At a Sept. 27-30 convention in Orlando, Florida, delegates chose Larry Hanley over Ron Heintzman as international president of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU).
Heintzman, former president of Portland-based ATU Local 757, had served as international president since the July 1 resignation of former president Warren George, and was backed by George as a successor. Hanley, former president of Local 726 in the Staten Island borough of New York, was an international vice president. The vote was 372 to 272.
Hanley pledged to focus ATU’s attention on organizing and political activism. Hanley ran on a slate with longtime Ohio unionist Robert Baker, who won election as international executive vice president, ATU’s number two position. Heintzman ran as part of a three-person slate that included Oscar Owens. Owens won re-election as international secretary-treasurer.
ATU represents 192,000 active and retired bus drivers, mechanics and transit district employees in the United States and Canada.
Heintzman was president of Local 757 from 1988 until 2002, when he was appointed international vice president and relocated to Washington, D.C. He will now return to Oregon.
