 Editors note: The Following is a copy of the correspondence accompanying the CD. A Shout box has been added to the end of this page ...so lets hear your thoughts on this important matter!!!!
Informational Letter #1 April 18, 2008
Addressed to: All UTU Delegates
General Chairpersons & State Directors
Enclosed herewith is a CD of the proceedings of the Western Genera! Chairmen’s Conference
held in San Diego, CA. on October 10 and 11 lii of last year. In attendance at that meeting was the General Chairmen from that region of the country as well as certain International Officers.
As a delegate you and I are wondering why this merger issue was not placed before us for our consideration by the International President, Paul C. Thompson. If you had all been given the necessary time to inquire and to debate these matters on the floor of the UTU Convention a completely different result would have occurred.
Now in former UTU President Thompson’s own words before the Western General Chairmen’s Conference at the Ramada Plaza Inn at San Diego, CA. on October 10-11, 2007 do we find out just what this retired President thinks of the Delegates and their input during the last UTU International Convention. We can hear the vitriol coming from this former officer regarding the issues that have been protected by constitutional law and your democratic rights and his plans to extinguish those rights by using the SMART merger as his vehicle to “castrate the delegates” once and for all time. Please listen to this enclosed disc of his address to the assembly and his future plans for you and the rest of the UTU membership.
Only after meeting in secret with a select handful of officers who feel as he does, only after he has rushed the membership to an uninformed vote over this merger, only after making promises that our constitution forbids to another union president; does Paul Thompson feel comfortable in finally admitting what he has done to the United Transportation Union. Craft autonomy and the UTU Constitution eliminated as we know it today with the Delegates removed from the equation.
Within the first nine minutes of this address to the gathered General Committee and UTU Officers of this assembly does he finally confirm what he has done because he is confident that there is no recourse but full speed ahead with the SMART merger. It should also be noted that four of the UTU Officers who are proposed interveners in the Michael et al vs. UTU are also present at this assembly and take no objection to what the retired president has just done to us all. They include National Legislative Director James Brunkenhoefer, Vice Presidents J. R. Cumby, J. D. Fitzgerald and J. W. Babler. The most pressing questions seemed to relate to the new payments of salaries and additional expense money and pension dollars, but certainly not the dismantling of the democratic organization that we Delegates all cherish.
It is our belief as Delegates to the August 13-17, 2007 UTU Convention that all of you Brothers and Sisters should have an opportunity to review just what the former President of the UTU thought of you and your performance while exercising your democratic rights in assembly. Once you are able to hear in Paul C. Thompson’s own words his plans to cut you from the process and to relegate the future operation of this union to an exclusive few on the inside, I think that you will agree that the only course of action to protect the union and the membership was the court action cited above in Michael et a! vs. UTU. After hearing this speech before the assembly of Western General Chairmen’s Conference you may ask yourself and the members that you represent; “Why are these seven UTU Officers still trying to force this takeover of the UTU by interfering in the court case on behalf of the Sheet Metal Workers International Association?”
Now the facts on the true goals of this takeover have been substantiated by Paul C. Thompson’s own admissions. Now, when he thought that there was no way back for any of us, Thompson’s arrogance towards the delegates and the members is truly revealed at this assembly.
Just by reviewing the facts of the way the merger was handled by the former UTU administration and the former President’s refusal to allow the light of day into the process should have been an omen of warning.
Think about these facts as they occurred: • A merger committee appointed that never meets
• Board of Director members excluded from the closed meetings while junior officers and confidants of the President keep every detail to themselves
• A National Legislative Director making deals on future elections as if he were the President and had that authority
• Deals sprung on a completely uninformed and mislead Board of Directors
As Delegates to the last convention you are among a group of UTU members who are authorized to act on behalf of the membership and protect their rights to be informed and educated about any issues that effect this organization. The former President of the UTU, Paul C. Thompson and the seven UTU Officers that include National Legislative Director James Brunkenhoefer, Vice Presidents J. W. Babler, Victor Baffoni, Roy G. Boling, James R. Cumby, John D. Fitzgerald and C. A. Tannone are all currently trying to continue the demise of the UTU by attempting to intervene in the court case initiated to protect these rights. If they are successful the future that you will enjoy as a union member is outlined in Paul C. Thompson’s address to this assembly.
As Delegates to the last convention your votes decided the future of this organization and who would lead it. You rejected the politics of the past administration along with their way of doing the member’s business. As Brother and Sister Delegates, we encourage you to contact these officers who are still attempting to practice the politics of division and deceit by forcing this takeover of the UTU.
We only ask you to listen and to judge for yourselves whether the false accusations made by Paul C. Thompson bear any credibility at all? Are his ranting about “Trojan Horses” and “Teamster Assaults” credible once you have heard his own admissions to strip away the member’s rights? We appreciate your continued support and to that end continue to provide whatever information is possible at the “Save Our Union” web site. ( . savetheutu/index.htm
Thank you for your participation and continued support and assistance and join us in protecting this union and the membership by contacting us at Savetheutuç to sign on. Fraternally,
Concerned Delegates of the United Transportation Union Committed to “Save Our Union” The UTU Delegates listed below hope that you take the time to listen and understand the
information being provided so that you may inform your membership of these details. An
informed membership is crucial to the future of the United Transportation Union. • W. A. Beebe Local 1361 • James Alford Local 569
• Jeff Collins Local 466
• Mitch Newell Local 977
• Sam Marino Local 1374
• James J. Holbrook Local 1007
• Richard DeGenova Local 1948
• Dennis Miller Local 138
• Larry Ashby Local 284
• Woody Cowles Local 394
• Brian Mull Local 586
• Eric Belew 1518
• Jerry Taylor Local 1308
• Bonnie L. Morr Local 23
• Richard Ross, Sr. Local 1895
• Joseph Motte Local 1462
• Charles Healy Local 328
• David Flynn Local 1672
• Robert Gibbons Local 679
• Francis Ariola Local 277
• Edward Melodini Local 1379
• John Hasenauer Local 286
• Charlie Ring Local 707
• Richard Casey Local 367
• Thomas Sullivan Local 7
• L. P. King Local 1172
• D. G. Strunk, Jr. Local 225
• James Flynn Local 1217
• Danny Joe Massey Local 0847
• James Rodney Hall Local 1887
• Michael D Warhurst Local 772
• Ronald R. Clements Local 622
• Dale D. Barnett, Local 762
• Charles W. Corns, Local 1291
• 0. D. Hunter Local 1972
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