|
| |
EL PASO EXPRESS
The Washington Edition
July
1999
July Guest Columnist
AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL SPECIAL REPS
Recently several questions were directed to this office after
the close of the regular local meeting of UTU Local 1571 wherein a Field Supervisor and a
Special Representative ("special rep") were present (July 6, 1999).
Initially, the members wanted to know how certain individuals
are awarded these positions of "special rep"? They wanted to know what are the
necessary qualifications, years of service, etc. that are made part of the decision making
process to have a member assigned to the service of "special rep".
I made them aware that, to the best of my knowledge, these were
not elected positions, and it was my understanding that the special reps were appointed by
the International President. Arguably, the International President would have some
authority to appoint these individuals, flowing from Article 16 of the UTU Constitution,
at lines 5 through 7, i.e. "The International President may employ sufficient
personnel and such other assistance as necessary to properly conduct the business and
affairs of the United Transportation Union."
Having explained that to the membership, they were confused as
to whether the "special reps" were in fact employed by the UTU and if so what
are is the specific nature of their employment relationship with the UTU?
I was further questioned, concerning the exact nature of the
job duties and responsibilities that were necessary to be a "special rep", and
what were the unique qualifications that made the existing and numerous "special
reps" uniquely qualified for the positions that they hold. What level of education is
required, is a bachleor’s degree adequate, what special computer skills are
necessary, what special training is required, were just some of the many questions. The
most disconcerting questions addressed to me dealt with the idea that the "special
reps" were nothing more than political operatives of the International President. I
explained to the members that such actions by our International President would definitely
be improper, if not illegal, however, such could be possible?
Since each of you is well aware, or should be, that all of the
class one carriers have gone to centralized crew dispatching, with CRT’s at various
locations for the members to check their standings with respect to work. The members
explained that, even though the UTU maintained a web site, providing electronic access for
the membership, and it at least appeared to be a costly and sophisticated web site, they
had never seen any link to UTU employment opportunities for "special reps", bids
for the positions of "special rep" or applications for same..
There was further inquiry concerning how much money was spent
on the "special reps". I reminded them that the financial records of the UTU for
the year of 1998 reflect that one million six hundred thousand dollars ($1,600,000) had
been spent in that calendar year for "special reps". If equal amounts had been
spent in each month, that would amount to roughly one hundred thirty four thousand dollars
($134,000) per month. ( To fully understand, it breaks down to four thousand three hundred
eight three dollars and fifty six cents ($4383.56) per day.)
The members then did some rough calculations, and arrived at
the conclusion that the UTU, based on 75,000 dues paying members takes in $1,162,500 per
month and the cost of the special reps amounts to roughly 12% of the dues dollars
collected per month.
Having been made aware of the amount of dues dollars that were
expended on the "special reps", I was finally questioned concerning the
diversity guidelines that were in place concerning the employment or appointment of same.
Though I have never in my travels observed compliance with any type of diversity
guidelines with respect to the "special reps", surely the law would provide that
such guidelines should be strictly adhered to, but aware of the problems with the Job
Benefit Fund, the International may have gotten a legal determination that diversity
guidelines would not apply?
I had never really thought about it that way, but I know the
members are right, and I feel that they deserve some honest answers from all the special
reps?
As we all well know, in most cases the act is often
overshadowed by the public perception of the act, and in the face of a possible
representation vote concerning the "new craft or class of train and engine service
employees", each member needs to be told the truth.
This letter will be posted on my website, and I would encourage
each of you ("special reps") to provide a responsive reply to the members
addressing each of their concerns.
Thanking you in advance for your cooperation in this matter, I
am
Fraternally yours,
Lance E. Ruck
Local Chairman (CT&Y), Delegate, & Legislative
Representative - UTU Local 1571, El Paso
The Next portion of the Washington
Edition is the NMB filing in it's entirety. Click here if you have
not already read it! In between Attachments 5 and 6 in the hard copy (available upon
request) was the following:
Where’s the Bus (Beef)?
It wasn’t in LA? It wasn’t in St. Louis? It
wasn’t at the El Paso Mini-Region Meeting on June 21? Will it be at the Washington,
DC Meeting? The schedule on the UTU web site says it will? For those of you who may have
missed it in the St. Louis Edition, the Express ran a "little" cartoon because
of all the lies told about the bus over the past several years until the truth finally
came out courtesy of Earnst & Young - seems it did come from the job benefit fund and
will be repaid immediately following "other" pending repayments and be completed
by 2006? Isn’t that Special! But this Cartoon is a must for the Nation’s Capitol
given its slightly political tone?
"Liar, Liar pants on fire"
So, tell me this, if we have no secrets, how come we (UTU
Leadership) kept lying about the financing of the bus? Hell, if we have no secrets, why
couldn’t we make things public? If we have no secrets, how come the El Paso Express
is the only publication to ever print the alleged, illegal "Settlement Agreement and
Release"?
AL?
No, not Lankford or Chesser - Mr. Gore - will you give us a nice
speech written for you like the one for the Governor of Missouri wherein you tell us what
great financical shape UTU is in? Where you tell us UTU is the preeminent rail labor
organization? Did you know the rest of rail labor and AFL-CIO are fighting our specious
NMB petition? Will you risk 13 million votes to pick up 75,000? Will you be mentioning the
ongoing criminal investigations into the finances of UTU by various governmental agencies?
Hang in there and have a nice day!
TODAY’S LEGAL LESSON
Did "u" know that 29 USC 501(c)[relating to embezzlement from union
funds] and 29 USC 186 [dealing with restrictions on payments and loans to labor
organizations] are part of 18 USC Section 1961?
IT’S THE LAW!
Hey, where the hell is Attachment 6? Well - back to NMB Filing execpt we did
have this cartoon on the bottom of page 3 of Clints "little" Memo, to wit:
Next comes Who Am I, which was a portion of page 19 of
the Washington Edition. The remaining portion was the following:
Smoot Over? I think Not!
Ken has a telephone pre-trial on Monday relative
to his malpractice suit in Toledo, Ohio. Then, he will be my guest in the Nation’s
Capitol, passing out what "appears" to be the "Washington" Edition.
Treat him nice, he may own this UTU when all of his litigation is done!
Of course, the last page is the standard UGLY
mailing page which has been in existence since 1891 with the disclaimer - opps 1991?
"u" know what I'm talking about, the one where I professionally white out the
date and put in another one! Stay tuned, when I get back "u" can see the
pictures from the Nation's Capitol. Will Smoot and I sit on Abe's lap for a photo
session? Will Smoot and I picket the Supreme Court - Come out an fight like a man, We
demand Justice(s)! Will Will make an appearance? Hey, Bob, how many cases did we win
(total) before the Board of Directors? ZERO? that many? Will the ghost of Early
Perjuries Past make an appearance? Will the Bus suddenly appear, with or without David
Copperfield? Lifelong subscription to the El Paso Express if "u" can answer this
trivia question: "how many of Baby's toys are normally in the designated storage
area? Hang in there and have a nice day! While Lance visists "The Wall", Sac-C
and the Special Reps will wish he was buried there! OK, Special Reps, let's fill out
those questionneres - don't forget to sign your name because the Express can't improve our
services unless you participate! Hey, How about a Special Rep Shootout wherein all us
lowly members get to ask questions of the Special Reps? Big rumor out - the ONLY
POSITION in this Union is the position of the President - so if "u" have another
position then Be It Known that "u" are wrong!!!!
Come visit with me in
Washington!
Contrary to what the
Special Reps are putting out, I have had my shots!
|
