Gary Maslanka was named Director of the Railroad Division in 2004 and was elected as an International Vice President in 2005. Maslanka’s TWU career began in 1974 when he was hired on as a Carman at Penn Station. He was an active member of Local 2020 in Buffalo, New York and was appointed Vice President of the Local in 1978. The following year he was elected to his first term as President of Local 2020, then reelected as President for five consecutive terms. In 1998, Maslanka became an International Staff Representative for the Railroad Division.

Throughout his career as an officer of TWU Maslanka has been active in the negotiation of contracts on both the freights and Amtrak. He has also been a longtime advocate on rail safety issues and Carmen training initiatives. Before joining the Railroad Division Maslanka was assigned to work on several Federal Railroad Administration rulemakings with implications on Railroad Division members, and was assigned as a member of the FRA’s Railroad Advisory Safety Committee from the committees inception.

Maslanka has also worked extensively with the Railway Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program, including the development of a comprehensive Hazardous Materials Peer Training Program on Conrail, and assisting with the development of a similar program on Union Pacific. Maslanka has testified before Congress on both rail safety and security issues and Presidential Emergency Board 242 relating Carmen skills and training issues.

Maslanka currently serves as Chairman of the Joint Council of Carmen, Helpers, Coach Cleaners and Apprentices (JCC), Vice Chairman of Amtrak Service Workers Council (ASWC), a member of the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee, an Advisory Board member of the Railway Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program and is active with the Rail Labor Division of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department where he recently concluded a term as Chairman of the Rail Labor Division.