Futhey to step down as SMART Transportation Division's president

At the SMART Transportation Division's regional meeting in Boston on July 3, President Mike Futhey announced plans to step down from his post following the resolution of arbitration proceedings regarding the union's constitution.

In October 2011, a Georgetown University law professor ruled the agreement to create the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) via a merger between the United Transportation Union (UTU) and Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA) was enforceable, and the two unions since have been working to complete the merger.

The arbitration proceedings involve interpretations of various articles of the UTU's constitution as it's inserted into SMWIA's bylaws to complete a final SMART constitution.

During the regional meeting, Futhey said an agreement had been reached with most of the SMART constitution articles, but several disputes remain. He expected to remain in office through the arbitration process, helping to develop the constitution language for the transportation division, Futhey said, according to a news item posted on the UTU's website.

Under articles of the UTU's current constitution, SMART Transportation Division Assistant President, General Secretary and Treasurer John Previsich would be elevated to president to complete Futhey's unexpired term.

Futhey is the eighth president of the UTU, which currently is known as the SMART Transportation Division. He was elected president in August 2007, assumed office on Jan. 1, 2008, and was re-elected president in August 2011.