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A lot is being written about reducing America’s dependence on foreign energy; and increased domestic exploration of crude oil and natural gas is paying meaningful dividends to railroads – and, by extension, to their workers, whose jobs, wages and benefits are being made more secure.

In North Dakota, where the Bakken Shale reserve is being drilled, some 450,000 barrels of crude oil daily are being pumped – so much that pipelines are at capacity and BNSF and Canadian Pacific (Soo Line) tank cars are originating up to 300,000 barrels of crude oil daily to refineries along the Gulf Coast. In fact, the state estimates that as drilling expands, railroads could be hauling as much as 700,000 barrels of the black gold in tank cars.

In western Canada, meanwhile, CP and Canadian National are hauling increased quantities of crude oil from the Alberta tar sands south across the border, destined to refineries along the Gulf Coast – a 1,700-mile rail route through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

Union Pacific, which is sharing in the southbound haul of crude oil, also reports sharp increases in drilling and construction materials headed north to the oil drilling fields. Kansas City Southern is gearing up for southbound loads of crude oil to Texas and Mexico, where new refinery terminals are under construction.

As for natural gas drilling, the Marcellus Shale field, stretching underground from Ohio to Pennsylvania and into West Virginia, is providing CSX and Norfolk Southern with sharp increases in carloads of sand, cement, drilling rig parts, chemicals, pipe and rock headed to the drillers. As natural gas drilling increases, even more carloads are in store for CSX and NS, which serve the Marcellus Shale region.

NS says it has quadrupled the number of carloads of materials headed to drillers, growing to a current 24,000 carloads annually in just two years, while CSX is hauling some 13,000 cars annually of materials to the drillers. There is also a smaller backhaul of waste and debris.

NS said it has hired – or is hiring – an additional 200 conductors to handle the increased business.

Then there is the growth of ethanol, which has soared from 2 billion gallons of production annually to 13 billion gallons of the past 10 years – much of it moving by rail. Federal law requires all gasoline to include a 10 percent blend of ethanol, and European nations are increasing their imports of ethanol from the U.S.

Tags Bakken Shale, drilling, Marcellus Shale, natural gas, oil

In preparation for a new operator of Caltrain commuter service in Northern California, the UTU has moved to protect its members who choose to transfer from Amtrak to the new operator.

Caltrain operates south from San Francisco to San Jose and Gilroy.

TransitAmerica Services, Inc. (TASI), a subsidiary of Herzog Transit Services, will replace Amtrak as operator of Caltrain beginning May 26, following a rebid process by the Joint Powers Board that controls the commuter operation. Amtrak has operated Caltrain since 1992. TASI won a five-year operating agreement that begins in May.

The UTU has reached an agreement with TASI, recognizing the UTU as the representative of conductors and assistant conductors who will be hired by TASI. The agreement governs rules, rates of pay and working conditions for conductors and assistant conductors on TASI, giving first right of hire to Amtrak employees who are working in the service as of May 25.

In the event that the number of Amtrak conductors and assistant conductors who apply for employment on TASI — and who are hired — exceeds the number of positions available at startup, such applicants will be placed on hiring pool list for subsequent employment.

UTU-represented conductors and assistant conductors in Amtrak Zone CS-2 on May 26 will, as a result of the change in operators, have no Amtrak positions left to work, and will be placed in home terminal/displaced status under provisions of Rule 8 of the current collective bargaining with Amtrak.

Conductors and assistant conductors have rights to flow to other Amtrak zones as provided under the Amtrak agreement.

If those rights are not exercised within a five-day period beginning May 26, the Amtrak Zone CS-2 conductors and assistant conductors will become home terminal furloughed, as provided by Rule 9 of the Amtrak agreement. Conductors and assistant conductors under home terminal furlough who accept employment with TASI will continue to maintain seniority and employment rights with Amtrak until such time as recalled to service by Amtrak.

Amtrak conductors and assistant conductors working outside Zone CS-2 may submit an application to TASI for employment, but must be aware that if non-Zone CS-2 conductors or assistant conductors choose to leave active status with Amtrak for employment with TASI, Amtrak will not grant a leave of absence and those individuals will terminate their employment rights and seniority with Amtrak.

Before making a decision on whether to apply for employment with TASI, the UTU recommends you review the TASI/UTU implementing and working agreements, which are available for inspection by clicking on the following link:

TASI/UTU implementing and working agreements

This agreement is modeled after the current Amtrak collective bargaining agreement, with some modifications and enhancements to reflect the new operator and the current round of negotiations with Amtrak.

The agreement preserves and enhances current crew consist and productivity allowances and retains years of service for vacation entitlement of Amtrak employees who are employed by TASI. In addition, the agreement provides for health and welfare benefits equivalent to those in the current Amtrak contract.

The negotiating team consisted of GO 769 Chairperson Dirk Sampson and Vice General Chairperson Charlie Yura. They were assisted by UTU International Vice President John Previsich.

“Chairpersons Sampson and Yura are to be commended for their leadership role in securiing for their members a first right-of-hire with the new operator, while maintaining for all of TASI’s UTU-represented employees wages and working conditions that are equal to, or exceed, those currently in place on Amtrak,” Previsich said.

Tags Amtrak, Caltrain, Charlie Yura, Dirk Sampson, GO 769, Herzog, John Previsich, TASI, TransitAmerica Services

In a joint message to members, the leadership of the UTU and the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association (SMWIA) pledged “to move forward and grow, and place all hostilities behind us” as the two organizations strive to cement a seamless merger.

The merger of the UTU and the SMWIA into the International Association of Sheet Metal Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers creates “new, vibrant and exceptional opportunities to organize the unorganized, become more efficient in our daily activities and make our highest calling the representation of the men and women of SMART,” the leadership said.

In the first meeting of the UTU and the SMWIA leadership with senior staff in late January, the committees formed in November began the development of joint objectives “to ensure we all pull in the same direction, build trust in one another and use members’ dues in the most efficient manner.”

Initial goals established include:

•Acceleration of public knowledge of SMART’s creation, especially through event staging, such as joint participation in rallies supporting collective bargaining rights. The two organizations will increase state activism efforts to slow and turn back efforts of anti-union lawmakers seeking to eliminate collective bargaining rights and impose right-to-work (for less) laws.

•Identifying opportunities for organizing the unorganized. This will be accomplished in the transportation area with the SMWIA’s larger organizing staff assisting UTU organizers, and leveraging the UTU’s strong state presence through state legislative departments to create opportunities for organizing contractors in the sheet metal and air conditioning industries.

•Joint federal and state legislative activity in furtherance of laws and regulations beneficial to all SMART members.

•Maximizing the use of SMWIA training facilities.

•Aggressive pursuit of federal grants to address safety and security issues.

•Focus on improving the quality of member health care insurance, at the lowest possible cost to members.

•Coordinate publications and websites of the two organizations.

•Provide financial savings, increase members’ services and reduce administrative expenses through a proficient structure by taking advantage of the financial strengths of each organization and comparing internal practices to determine how SMART might become more efficient and effective in its commitment to members.

•Coordinate information technology hardware and software improvements, link telephone systems, and share the numerous collective bargaining agreements and membership databases of the separate organizations.

•Answer member’s questions regarding the separate constitutions, election of officers, conductor certification, contract provisions, application of the Railway Labor Act, National Labor Relations Act, Family and Medical Leave Act and equal opportunity laws.

•Ensure the senior elected leadership of both organizations participates jointly at UTU regional meetings and in the labor/management 2012 Partners in Progress conference in March.

“Combined as SMART, we create a large and powerful voice within the AFL-CIO and in advancing legislative objectives in Congress and state legislatures,” said the senior leadership of the UTU and the SMWIA.

The senior staff of the UTU and the SMWIA will continue to work jointly at the committee level in furtherance of these objectives, leading up to the 2014 SMART convention and keeping members informed through updates published on the websites and in the UTU and the SMWIA publications.

“SMART exists to service the interests of our joint membership,” the senior leadership said.

At a recent SMWIA/UTU meeting are, from left, SMWIA Secretary Treasurer Joe Sellers Jr.; SEPTA General Chairperson
Waverly Harris, who serves as chairperson of District 3 of the UTU’s Association of General Chairpersons;
UTU International President Mike Futhey; Long Island Rail Road General Chairperson Anthony Simon, who serves as
chairperson of District 1 of the UTU’s Association of General Chairpersons; SMWIA General President Joe Nigro;
UTU Assistant President Arty Martin, and UTU General Secretary & Treasurer Kim Thompson.

By UTU International President Mike Futhey –
Congratulations go to Art Rayner, the United Transportation Union Insurance Association’s man of the year for 2011.

Art was recognized for his sales and leadership performance – attributes that helped propel the UTUIA last year to one of its strongest financial performances.

The competition Art faced from our other dedicated and determined field service representatives demonstrated that the UTUIA is financially strong and growing. And the UTUIA will grow even stronger as our merger with the Sheet Metal Workers International Association into SMART eventually allows 150,000 additional trade unionists to join the UTUIA through purchase of insurance and investment products.
For 2011, the UTUIA’s assets grew by $3 million, its annual revenue topped $17 million, and it produced a surplus (net income after costs are deducted) of almost $2 million.
The UTUIA’s investment portfolio is generally conservative, primarily invested in government and corporate bonds and companies with the highest credit ratings, with just 15 percent of assets invested in stocks and real estate.
Our field supervisors have been provided with new technology that better helps them provide insurance advice, while the number of UTUIA insurance products has increased.
The UTUIA is working to determine what changes in its constitution are required to make its products available to our new SMWIA brothers and sisters (the current constitution limits sales to transportation workers). The key to improving further the UTUIA’s financial performance is growing sales volume, and inclusion of non-transportation workers represented by the SMWIA is essential.
As the UTUIA’s financial performance improves from inclusion of SMWIA’s 150,000 members and increased sales, product offerings can be widened.
As it has been for 135 years, the mission of the UTUIA, an insurance company owned by its trade-union members, remains the same. It is to promote the general welfare of its members; disseminate information about life, health and annuity products that provide for the security of its members and their families; provide uncompromising service quickly, efficiently and professionally; and engage in volunteer activities through its local units.
The UTUIA recognizes its obligations to its members and shall constantly strive to live up to the ideals of the fraternal benefit system.
For more information on the UTUIA and its products, including links to UTUIA field service representatives, click on the following link:
www.utuia.org.

Tags Art Rayner, Mike Futhey, SMART, UTUIA

Never underestimate the impact of your communications to Congress.

Combined with the tens of thousands of messages from others, the House Republican leadership has pulled back a planned vote Feb. 17 on a draconian transportation bill that would cost jobs, menace transportation safety and threaten the future of Railroad Retirement.

As phone call, email and fax communications flooded House offices in Washington – many from UTU members asked to voice their concern — House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) delayed at least for another week a vote on H.R. 7, the misnamed American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act.

Boehner’s fellow Republicans were refusing to get in line with the speaker, taking note of voter displeasure with the bill. Separately, President Obama said he would veto the measure if it reached his desk.

The fight is not over.

“Your contacts with Congress helped make this postponement of a vote necessary,” said UTU National Legislative Director James Stem. “With Congress in recess next week, and House members back in their districts taking the voters’ pulse, it is important you continue to call and email your House representative and renew your plea that they vote “no” on H.R. 7, the misnamed American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act.”

Here are the facts on how damaging that bill, if passed into law, could be for UTU members.

* It would facilitate privatization of public transit system by directing more federal funds to systems that contract out at least 20 percent of the jobs.

* It denies transit systems the flexibility to use federal funds to maintain service and retain workers during times of economic crisis, as we now are enduring.

* It eliminates federal minimum wage and overtime requirements for van drivers that transport rail crews between terminals, meaning these already low-paid and fatigued drivers would become more of a safety hazard when transporting crews.

* It delays mandatory implementation of positive train control on passenger rail lines from late 2015 to late 2020.

* It allows freight railroads to implement alternatives to installing of positive train control, which would provide crews and the public far less protection.

* It eliminates grants for hazmat train-the-trainer program, which would dramatically reduce or end training programs at the National Labor College.

* It eliminates capital grants for states seeking to expand and improve Amtrak service.

* It reduces long-term capital funding for Amtrak, limiting Amtrak’s ability to upgrade tracks and bridges on the Northeast Corridor.

* It prohibits Amtrak from using specialized outside counsel to recover from those at fault in Amtrak collisions, likely causing Amtrak to bear full responsibility for deaths and injuries cause by a non-Amtrak entity – even where it is clear the other operator was solely responsible for the entire accident.

* It requires Amtrak to contract-out its food and beverage service to the lowest bidder, threatening 2,000 Amtrak jobs and contributions to Railroad Retirement by shifting those jobs to non-union low-wage, low-benefits operators.

* It makes permanent a pilot program that allows any passenger rail provider to bid for any of Amtrak’s routes.

* It prohibits California from using any highway, transit, or passenger rail funds for development of high-speed rail.

To contact your House member and urge a “no” vote on H.R. 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, click on the following link:

www.contactingthecongress.org/

Then select your state, click on the name of your representative, and you have the information needed to send an email or fax, or make a phone call.

Freight rail, Amtrak and transit jobs, safety and Railroad Retirement are at risk if this bill is passed by the House of Representatives.

Tags American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, H.R. 7, jobs, railroad retirement

There are occasions when something so horrible is pending in Congress that we ask your immediate help in taking to the phones and email to alert your lawmaker to the concerns.

In this case, it is especially important if you are represented in the House of Representatives by a Republican, because the Republican leadership is pressing to find enough votes to pass the bill later this week.

The bill is a blueprint for multi-year transportation spending – supported by an anti-labor House leadership – that would have a most negative impact on the job security of bus, rail and transit workers.

It is H.R. 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, a wolf in sheep’s clothing if there ever was one. A better name would be the anti-jobs act.

Among the bill’s worst provisions are: