Pacific, Wisconsin Central

Former Alternate NLD Gene Plourd dead at 79

October 19, 2011 LIMERICK, Maine – Former Alternate National Legislative Director Gene Plourd (1993-1997) died Oct. 15 at age 79. Plourd, 79, born in Providence, R.I., hired out on Maine Central Railroad in December 1954, and was promoted to fireman in 1955, and engineer in 1962. Early in his [...]

Tags Gene Plourd

False rumors by competitors target UTUIA, DIPP

October 17, 2011 As the perfectly healthy man told the obituary editor of his local newspaper, “Reports of my demise are grossly exaggerated.” And so it is with the UTU Insurance Association (UTUIA) and the UTU’s Discipline Income Protection Plan (DIPP). Vicious and absolutely false rumors ar [...]

Tags DIPP, Discipline Income Protection Plan, UTUIA

House bill would help restore transit service, jobs

October 17, 2011 WASHINGTON – A bi-partisan bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives to bring financial relief to distressed transit systems and to help stem cuts in transit jobs and service. Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.) and Rep. Steve Latourette (R-Ohio) have introduced H.R. 32 [...]

Tags bus, Local Flexibilty for Transit Assistance Act, Russ Carnahan, Steve LaTourette, transit

2 rail properties, 1 bus property join UTU family

October 14, 2011 Rail and bus workers continue to call out to the United Transportation Union for representation in these troubling times. The UTU’s ability to negotiate industry-leading contracts, process grievances and achieve workplace safety improvements are most often cited as the reason [...]

Tags Columbia & Cowlitz Railway, First Transit, Iindustrial Switching and Services, IRSS, organizing, Patriot Rail, Patriot Woods Railroad

Daughter of former Colo. SLD Shaver dies

October 13, 2011 Janna Shaver, 49, daughter of retired Colorado State Legislative Director Jack Shaver, and his wife Barbara, died Oct. 10. Janna would have graduated from The University of Denver Law School next May. She is also survived by her sister, Lisa. Donations made in Janna’s h [...]

Tags colorado, dies, janna, shaver

Take note of prescription drug recall

October 13, 2011 Qualitest Pharmaceuticals has issued a voluntary nationwide recall of its oral contraceptive owing to a packaging error that could leave women at risk of an unintended pregnancy. Medco, which supplies many UTU members and family with prescription drugs, is notifying its patie [...]

Tags prescription drug recall