Former UTU International President Al Chesser celebrates his 95th birthday on Thursday, Feb. 26, and a birthday-card shower is planned.
To participate, address your birthday wishes to:
Mr. Al Chesser Oakhurst Towers, Apt. 411 8030 E. Girard Ave. Denver, CO 80231
UTU International President Mike Futhey observed, "Al says he will not consider himself a senior citizen until he turns 100. That year, Barack Obama will be in his second term as President of the United States, and Al will certainly be receiving a birthday card from the White House then. This year, UTU members can help Al celebrate with a card wishing him many more years of good health. He has earned, in deed and spirit, the fitting honorific title of, 'Mr. UTU.'"
Al Chesser hired out with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (now part of BNSF) in 1941 as a brakeman in Amarillo, Texas.
Four years later, the 800 members of his local in the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen (BRT, now part of the UTU) elected him secretary-treasurer, and then legislative representative.
Al was elected the BRT's Texas state legislative director in 1956, developing a personal friendship with then-U.S. Congressman Lyndon Johnson.
When Al was elected the BRT's national legislative director in 1961 -- a post he held through creation of the UTU in 1969 -- his personal friendship with Congressman, Senator, Vice President and then President Johnson proved invaluable to our members.
In 1971, Al was elected UTU International President, a post he held until retiring in 1980.
Al has attended many of our recent regional meetings, frequently taking the podium to deliver his widely celebrated stem winders, which invariably have him delivering his trademark epithet, "Lower than a snakes belly in a wagon rut."
Al's legacy -- saving and creating jobs --is substantial.
His lobbying of Congress -- as freight railroads accelerated their abanonment of passenger trains -- led to creation of Amtrak, which preserved a national intercity rail-passenger network and tens of thousands of passenger-rail jobs.
And When Penn Central tumbled into bankruptcy, threatening the jobs of thousands of railroaders, Al pushed Congress to create and fund Conrail, which became one of the most celebrated success stories in railroad history.
In 2001, Al was awarded the Eugene V. Debs Award for lifetime achievement in the labor movement.
We know Al reads his monthly UTU News cover-to-cover, because he frequently sends comments to President Futhey. He remains alert, engaged and fully committed to the UTU and its mission on behalf of rail, bus, transit and commuter members.
Former UTU International President Al Chesser celebrates his 95th birthday on Thursday, Feb. 26, and a birthday-card shower is planned.
To participate, address your birthday wishes to:
Mr. Al Chesser
And When Penn Central tumbled into bankruptcy, threatening the jobs of thousands of railroaders, Al pushed Congress to create and fund Conrail, which became one of the most celebrated success stories in railroad history.
February 14, 2009
If Conrail hadn't been created, would any less railroaders have been furloughed for years than what were? They whacked plenty of them, especially on April 1, 1976, when the railroad map was changed dramatically and again in 1981, when they arbitrarily cut a brakeman from all crews.
