The UTU has between 75,000 and 80,000 members, mostly conductors, brakemen, and switchmen and a smaller number of locomotive engineers. The UTU also organizes a small section of bus drivers.
On the first day of the convention, Charles Little, the outgoing general secretary and treasurer, defeated the incumbent, International President Thomas Dubose, by a vote of 353 to 293. Little ran on the slogan: Our new beginning starts today!
The remaining days of the convention were spent primarily in electing some 40 other international union officers. One UTU delegate summed up what the delegates viewed as the purpose of the convention: "to elect officers and change the constitution."
There was little discussion on the current contract negotiations between the railroad carriers and the 14 separate unions that represent railroad workers. Contract talks began January 1. Railroad workers must negotiate a new contract, bridled by the laws of the Railway Labor Act, which are designed to make it more difficult to go out on strike.
In 1991 rail workers struck for 19 hours before Congress passed legislation to outlaw the strike. This strike- breaking order was passed 400-5 in the House of Representatives and unanimously in the Senate. Since 1963 Congress has intervened to stop a dozen rail strikes.
In the current contract negotiations the carriers aim to get deeper concessions from rail workers. Their goal is to further reduce the size of crews, while adding to their workload. They want to increase the mileage necessary for road crews to make a basic days' pay and continue to shift the cost of medical coverage on to rail workers. Little is being reported by UTU officials on any current progress in the negotiations.
Dennis Richter is a brakeman at Conrail and a member of United Transportation Union Local 1006 in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.
BY DAN FEIN
Many delegates and guests at the national United Transportation Union (UTU) convention were interested in learning about the case of Mark Curtis, an imprisoned union and political activist.
J.P. Jones, the UTU California State Legislative Director, and a supporter of the Mark Curtis Defense Committee for the past few years, wrote a letter addressed to delegates urging them to join the effort to win Curtis's parole this fall.
UTU members who support Curtis and who were guests at the convention introduced the Curtis case with the letter. More than 70 people signed up to be contacted in the fall about sending a letter to the parole board.
A delegate from Illinois related how an officer in his local had been framed up by the cops under the "Highway Act." Some delegates remembered hearing about Mark Curtis at the last convention four years ago. One remarked in surprise, "They still haven't released him?" Thirty six copies of the new pamphlet, Why Is Mark Curtis Still in Prison? were sold and four people donated a total of $32.50 to the Mark Curtis Defense Committee.
Supporters of the Militant sold 4 subscriptions to the paper, 11 single issues, and 2 copies of New International no. 10 at the convention.
Dan Fein is a member of the United Transportation Union in Salt Lake City, Utah.