OMAHA -- UTU Assistant President Arty Martin was honored by the mayor of Omaha in a Labor Day parade here attended by some 30,000, and including more than 75 floats and 1,000 participants.
Although most labor organizations representing workers in the Omaha area participated, the UTUs Martin was singled out for the special honor.
An official proclamation from the mayor was presented, which read:
Whereas Omaha, Nebraska, is a crossroads of freight rail traffic in the United States, and;
Whereas tens of thousands of Omahans have labored efficiently and professionally to maintain the continuous flow of commerce throughout our country, and;
Whereas Arthur Martin has tirelessly served rail labor, and was recently elected by his railroad brothers and sisters to the position of assistant international president of the United Transportation Union, and;
Whereas, through his many leadership roles, Arthur Martin has worked for and with many Omaha rail employees during hundreds of work visits to Omaha, and;
Whereas Arthur Martin has chosen to spend his personal time to participate in Omahas salute to the Labor Day parade;
Now, therefore, I, Mike Fahey, mayor of the city of Omaha, do hereby proclaim September 1, 2008, as Arthur Arty Martin Labor Day.