Hot Springs in Garland County, Arkansas — The American South (West South Central)

United Transportation Union

Progress Through Unity

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 14, 2024

1. United Transportation Union Marker
(east side)

Inscription.
[east side]
Hot Springs, Arkansas is recognized as the birthplace of the United Transportation Union. This monument is placed to commemorate the formation of the union. Members named hereon from the four veteran rail brotherhoods, ORC & B, BLF & E, BRT and SUNA, met in this city and drafted a unification agreement and constitution. These documents were signed August 16, 1968 by these men and became effective January 1, 1969.

First President
Charles Luna
First General Secretary and Treasurer
J. H. Shepherd
[west side]United Transportation Union Presidents
Charles Luna 1969-1971 — Designated by the four former organizations
Al H. Chesser 1972-1979 — Elected at the first International Convention
Fred A. Hardin 1980-1991
G. Thomas DuBose 1991-1995
Charles L. Little 1995-2001
Byron A. Boyd, Jr. 2001-2004
Paul C. Thompson 2004-2007
Malcolm B. Futhey, Jr. 2008-2013
John Molloy Previsich 2013-

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Labor Unions • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical date for this entry is January 1, 1969.

Location. 34° 30.444′ N, 93° 3.147′ W. Marker is in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in Garland County. It

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is on Broadway Terrace just south of Market Street, on the right when traveling south. The marker is located on the south side of the Hot Springs Intracity Transit complex, formerly the Missouri-Pacific Railroad Depot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 Broadway Terrace, Hot Springs National Park AR 71901, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Arkansas’ Ouachita Mountains.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Upper South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen & Enginemen (here, next to this marker); Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen (here, next to this marker); Order of Railway Conductors & Brakemen (here, next to this marker); Switchmen's Union of North America (here, next to this marker); Cy Young (a few steps from this marker); Hot Springs Intracity Transit National Historic Register (within shouting distance of this marker); Hot Springs/Garland County Ambulance Service (within shouting distance of this marker); In Memory of Spanish American War Veterans (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hot Springs.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. United Transportation Union

Also see . . . United Transportation Union (Wikipedia).

Excerpt: The United Transportation Union (UTU) was the largest railroad operating union in North America, with more than 500
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 14, 2024

2. United Transportation Union Marker
(west side)
locals. The UTU represented employees on every Class I railroad in the United States, as well as employees on many American regional and shortline railroads. It also represented bus and mass transit employees on approximately 45 bus and transit systems and had grown to include airline pilots, flight attendants, dispatchers and other airport personnel.
The new union had 230,000 members. The first president was Charles Luna, formerly president of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. By 1978 the Union had 240,000 members in 1,000 branches. In 1970, the International Association of Railway Employees joined the UTU. The UTU held its first national convention in August 1971 in Miami Beach, Florida.

(Submitted on January 25, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

United Transportation Union Monument (<i>east side</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 14, 2024

3. United Transportation Union Monument (east side)

Looking west from Broadway Terrace; this marker is the center panel of five related panels comprising the monument.

Order of Railway Conductors & Brakemen image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 14, 2024

4. Order of Railway Conductors & Brakemen

C. F. Lane
W. D. Hopkins
D. S. Pannell
W. D. Huff
J. B. Smith
W. G. Stanley

Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen & Enginemen image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 14, 2024

5. Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen & Enginemen

H. E. Gilbert
M. W. Hampton
R. R. Bryant
A. M. Lampley
D. A. Miller
M. A. Ross
P. J. Fontana
L. J. Broten
W. P. Dunn
M. H. Nelsen

Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 14, 2024

6. Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen

L. E. Chester
C. E. Wible
J. R. Snyder
P. LaRochelle
G. J. Cahill
R. M. Crago
T. A. Kunz
J. M. Hicks
J. F. Hoffman
E. Harris

Switchmen’s Union of North America image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 14, 2024

7. Switchmen’s Union of North America

N. P. Speirs
D. W. Collins
L. C. Chisholm
J. R. Burge
J. L. Green
R. D. Hanson
C. E. Cook
R. C. Flanders
T. P. Lovelace
C. W. Zies

Credits. This page was last revised on January 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 24, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 249 times since then and 56 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on January 25, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.