I am optimistic for 2010

By Rich Deiser
Vice President, Bus Department

During my six months as Bus Department vice president, I have done my absolute best to meet many of you, and I look forward to getting to know more of you in 2010. I still have a lot to learn and look to you for guidance.

Hopefully many of you will attend a regional meeting for training and fraternity.

During 2009, we experienced the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, but that is the nature of labor/management relations in these troubling times. I’m encouraged that 2010 will bring an upturn in the economy and our devotion to duty will be recognized more favorably.

No UTU International officer can succeed on their own, and I thank everyone involved in this huge, cooperative effort — especially Mike Futhey, Arty Martin, Kim Thompson and my alternates, Calvin Studivant and Bonnie Morr, for making this an administration of which we all can be proud.

I could not ask for a better assistant than Cara McGinty at the UTU International office, who regularly accomplishes the impossible. The Legal Department always provides sound advice. All the staff at the UTU International go out of their way to be helpful, and make one feel that we are all part of a large union family striving to help each other.

If you have questions on bus safety, please pass them along. I will do my best to have them answered.

Later this year, the UTU News will feature photos of men and women in armed forces uniform. Please send those photos to the Public Relations Department in Cleveland at “utunews@utu.org.”