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July 7, 2017 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757 turns 100
Amalgamated Transit Union
(ATU) Local 757 turned 100 on
June 28. To mark the occasion,
the union threw a big party June
23 at the Lloyd Center’s Double-
tree by Hilton. Featured speakers
were International Secretary-
Treasurer Oscar Owens, and Ion
Radoi, president of Uniunea
Sindicatelor Libere din Metrou
(USLM), Local 757’s sister
union in Bucharest, Romania.
Also making remarks were Ore-
gon AFL-CIO President Tom
Chamberlain, and Eryn Byram,
executive director of Labor’s
Community Service Agency.
“We gather to celebrate a 100-
year history marked by moments
of extraordinary courage, led by
officers of extraordinary vision,
who together over the past 10
decades have forged a remark-
able record of accomplishments,
benefiting not only our members
in Oregon, but ATU locals in
every state and province in the
U.S. and Canada. Thank you all
for what you do, and for all you
have done, ” Owens said.
He then acknowledged retiree
Ron Heintzman for his leadership
over the years. Heintzman is a
former ATU international union
president. He served as president
of Local 757 from 1988-2002.
USLM was founded with the
assistance of the AFL-CIO in
the aftermath of the 1989 revo-
lution that toppled communist
dictator Nicolai Ceauscescu.
Local 757 and USLM became
sister organizations in 1992, led
by Heintzman, who was presi-
dent of the local.
At the centennial celebration,
Radoi said through an inter-
preter: “No matter where we are,
no matter in what corner of the
world we are in, we all share the
same goals, and we all want the
same things to happen for our
people.
“We all stand up for our em-
ployees’ rights whenever they
have trouble. And doing these
things for 100 years ... we salute
you, and we hope you have a
bright future ahead.”
Local 757 was chartered on
June 28, 1917, as the Amalga-
mated Association of Street and
Electric Railway Employees of
America. For many years, em-
ployees of the Portland Railway,
Light and Power Company had
an organization known as the
“Brotherhood.” But it was noth-
ing more than a company union,
as officers of the Brotherhood
also were part of the company’s
management team.
In the photo left, ATU International Secretary-Treasurer Oscar Owens (right)
presents a “Century of Service” award to ATU Local 757 officers from left to
right: Vice President Jon Hunt, President Shirley Block, and Financial Secre-
tary-Treasurer Mary Longoria. In the photo above, Ion Radoi (center in suit),
president of USLM, Local 757’s sister union in Bucharest, Romania, enjoys
Local 757’s centennial celebration with USLM officers and family members.
When the legitimate union
was announced, almost 500 ap-
plications for membership were
filed. As reported in the Oregon
Labor Press of June 27, 1917:
“Several of the staunch union
supporters were fired, and others
with stellar work histories were
called up on the carpet and told
that it would not be healthy for
them to join the union. The
threats didn’t seem to have much
effect, and the organizational
work is going merrily on.”
The union changed its name a
couple of times over the decades,
first to Streetcar Men’s Local
757, and in 1961 — as buses re-
placed streetcars — to City Tran-
sit Employees Local 757. It
eventually settled on Amalga-
mated Transit Union Local 757.
Along the way, Portland Rail-
way, Light and Power Company
reorganized many times as the
streetcar system, which never
were profitable, began convert-
ing to buses and trolleys.
In 1924 it became the Portland
Electric Power Company, or
PEPCO. Gasoline buses were
purchased for the first time, al-
lowing for expansion of services
without the cost of laying new
tracks. In 1930, Pacific North-
west Public Service Company
was in charge. In April 1946, a
new California company called
the Portland Traction Company
took over. Ten years later, pri-
vately-owned Rose City Transit
(RCT) assumed the city routes of
the Portland Traction Company.
By 1968, RCT was on the
verge of collapse.
At that time, ATU Local 757
Business Rep Mel Schoppert, a
former RCT bus operator,
helped spearhead a bill through
the Oregon Legislature enabling
the formation of public transit
districts. On Oct. 1, 1969, Port-
land City Council passed a reso-
lution to create TriMet. On Dec.
1, TriMet took formal possession
of Rose City Transit properties
and began operation as a public
transit agency.
Today, ATU Local 757 repre-
sents 23 properties with nearly
5,264 active members and re-
tirees. In addition to TriMet, the
union represents workers at:
C-Tran in Vancouver, Wash.; Lane Transit in Eu-
gene; Cherriots in Salem; Valley Transit in Walla
Walla, Wash.; Tillamook County Transit District;
Rogue Valley Transit in Ashland; Canby Area Tran-
sit, Paratransit Services in Bend; Central Oregon
Intergovernmental Council in Redmond; City of
North Bonneville; Lamar Transit Advertising;
Cherry Lift and Carts; First Student school bus op-
erators and mechanics in Portland, and school
bus and city transit operators in Corvallis; First
Transit Region 1, 2, and 3; and Portland Public
School bus operators.
Jill Alcantar
360.787.6975
12/31/17
2017