Futhey, Martin, Thompson

[Zeb]

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. -- Malcolm B. (Mike) Futhey Jr. was elected president, and Arty Martin assistant president, of the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers, effective Jan. 1, 2008.

Kim N. Thompson was elected general secretary and treasurer of the UTU to take office Sept. 1, succeeding Dan Johnson who is retiring. Thompson will become GS&T of the SMART Transportation Division Jan. 1.

Jan. 1 is the date the United Transportation Union's ratified merger with the Sheet Metal Workers International Association, creating SMART, takes effect.

Futhey was elected on the first ballot Monday, Aug. 13, at the UTU's 10th quadrennial convention here at the Westin Diplomat Resort. Martin was elected without opposition.

For president, Futhey received 291 votes; David Hakey 191 votes, and John W. Babler received 78 votes. Martin was elected without opposition after Hakey, who had been nominated for assistant president, withdrew. There are 560 delegates voting, representing UTU locals.

Also, Monday, delegates sustained a decision of the UTU Executive Board denying appeals of former general chairpersons and full-time vice general chairpersons on Canadian National in Canada who had been suspended from office by the UTU Board of Directors through resolutions dated Feb. 19 and March 21.

Still to be elected at the convention are national legislative director, International vice presidents, alternates, members of the executive board and board of appeals, and a combined Canadian vice president/legislative director. Those elections will take place later in the week.

Futhey, upon his election, said, "I am here to serve you, the members."

Martin, in his acceptance, said, "Never will you hear, 'I did it.' It will be, 'we did it.'"

Kim Thompson said, "I am dedicated to moving forward and implementing the SMART merger, and I am exciited about this organization." Kim Thompson is not related to current UTU International President Paul Thompson.

Hakey, in withdrawing from the race for assistant president after being nominated following Futhey's victory, said, "It is time to put the union together." Hakey said he would run for re-election as an International vice president.


Upon the elections, delegates took to microphones to praise International President Paul Thompson for his dedication and efforts, and having given up so much of his life over the past several years for the UTU and its members. Delegates asked Thompson's wife, Roberta, to be recorgnized. "I could never have done this without her," Paul Thompson said. Paul and Roberta Thompson received a standing ovation from the delegates, International officers and guests.

All those elected, except the new general secretary & treasurer, will take office -- or begin another term -- Jan. 1. The new GS&T will take office effective Sept. 1, to coincide with the retirement of current GS&T Dan Johnson. International President Paul Thompson and Assistant President Rick Marceau previously announced they will retire on Dec. 31.

Created within SMART will be a new transportation division, and the International officers elected this week will head that division. SMWIA General President Mike Sullivan will be general president of SMART.


UTU delegates last year ratified recommendations of a UTU Blue Ribbon Committee to eliminate four International vice president positions and combine the slots in Canada of two vice presidents and the Canadian legislative director into a single position of vice president/legislative director. The result will streamline the UTU International and significantly reduce its costs of operation.

The Blue Ribbon Committee observed that while the number of active dues-paying members has declined over time, there has not been a similar decrease in the number of full-time International officers.

In 1974, there was one full-time International officer for every 5,492 active dues-paying members; but, today, there is one International officer for every 3,406 active dues-paying members. In Canada, there are three full-time International officers for 3,192 members.

The Blue Ribbon Committee recommended elimination of eight full-time International officer positions (six by abolishment and two by attrition), which would create a ratio of one full-time International officer for every 5,677 active dues-paying members.

Thus, on Dec. 31, four U.S. International vice president positions and two of three International officer positions in Canada will be abolished; and, after Jan. 1, two more U.S. vice president positions will be abolished through attrition.

Under the ratified recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Committee, any U.S. vice president position vacancies that occur for any reason before Dec. 31 (for example, the incumbent vice president was elected to a higher office, or the incumbent retired) will attrite (up to a total of four by Dec. 31).