It is with a heavy heart that the ATU reports the passing of International President Emeritus Warren George on June 28, 2026. As the ATU’s seventh International President, George held that position from 2003 until his retirement in 2010. He was 92 at the time of his passing. He is survived by his three children David, daughter Mary Lynn, and son Stephen, and their families.
“An organizer at heart, Warren joined the ATU after organizing workers at a school bus company in Pittsburgh. He then rose up through the ranks of our Union being elected International Vice President in 1975, then appointed International Executive Vice President in 1993, and then holding the highest office of International President from 2003 until 2010,” said ATU International President John Costa. “Under his leadership, Warren committed resources to organizing, bringing new members into the ATU family as transit agencies faced budget cuts, service cutbacks, and fare increases. On behalf of our more than 200,000 members, we send our deepest condolences and prayers to Warren’s three children and their families.”
A native of North Braddock, PA, George was the youngest of ten children. George started his career in transportation at the Union Railroad in 1956 after a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy where he served in the Korean War. He then took a job at the Critchlow Bus Company as a bus driver for Penn Hills School District in Pittsburgh, PA where he took part in a successful organizing drive and then joined ATU Local 85-Pittsburgh, PA.
George then took a job at the Port Authority of Allegheny County as a bus mechanic and was elected Shop Steward of his Local. He was elected President/Business Agent of Local 85 in 1970, and five years later was elected Local Financial Secretary-Treasurer.
In 1975, George was elected as an ATU International Vice President. In 1991, he was appointed Administrative Assistant to the International President and was then appointed International Executive Vice President in 1993, a position to which he was later elected and reelected. Upon the retirement of International President James La Sala, the General Executive Board named George International President in 2003. He served in that position until his retirement in 2010.
A mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor Catholic Church, 5843 Manor Woods Road in Frederick, MD. He will be interred at 1 pm on Thursday, July 9 at Good Shepard Cemetery in Monroeville, PA. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to the Gary Sinise Foundation (www.garysinisefoundation.org) or your local Habitat for Humanity (www.habitat.org).