UTU Memorabilia

Collection Number: 5139 MB

Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
UTU Memorabilia, 1926-1983
Collection Number:
5139 MB
Creator:
United Transportation Union (UTU)
Quantity:
1.6 linear ft.
Forms of Material:
Memorabilia.
Repository:
Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
UTU memorabilia including comic books, membership cards, buttons, key chains, literature, and many other miscellaneous items
Language:
Collection material in English

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

The United Transportation Union (UTU) is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. It is a broad-based, transportation labor union representing about 125,000 active and retired railroad, bus, mass transit, and airline workers in the United States.
In 1968 four brotherhoods' became interested in joining together to make one transporatation union, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, the Order of Railway Conductors and Brakemen and the Switchmen's Union of North America. The new union was to be called the United Transportation Union and came into existence on January 1, 1969, after an overwhelming vote of the 4 unions on December 10, 1968, in Chicago.
The first president was Charles Luna, formerly president of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, and had 230,000 members. The International Association of Railway Employees joined in 1970. The Railroad Yardmasters of America joined the union in 1985.
SUBJECTS

Names:
United Transportation Union
United Transportation Union --- Collectibles

Form and Genre Terms:
Memorabilia

INFORMATION FOR USERS

Access Restrictions:
Access to the collections in the Kheel Center is restricted. Please contact a reference archivist for access to these materials.
Restrictions on Use:
This collection must be used in keeping with the Kheel Center Information Sheet and Procedures for Document Use.
Cite As:
UTU Memorabilia #5139 MB. Kheel Center for Labor-Management Documentation and Archives, Cornell University Library.
RELATED MATERIALS

Related Collections:
5139: UTU Records
5139 AV: UTU Audio-Visual Material
5139 P: UTU Photographs
6055: UTU Additional Collective Bargaining Agreements
6023: UTU Additional Records
5164: UTU Canada Records
5622: UTU New York State Legislative Board Selected Files
5711: UTU New York State Legislative Director Files
5589: UTU Vice-President's Office George W. Legg Subject Files
5501 AV: UTU. Young Leadership Conference Audio recordings
5196: UTU Ladies' Auxiliary Iowa Joint Board Minutes
CONTAINER LIST

Container
Description
Date
Box 1
Wooden gavel, with engraved gold plate "H.E. Gilbert"
Box 1 Folder 1
Comic book that depicts a member of UTU and how he deals with a family situation.
Box 1 Folder 2 1971-1979
Membership cards for 'voluntarily contributed or pledged at least $100 to TPEL, the voluntary political arm of the UTU". And a card that states "D.W. Collins has been duly elected to represent the International Union in the capacity of Asst. General Secre
Box 1 Folder 3 1969
This is a folder "The Golden Spike : A Monument to American Labor" with a "Centennial Statement of Charles Luna, UTU President" included inside. Also included a "Golden Spike Centennial Issue" of "Transportation News".
Box 1 Folder 4
Emblem - oval - black lettering "UTU" ; bumper stickers - "We believe in the American Rail Way" ; "Keep on Truckin'By Train UTU"
Box 1 Folder 5
Stickers : black with white lettering "Your Right to Drink Ends When my Shift Begins" "Operation RedBlock" ; patches : white w/black trim and lettering "Operation RedBlock" ; key chain : white w/gold lettering "United Trans. Union , F.B. Boardman"
Box 1 Folder 6
Letter opener - gold & black with gold lettering "United Trans. Union F.B. Boardman" with a black leather case ; coin purses - black with white lettering "UTU Insurance Association" ; pocket protector - blue with white flap "United Transportation Union, P
Box 1 Folder 7 1969-1983
Souvenir coin - gold with raised picture and lettering "Progress Through Unity, January 1969" [side one] ; "United Transportation Union" [side two] ; buttons - "I Support Operation RedBlock" ; "I Give TPEL Do You" ; "UTU Supports Operation RedBlock" ; "It
Box 1 Folder 8
Push-pin - gold plated miniature replica of a railroad spike in honor of "Golden Spike, Centennial" [also included is a card about the Centennial] ; "UTU" ; buttons - "UTU, Progress Thru Unity, One for All, All for One" ; "Trains Are Safer, Les Trains So
Box 1 Folder 9 1926
Railroad Tie Tack, copper, with the no. "26" engraved on head. See enclosed letter from D.W. Collins for full description (too long to include here)
Box 1 Folder 10
Buttons - "Ask Me Why I Am Negative, Operation RedBlock" ; ""UTU, It Doesn't Cost To Belong, It Pays" ; "Save The Caboose, UTU, Saves Lives"
Box 1 Folder 11
Buttons - "UTU" some commemorate years of service - 10, 20, 30, 40, 45, 55, 60, 65, 70
Box 1 Folder 12 1983
Buttons - "It's Hardin for Me in '83" ; "UTU 'Loves' New York" ; "J.F. Collins, Vice President, UTU '83" ; "Canadians for President. Hardin"
Box 1 Folder 13
Push-pins - oval "UTU" ; buttons - "It Doesn't Cost to Belong It Pays UTU" ; "Buy American - Union Made ; "Ton Mile Tax Thru UTU" ; push-pin shaped like New York State with "UTU" in center ; souvenir coin, gold with raised pics of Luna, Lane, Spers, & Gil
Box 1 Folder 14 1983
Name badge for Dan Collins from the "4th UTU Convention, Miami Beach, Fla., 1983" ; Canadian push-pin attached ; rope tie and tie tack bronze with lettering "United Transportation Union, 4th Convention, Miami Beach, Fla, 1983" with an "UTU" symbol in the
Box 1 Folder 15
One tape has songs on it, sound and audio is not great, they are work songs from what can be heard. Second tape is a dedication of a train, again the audio is bad, and the background noise overpowers the voice at times. Sound of train whistles in the back
Box 2 Folder 1
Buttons - Join SU of NA ; UTU, Progress Thru Unity ; Save the Caboose, Save Lives, UTU (box 54) ; Let Conrail be Conrail ; Supports Operation Red Block ; UTU, Progress Thru Unity ; Join SU of NA ; We Like Our Independence, VOTE SU of NA (box 54) ; As me a
Box 2 Folder 2
removed from 5139/box 53
Box 2 Folder 3
removed from 5139/box 58
Box 2 Folder 4
removed from 5139/box 56
Box 2 Folder 5
removed from 5139/box 56
Box 2 Folder 6
removed from 5139/box 53
Box 3 Folder 1
What Your Brothers Say About Operation Redblock (2 copies) ; Who Really Gets Hurt When You Drink or Use Drugs on the Job? (3 copies) ; This Isn't What We Call Seeing The Light ; Riding Tall On the Iron Horse Is High Enough ; 5 copies of 'One Direction: Fo
Box 4 Folder 1
pulled from 5139/box 83
Box 4 Folder 2
pulled from 5139/box 83
Box 4 Folder 3
pulled from 5139/box 83
Box 4 Folder 4
pulled from 5139/box 76, 77
Box 4 Folder 5
pulled from 5139/box 78, 79
Box 4 Folder 6
pulled from 5139/box 90 and 91
Box 4 Folder 7
Stickers & business card - box 100 ; bumper sticker - box 106 ; membership card - box 100 ; stickers - box 109
Box 4 Folder 8
7 - box 89 ; 1 - box 100 ; 2 - box 109
Box 4 Folder 9
pulled from 5139/bx 110 - Paper weight - The Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads Linking the Nation-Promontory Summit, Utah / "The Pacific Railway is completed", May 10, 1869 [pulled from 5139/box 114
Box 4 Folder 10
pulled from 5139/bx 110
Box 4 Folder 11
pulled from 5139/box 114
Box 4 Folder 12
pulled from 5139/box 116
Box 4 Folder 13
Box 4 Folder 14
pulled from 5139/box 116
Box 4 Folder 15
pulled form 5139/box 121