We congratulate our brother and friend, Robert A. “Bob” Scardelletti, on his retirement as national president of TCU/IAM.
For 29 years as national president and more than 53 years of membership in TCU/IAM, Scardelletti proved to be an unwavering champion for America’s working families.
Scardelletti began his rail career with the New York Central Railroad in Cleveland in 1967 as a yard clerk. By 1971, he was voted local chairman of Local Lodge 725 and elected division chairman in 1973. TCU International President Fred Kroll named him grand lodge special assistant in 1975. Two years later, he was elected vice general chairman of System Board 86. In 1982, he became executive vice general chairman, then was elected general chairman in 1984. At the TCU national convention in 1987, Scardelletti was elected international vice president.
Scardelletti was first elected international president of TCU at the union’s 1991 convention. He was reelected to office by acclamation at the union's following six conventions, making him TCU’s longest-serving president.
Scardelletti was instrumental in the passage of the Railroad Retirement and Survivors’ Improvement Act of 2001, which liberalized early retirement benefits for employees who reached 30 years of service so that they and their spouses could retire at age 60 with full benefits. Additionally, the law eliminated a cap on monthly retirement and disability benefits, lowered the minimum service requirement from 10 years to five years and revised the financing provisions of the railroad retirement system. At the time this legislation was passed, more than 1 million active and retired railroaders received these benefits.
In 2012, under the wise leadership of Scardelletti, TCU merged with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). This merger has preserved and strengthened TCU’s representation of its members—and will for decades to come.
During his years of service, Scardelletti held many other prominent positions in the labor movement, including as a member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council, an executive board member of the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) and a chairman of the Cooperating Railway Labor Organizations (CRLO).
Scardelletti supported, strengthened and served America’s working people. His advocacy for secure pensions, quality health care and workplace safety made our movement and our country stronger.
The AFL-CIO Executive Council wishes Bob Scardelletti well in retirement.