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In comparing the platforms of the Democratic and Republican parties, Steven Greenhouse of The New York Times says the GOP platform “calls for numerous steps that could significantly weaken America’s labor unions — public-sector and private-sector ones — and help speed organized labor’s overall decline.”

Rather than take his word, here are comparisons of the Democratic and Republican platforms on issues of concern to labor-union members and working families:

ORGANIZING & COLLECTIVE BARGAINING:

Democratic Party platform statement: “Democrats believe that the right to organize and collectively bargain is a fundamental American value; every American should have a voice on the job and a chance to negotiate for a fair day’s pay after a hard day’s work. We will continue to fight for the right of all workers to organize and join a union. [W]e oppose the attacks on collective bargaining that Republican governors and state legislatures are mounting in states around the country.”

Republican Party platform statement: “We support the right of states to enact right-to-work laws and encourage them to do so to promote greater economic liberty. Ultimately, we support the enactment of a national right-to-work law to promote worker freedom and to promote greater economic liberty. We salute the Republican governors and state legislators who have saved their states from fiscal disaster by reforming their laws governing public employee unions. We urge elected officials across the country to follow their lead . . .”

Additionally, the Republican platform supports a law ending the use of ‘card check’ as a means for workers to gain union representation. Card check allows employers to grant union recognition once a majority of workers sign authorization cards saying they wish to join a labor union. President Obama and Democrats in Congress were blocked by a House Republican majority from enacting legislation giving labor unions the right to demand card check in organizing campaigns.

 

MEDICARE:

Democratic Party platform statement: “Democrats adamantly oppose any efforts to privatize or voucherize Medicare; unlike our opponents we will not ask seniors to pay thousands of dollars more every year while they watch the value of their Medicare benefits evaporate. Democrats believe that Medicare is a sacred compact with our seniors.”

Republican Party platform statement: “[S]ave Medicare by modernizing it [moving Medicare] away from their current unsustainable defined-benefit entitlement model to a fiscally sound defined-contribution model … we call for a transition to a premium-support model for Medicare, with an income-adjusted contribution toward a health plan of the enrollee’s choice.”

 

SOCIAL SECURITY & RAILROAD RETIREMENT:

Democratic Party Platform statement: “Find a solution to protect Social Security for future generations [and] block Republican efforts to subject Americans’ guaranteed retirement income to the whims of the stock market through privatization.”

Republican Party platform statement: “[Create] personal investment accounts as supplements to the system.”

 

AMTRAK:

Democratic Party platform statement: “We support long-term investments in our infrastructure [including] rail and public transit systems … all critical to economic growth, as they enable businesses to grow.”

Former CBS newsman Wes Vernon wrote in 2009: “For nearly 40 years, every president has viewed passenger rail with everything from benign neglect to outright contempt – until [Barack Obama].” In his 2011 State of the Union message, President Obama advocated a nationwide 17,000-mile network of high-speed and higher-speed trains that could provide 80 percent of the American population access to train travel by 2036.

Republican Party platform statement: “It is long past time for the federal government to get out of way and allow private ventures to provide passenger service to the Northeast Corridor. The same holds true with regard to high-speed and intercity rail across the country.”

Critics warn there is little private sector interest in operating passenger trains elsewhere than the Northeast Corridor, and the wholesale curtailment of nationwide Amtrak service would put most of Amtrak’s 20,000 workers out of a job. When they cease paying into Railroad Retirement, the system would be financially crippled and likely force Railroad Retirement to be eliminated and folded into Social Security — significantly reducing pension benefits to railroad retirees.

Turner

UTU-represented maintenance-of-way employees on Georgia & Florida Railway are voting through Sept. 22 on a tentative new agreement — their first since voting “UTU, yes.”

Negotiations were led by UTU International Vice President Paul Tibbit and UTU General Chairperson Doyle Turner (GO 347). Turner heads the UTU’s shortline outreach program.

“This tentative agreement, as with others negotiated with shortlines, is intended to bring parity in wages, benefits and work rules to the thousands of employees in the shortline industry, along with the many other protections offered by union membership,” Turner said. “The seniority, scope and discipline rules these members now enjoy are what makes union membership valuable.”

Georgia & Florida Railway, an OmniTrax property, is a 264-mile shortline serving south central Georgia and extending into Florida. It interchanges with CSX and Norfolk Southern. Its principal commodities include beer, wood pulp, ethanol and agricultural products.

Wier

UTU-represented employees of Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway and Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway have ratified new five-year agreements. Negotiating assistance on both railroads was provided by UTU International Vice President Dave Wier.

On EJ&E, the ratified contract provides that conductors, brakemen and yardmen receive wage increases, back-pay, an employment guarantee with furlough protection, guaranteed extra boards, elimination of rate progression for conductors/foremen, and 90 percent entry rates for brakemen and helpers that rises to 100 percent after one year of service.

Also established by the new agreement is a 401(k) plan and disability insurance, more liberal qualification for vacations, and coverage under the National Railway Health and Welfare Plan that includes early retirement and four months of additional health care insurance for dismissed or furloughed employees.

Wier praised the efforts of General Chairpersons Cory Mayberry (GO 329) and Rich Barandela (GO 330), Vice General Chairperson Kevin Wright (GO 329), and Local 740 Chairpersons Mike Caudillo and Ed Cox for “the exceptional effort put forth during the long and difficult negotiations that resulted in an agreement with dramatic improvements in wages and benefits, and provides employment security and parity for members.” 

On TP&W, the ratified contract provides for wage increases with additional compensation for conductors certified as engineers, participation in the RailAmerica Incentive Compensation Plan (with an opt-out provision providing an additional 1 percent annual wage increase), improved working conditions and special allowances.

Wier congratulated General Chairperson Rob Ferrier (GO TPW) and Local 198 Vice Local Chairperson Steve Benedict for “the outstanding effort put forth. The wage increases, coupled with quarterly incentive payments provide members with outstanding pay increases,” Wier said.”

EJ&E, a Class II railroad and a U.S. subsidiary of Canadian National Railway, operates in Illinois and Indiana suburbs surrounding Chicago.

TP&W, a short line and RailAmerica property, operates in Illinois and Indiana.

WASHINGTON – Three senior Democratic senators have asked the General Accountability Office – informally known as the congressional watchdog – to review the state of railroad safety and how the Federal Railroad Administration, state rail safety agencies and other stakeholders cooperate to ensure the safe transportation of rail freight and passengers.

The review as requested by Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), chair of the Surface Transportation Subcommittee; Jay Rockefeller(D-WVa.), chair of the Senate Commerce Science and Transportation Committee; and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the assistant majority leader and second highest ranking Democrat in the Senate.

Lautenberg said that the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 “took important steps to address rail safety, but recent accidents have shown the need to continue examining safety and reducing the risk of accidents and fatalities.”

OSHA logo; OSHAEven when railroads return workers to their jobs with full back pay after wrongly terminating them for suffering a workplace injury, significant monetary sanctions may still be imposed by the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Case in point is Norfolk Southern, which was ordered to pay damages in excess of $580,000 in August after violating the Federal Railroad Safety Act’s worker protections against employer harassment, intimidation, discipline and termination in retaliation for reporting workplace injuries or safety concerns.

Railroads have been hit with millions of dollars in sanctions by OSHA over the past year for such behavior, but this case is significant in that the railroad unsuccessfully claimed it should not be sanctioned because after terminating the worker it reinstated him with full back pay.

The unidentified conductor, who suffered a shoulder injury, had been riding the lead car to protect a shove at NS’s Decatur, Ill., yard when several cars behind him derailed due to poorly maintained rail ties.

NS initially claimed the injury was fabricated, and fired the conductor for allegedly making a false injury report. A public law board subsequently ordered the railroad to rehire the conductor with full back pay – 10 months after the workplace injury — and he continues to work for NS. During those 10 months of unemployment, the conductor endured significant financial distressed.

A UTU designated legal counsel, who brought a complaint before OSHA under the whistleblower provisions of the Federal Railroad Safety Act, said NS contended there were no damages to be assessed because the conductor had been put back to work with full pay.

OSHA said the NS arguments were baseless and that the railroad should be punished for violating the conductor’s rights under the Federal Railroad Safety Act.

OSHA then ordered NS to pay the conductor – in addition to the back pay already received – more than $580,000 to cover pain and suffering, punitive damages, loss of employer-paid benefits during the period of unemployment, attorney’s fees and additional lost wages plus interest because OSHA said NS had under-calculated the amount of back pay.

NS also was ordered by OSHA to restore the conductor’s seniority level and vacation and sick days credit, and further credit him with 10 months of service toward his Railroad Retirement pension.

OSHA also ordered NS to provide all workers in its Decatur yard with a copy of an OSHA fact sheet on whistleblower protection, to post in the yard a notice explaining worker rights under the Federal Railroad Safety Act, and to expunge from the conductor’s personnel file all records of his termination and OSHA claim.

“This decision sends a powerful message that terminating an employee for an injury creates financial exposure for the railroad far beyond just having to put him back on the job with back pay,” said UTU International President Mike Futhey. “No longer can a railroad simply calculate the worse-case scenario as having only to provide back pay.”

A rail employee who believes he was improperly harassed, intimidated, disciplined or terminated for reporting a workplace injury or safety concern may file a whistle-blower complaint directly with OSHA, or may contact a UTU designated legal counsel, general chairperson or state legislative director for assistance.

A listing of UTU designated legal counsel is available at:

https://www.smart-union.org/td/designated-legal-counsel/

or may be obtained from local or general committee officers or state legislative directors.

To view a more detailed OSHA fact sheet, click on the following link:

www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA-factsheet-whistleblower-railroad.pdf

Amtrak LogoThe Republican National Convention has made it official and in writing – the Republican Party, its presidential candidate Mitt Romney and its vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan are in agreement to end all federal funding for Amtrak and high-speed rail.

Romney previously signed on in support of a Ryan budget proposal Ryan introduced in Congress as a member of the House of Representatives. That proposal, which was approved by the Republican-controlled House – but not the Democratic controlled Senate – was to slash guaranteed federal funding for mass transit, and fold Railroad Retirement into Social Security and cancel all Railroad Retirement benefits in excess of what is paid by Social Security.

Here is what the Republican platform says about Amtrak:

“Amtrak continues to be, for the taxpayers, an extremely expensive railroad … It is long past time for the federal government to get out of the way and allow private ventures to provide passenger service to the Northeast Corridor. The same holds true with regard to high-speed and intercity rail across the country.”

What neither the Republican platform nor Romney and Ryan acknowledge is that no passenger rail system in the world earns a profit, and the few private sector firms that have expressed interest in operating passenger trains say it can only be done with help from tax subsidies.

Moreover, whatever few intercity rail passenger routes that might be taken over by private companies almost certainly would be accompanied by cancelling collective bargaining rights, and reducing wages and benefits.

Thus, the result of the Republican-Romney-Ryan approach, formalized in the Republican platform, is the end of Amtrak and intercity passenger rail, and huge reductions in transit funding throughout America.

John Previsich has been elevated from International vice president to assistant president by the UTU Board of Directors, succeeding Arty Martin, who retires Sept. 1.

UTU International President Mike Futhey said of Martin’s departure, “It is difficult to lose a talent like Arty Martin with all the institutional knowledge he has gained through his years of service to UTU members. We certainly wish him and Cindy the best on their retirement adventure.

Previsich

“In turn, we are truly fortunate to have someone like John Previsich willing to take on the responsibilities of assistant president,” Futhey said.

Previsich, age 58 and a member of UTU Local 31 (San Jose, Calif.), began his railroad service with Southern Pacific (now part of Union Pacific) in 1973, working in yard, road and engine service. He currently holds seniority as a switchman, brakeman, conductor, fireman and engineer on UP, and worked in commuter and long-distance passenger rail service for 10 years.

He was elected to numerous positions, including local chairperson, vice general chairperson and general chairperson — the latter to which he was elected five times by acclamation — representing brakemen, assistant conductors, conductors, firemen, hostlers, engineers and train dispatchers on short lines, passenger lines and Class I railroads.

As an elected Local 31 delegate, Previsich attended International conventions in 1991, 1995 and 1999. Additionally, he served on the peer support committee for UP’s Operation Red Block (1993 to 1998), UP’s Safety Assurance and Compliance Program, chairperson of the UTU’s Union Pacific General Chairperson Association for three terms (2002-2006), and as the UTU’s representative on Southern Pacific’s 401(k) Plan board of directors.

Previsich was elected an International vice president in 2007 and re-elected in 2011. His assignments have included assisting general committees on UP, BNSF, Kansas City Southern, CSX, CN/IC, Canadian Pacific, Delaware & Hudson, San Joaquin Valley Railroad, Kyle Railroad, Nebraska Central, Birmingham Southern, Amtrak, Progressive Rail, Connex, Terminal Railroad of St. Louis, Louisiana & Northwest Railroad, Dakota Minnesota & Eastern, Great Lakes Aviation and Lynx Aviation pilots’ group.

He also was assigned to assist the National Legislative Office in passage of the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008, and serves on behalf of the UTU on the act’s safety advisory committee, the FRA Medical Standards Working Group, the Positive Train Control Advisory Committee and the Close Call Reporting System (C3RS).

He and his wife, Kathy, have four children.

Arty Martin

Arty Martin, age 66, is a fourth generation railroader, having been elected assistant president in 2007 and re-elected in 2011.

He signed on with Union Pacific in Pocatello, Idaho, in 1966 while attending Idaho State University, where he earned a degree in business administration, with a minor in labor law. An Air Force veteran, he also played minor league baseball as a catcher, including one professional season in Alaska.

Martin was promoted to engineer in 1975. Frustration over railroad treatment of employees encouraged him to run successfully in 1977 for UTU Local 78 vice local chairperson, representing engineers. He subsequently was elected vice general chairperson and general chairperson. In 1992, Martin merged the enginemen general committee with one representing conductors, brakemen and yardmen, and today that general committee represents more than 5,000 UP train and engine workers.

His mother, father and grandfather were UP employees, and his great-grandfather ran steam locomotives on New York Central Railroad (now part of CSX).

Martin and his wife, Cindy, have four children, including Brian who is a UTUIA field supervisor, and Dallas, who is a UP conductor in Portland.

 

 

 

 

 

Arty Martin, above, during his minor league baseball playing days.

By International President Mike Futhey – 

There is an old political saying: “If you stop lying about me, I’ll stop telling the truth about you.”

When it comes to Mitt Romney, we don’t have to tell the truth about him. He already is telling the truth about himself. Here is what he promises to achieve:

* Outlaw labor union political action committees (PACs), which allow union members to contribute toward the election campaigns of labor-friendly lawmakers; but leave in place the ability of employers to spend unlimited amounts of money supporting anti-union candidates.

* End Medicare as we know it, forcing future retirees to purchase health care insurance on their own.

* Phase out Social Security and Railroad Retirement, requiring workers – regardless of their financial skills — to create their own retirement plans by investing in the stock market, where even the savviest of investors can be wiped out.

* Eliminate tax deductions for companies providing employees with health care insurance, which could encourage employers to drop those plans and force workers to purchase their own health care insurance.

* Eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees.

* Repeal the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA).

* Eliminate whistleblower protection for those denied proper medical care for on-the-job injuries, and for those harassed, intimidated and fired for reporting workplace safety concerns.

* End all federal funding for Amtrak and future high-speed rail, which likely would shut down most intercity rail passenger service.

* Slash federal spending on public bus and rail transit.

* Repeal the Affordable Care Act, which allows children to remain on health care policies until age 26, prohibits insurers from limiting maximum patient care payments to those with serious chronic illnesses, prohibits denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions, prohibits copays for certain preventive care procedures, and requires insurance carriers to spend at least 80 percent of premiums on patient care.

* Continue and expand tax cuts for the wealthy while scaling back unemployment benefits.

* Expand to all states right-to-work (for less) legislation, allowing workers to opt out of paying union dues used to negotiate better wages, benefits and working conditions.

Romney’s chosen running mate, Paul Ryan, has been pushing for those same objectives as a member of Congress.

If elected president, Romney would appoint his anti-labor supporters to the National Mediation Board, the National Labor Relations Board, the Federal Railroad Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Surface Transportation Board.

With Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan in office, the road to a good contract would face a treacherous negotiating environment.

If you cast your vote for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, be assured all of their above objectives would be assured because that is what they promise – to throw working families under the bus by weakening and destroying labor unions.

<img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-13182" style="margin-top: 4px; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-left: 12px; margin-right: 12px; border-width: 1px; border-color: black; border-style: solid;" title="Morr, Bonnie.2011" src="http://utu.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Mor How Do I Make My Ex Want Me Back After I Broke Up With Her r-Bonnie.2011.jpg” alt=”” width=”150″ height=”150″ />By Bonnie Morr
Vice President – Bus Department

The UTU regional  meetings in Portland, Ore., and Memphis, Tenn., provided hands-on workshops – led by experts from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) — designed to improve skills of members and officers in pursing grievances where members’ rights have been violated.

Experts from the NLRB summarized and explained federal labor law, including the process for filing unfair labor practices complaints and governance of union representation elections under the National Labor Relations Act.

FMCS mediator Connie Weimer led workshops in the process of mediation and development of mediation skills – especially how to get to a “yes” and past a “no” at the bargaining table. Included was an interactive presentation on protecting the rights of the collective bargaining process and the importance of labor unions in the workplace.

A mock negotiating session was provided in Memphis by FMCS mediator Luther Bennet, with members in attendance playing the role of management. Needless to say, we were brutal as managers, which helped participants better understand the dynamics of negotiations.

One of the most well-attended sessions was led by attorney Steve Young and arbitrator Frank Quinn. A Power Point presentation is available that I will send to members via e-mail upon request. My e-mail address is at the top of this column.

The value of workshops at regional meetings cannot be overemphasized, and it is not too early to begin making plans to attend one of the 2013 regional meetings – in Boston, July 1-3, and Anaheim, Calif., July 29-31. Details and registration information will become available early in 2013.

As Election Day approaches, it is important for members and their families to be registered to vote and to vote. At the UTU home page at www.utu.org that is a box titled, Are You Registered? Clicking on that box takes you to an interactive page where you and family members can verify that your voter registration is current. If it isn’t, you can register to vote at that site. You may use that site to register to vote via absentee ballot.

The October issue of the UTU News will contain a listing of congressional candidates, by state, identified as labor friendly.

How Do I Make My Ex Want Me Back After I Broke Up With Her