ATU Celebrates Women's History Month 2026

As a "Lady of Purpose and Power," Rachel Hill has been driven by both will and grace as a member of Local 1070-Indianapolis, IN, for more than 28 years. She began her career at IndyGo in Paratransit, then became a City Bus Operator and later a Dispatcher. Rachel served on the Local’s Executive Board for 8 years before being elected as Financial Secretary. During her 15 years in that position, she played a key role in securing strong contracts, developing successful mentorship and apprenticeship programs, and fighting for other improvements. This year, members elected Rachel to lead her Local as President/Business Agent. Rachel has made us proud by paving the path for the next generation of women leaders at the ATU.

A second-generation 20-year bus operator with Winnipeg Transit, Crystal Hanley serves as the Recording Secretary at Local 1505-Winnipeg, MB. Crystal broke glass ceilings when she was elected the first-ever female Chief Steward in 2022. She has also been active in the Labour community, serving on the Manitoba Federation of Labour Women's Committee and the Winnipeg Labour Council. At her Local, Crystal has been involved with contract negotiations and various committees. Crystal also sits on the ATU Canada Inclusivity, Equity, and Diversity Committee. Recognizing her leadership skills, the ATU Canada Executive Board recently appointed Crystal as the Executive Board Member for Western Canada. Crystal is a trailblazer helping pave the way for future generations of ATU women.

In 1995, Janet Tetreault joined Local 1548-Plymouth, MA, as a part time bus operator to drive the commuter run to Boston where she worked for an investment company. With her finance background, she was elected Financial Secretary-Treasurer in 1997 after the former FST resigned. Affectionally called the “Queen of the Spreadsheet”, Janet put the Local on stable financial footing erasing $35,000 in debt and establishing protocols to prevent that from happening again. She has been elected FST nine times. Her commitment to the ATU has helped the Local grow from 85 members to 335 members. She also played a key role in organizing workers at GATRA and mobilizing them for a successful strike in September 2025.  Janet exemplifies leadership, and our Union is fortunate to have a woman like her on our side!

Judy Barrientos, Local 1605-Concord, CA, has been a force for working people since she started driving buses as a part-timer in 1996. Witnessing the inequities part-time workers faced firsthand, she didn't stay silent. She showed up to company board meetings and fought for better benefits. That advocacy spirit never left her. She has served as Local President twice, from 2013-2016 and again since 2025, and has held numerous roles, including steward, financial secretary, and executive board member. One of her proudest wins: saving members' 12 sick days without ever going to arbitration. Judy is also a devoted grandmother, a passionate union educator, and an animal lover. Our Union is better because of her. 

Since joining ATU Local 1555-Oakland, CA, in 2016 as a BART Station Agent, while raising a young son, Vanessa Perez has been a powerful voice for our Union. To get more involved she expanded her job becoming an Employee Development Specialist, training and mentoring new Station Agents. As her son grew older, Vanessa returned to school and, in 2023, earned her degree in Public Policy and Chicano Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, reinforcing her dedication to public service and her community. With that degree and experience, her advocacy grew in 2024 when she became a Union Steward and was elected Recording Secretary of the ATU International Latino Caucus. Currently, Vanessa is in the Foreworker Program, the first level of supervision within Local 1555, developing her leadership skills. We are proud to call Vanessa a member of the ATU!