[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 21302-21303]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO SONNY HALL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 5, 2004

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Sonny Hall, the President 
of Transport Workers Union of America International, in commemoration 
of his 50 years of dedicated service to the union.
  As the International President of TWU, Sonny Hall represents more 
than 110,000 men and women employed in the nation's transportation and 
allied industries. Hall was elected to this post at the Unions 19th 
Constitutional Convention in October 1993. Previously Sonny had served 
as President of TWU Local 100, the largest local union of TWU, 
representing nearly 38,000 members who operate the New York City subway 
system and both public and private bus lines.

[[Page 21303]]

  Sonny, served in virtually every union position from Shop Steward on 
up. He was named President of Local 100 in May, 1985 and subsequently 
elected to full three-year terms in December 1985, 1988 and 1991. He 
joined TWU in 1950 as a Bus Cleaner for the old Omnibus Corp. and 
became a Bus Operator in 1957. In between, he served tours of duty in 
both the Marines and the Army.
  Mr. Hall was elected an International Vice President at TWUs 17th 
Constitutional Convention in September 1985. He was appointed Executive 
Vice President by the International Executive Council on January 9, 
1989, and was elected to that post for a four-year term at the Unions 
18th Constitutional Convention in October, 1989.
  Sonny was elected Secretary-Treasurer to the AFL-CIO Transportation 
Trades Department in 1995 and President of that organization in 1998. 
He was elected to the AFL-CIO's Executive Council at the Federation's 
Convention in October 1995. In addition to the aforementioned duties, 
Sonny is also a Board Member of the Mount Sinai Hospital Health and 
Safety Department; on the Board of Governors of the New York Chapter 
Arthritis Foundation, and the President's Advisory Council of the 
Deborah Heart and Lung Center of the Deborah Heart and Lung Foundation. 
He also serves as President of START (Safe Transit And Rail 
Transportation).
  Sonny holds a B.A. from the Cornell Labor College and studied 
military and criminal law at the University of New Mexico. He is the 
son of a retired New York City Bus Operator, now deceased, who served 
the riding public for 30 years and was an early member of Local 100.
  Mr. Speaker, after 50 years of dedicated service to the TWU, Sonny 
Hall is stepping down as International President of TWU. During this 
time, he has worked hard to improve the lives of TWU members, their 
members and all of organized labor. As such, he is more than worthy of 
receiving our recognition today and I urge my colleagues to join me in 
honoring this truly remarkable person.

                          ____________________