Oscar Owens Award Speech

Thank you. It is an honor for me to be here this evening to present the A. Philip Randolph Institute Award to a fellow Bay Area resident and a man I’ve had the pleasure of crossing paths with over the years.

Oscar Owens understands transit from the ground up. He began his career in transportation in the Bay Area in 1966 with ATU Local 192-Oakland as an operator for AC Transit. He became shop steward in 1973 and in 1977 was elected local union president, serving in that position until 1982.

In 1982, Oscar joined the Amalgamated Transit Union international staff as a special organizer. He was elected International Vice President in 1986. On January 1, 2001, Oscar was elected as International Secretary-Treasurer of the ATU. He was unanimously re-elected to the position at the 55th ATU International Convention in Las Vegas in 2007.

As Secretary-Treasurer of the ATU, Oscar’s responsibilities include overseeing and assisting his fellow international VP’s with financing and collective bargaining agreements at the local level. And who better to hold this important leadership position than Oscar Owens.

Loyal and committed in the daily fight for equal rights and benefits for the working men and women of our profession, Oscar brings an intense dedication, professionalism and passion to his work. His laid back attitude and gentle warrior persona belie a sharp mind, superior negotiating skills and an imagination to see solutions to problems where others may not.

Like Asa Philip Randolph, Oscar Owens’s success as a labor leader can be attributed to an innate ability to understand the issues and conditions that affect the men and women of transit. For over 40 years, he has used his vast wealth of knowledge and life experience to better the lives of those he represents.

Oscar is a champion in the fight to advance human dignity for all—regardless of race, national origin or social standing. Like Asa Randolph he is a man of character and content. His colleagues will tell you that he has the ability to bring forces that never came together—together. And he does it day to day, year after year, from city to city, in his powerful yet soft-spoken manner. Simply put, there are few who mirror the leadership qualities of A. Philip Randolph more than Oscar Owens.

It is my distinct pleasure this evening to present the 2010 A. Philip Randolph Institute Award to Mr. Oscar Owens.