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WASHINGTON — Since its creation four decades ago, Amtrak has perennially teetered on the edge of financial extinction, annually fighting down to the wire for minimal funds to keep it operating.This year is no exception. And while UTU member and retiree phone calls — along with tens of thousands of others from Amtrak supporters nationwide — helped defeat an Amtrak-killing effort in the House of Representatives Feb. 17, the assault on Amtrak continues.

And as one should always expect a train at a highway-rail grade-crossing, we should always expect a congressional assault on Amtrak.

Indeed, there are those who do NOT love a train; but there are far more who do.

Limiting the ability of those in lawmaking authority to kill Amtrak — or so severely hobble Amtrak that death would follow — is a perennial effort requiring vigilance and education.

For rail employees — freight and passenger — this is a matter of job survival and family financial security.

This is because Amtrak’s survival means more than jobs for 20,000 Amtrak workers.

It means survival of Railroad Retirement.

Without Amtrak — and its workforce that numbers 9 percent of all active rail workers — Tier II of Railroad Retirement would suffer the same fate as Amtrak. Railroad Retirement Tier II cannot remain solvent should 20,000 Amtrak workers disappear from the employment roles and participation in Railroad Retirement.

Thus, Amtrak’s survival is as important to all active and retired rail employees as it is Amtrak’s current workforce.

Here are points of light for rail employees to communicate to lawmakers:

  • The high cost of fuel, along with traffic and airport congestion, is drawing travelers back to trains for commuting and travel between cities as much as 500 miles apart.
  • A Pew Research poll found that the number of Americans who enjoy driving fell by 10 percentage points over a recent 15 year period — and highway traffic congestion, rather than higher fuel prices — was the reason.
  • The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials predicts that by 2020, some 90 percent of urban Interstate highways will be at or exceeding capacity.
  • Philadelphia officials estimate 50 additional flights daily would be needed to handle Amtrak passengers arriving and departing from that city.
  • Federal transportation officials estimate that without Amtrak service into Manhattan, 20 additional highway lanes, 10 new tunnels under the Hudson River and hundreds of acres of new more parking would be required.
  • Civil engineers estimate that two railroad tracks have the capacity to carry as many people each hour as 16 lanes of highway; and 300 miles of railroad use less land than a single commercial airport.
  • Railroads require less land than new highways and airports, they are less expensive to construct, they are more fuel efficient than highway or air transport, they are environmentally preferable to all competing forms of motorized transportation, and they are notably safer than highway travel.

To communicate these points to your elected lawmakers, click on the following link, and then type in your address and zip code to receive the name and direct office phone number of your elected lawmakers in the House and Senate:

www.contactingthecongress.org/  

SPRING VALLEY, N.Y. — Members of UTU Local 153 here, employed as school bus drivers by Chestnut Ridge Transportation, have ratified a three-year wage, benefits and work rules agreement.

The agreement provides the drivers with wage increases retroactive to Sept. 1, 2010, improvements in personal leave-day policy, training pay, and bereavement leave. UTU negotiators blocked attempts by the carrier for concessions.

UTU International Vice President Rich Deiser, who assisted in negotiations, praised the efforts of Local 153 negotiators, who included General Chairperson Wilner Baptiste, President Frantz Fils-aime, Vice President Canez Francois, Treasurer Barbara McIntosh and Secretary Wilfred Hatch.

New York State Legislative Director Sam Nasca also assisted with negotiations.


Heart Attack
Warning Signs


Cardiac Arrest
Warning Signs


Stroke
Warning Signs

  

Chest discomfort/chest pain

  

Sudden Loss of Responsiveness

  

Trouble seeing in one or both eyes

  

Discomfort in other areas of

upper body

  

No normal breathing

  

Disoriented, trouble speaking or

understanding

  

Shortness of breath

  

No response to tapping on

shoulders

  

Trouble walking, dizziness, loss of

balance or coordination

  

Nausea/vomiting

  

Loss of pulse and blood pressure

  

Severe headache with no known cause

  

Back or jaw pain

 

  

Numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body

  

It’s winter — the three months of the year during which a significant number of yard fatalities and career-ending injuries occur.

The FRA says risk is concentrated in cold-weather states, but those in warmer climates are not immune, because darkness is a factor along with cold weather and slippery ground conditions that contribute to falls.

An elevated risk during winter is the risk of being struck on mainline track by a passing train, says the FRA.

Of special concern this winter are new workers and experienced workers who have recently been brought back from furlough. “Productivity expectations should adjust to employee experience,” says the FRA, which urges that crew composition should pair an inexperienced employee with experienced employees when possible.

The UTU participates in the Switching Operations Fatalities Analysis (SOFA) working group, which includes labor, management and the FRA — all collaborating to bring railroaders home to their families in one piece.

SOFA’s five lifesaving tips can save yours:

  • Secure all equipment before action is taken
  • Protect employees against moving equipment
  • Discuss safety at the beginning of a job or when work changes
  • Communicate before action is taken
  • Mentor less experienced employees to perform service safely

 The SOFA working group also warns of special switching hazards:

  • Close clearances
  • Shoving movements
  • Unsecured cars
  • Free rolling rail cars
  • Exposure to mainline trains
  • Tripping, slipping or falling
  • Unexpected movement of cars
  • Adverse environmental conditions
  • Equipment defects
  • Motor vehicles or loading devices
  • Drugs and alcohol

During just the first nine months of 2010, the number of severe injuries in yard work increased to 47 from 40 in 2009; and eight railroaders lost their lives in switching accidents this year.

Going home to your family in one piece requires situational awareness. SOFA’s life saving tips are proven to reduce your risk of a career-ending injury or death while on the job.

To view the fourth quarter 2010 SOFA update, click here.

WASHINGTON — The White House fiscal year 2012 budget request submitted to Congress Feb. 14 is unexpectedly generous toward the various modes of transportation.

That said, the FY 2012 budget that emerges from a Republican-controlled House of Representatives and Democratic-controlled Senate later this year is likely to be quite different. FY 2012 begins Oct. 1.

The president’s budget request is the traditional starting point for congressional budget deliberations, which this year are expected to be quite polemical and fiery. In fact, Congress still has not finalized the FY 2011 budget, almost five months into the FY 2011 fiscal year. The federal government continues to operate under what are called “continuing resolutions,” which keep in place FY 2010 spending amounts.

Fiscally conservative Republicans already are on the attack against the Obama FY 2012 budget. For example, while the president’s budget request would provide Amtrak and high-speed rail with billions more in funding, House Republicans will consider this week significant cuts to Amtrak’s current fiscal federal funding, which, if enacted, could result in thousands of layoffs of Amtrak workers.

Substantial cuts in Amtrak funding and employment rolls would directly impact the Railroad Retirement system, placing Tier II Railroad Retirement benefits for all current and retired rail workers in jeopardy. For more on that concern, see the link at the end of this article.

The president’s FY 2012 budget request includes:

  • $8 billion for intercity passenger rail, to include operating, capital expenditure and debt service funds for Amtrak’s national intercity rail passenger network, as well as for new high-speed rail projects. The budget request intends for some of the funds to be used to accelerate refurbishment of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor linking Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York and Boston, and for 40 additional Acela Express train sets.

The budget request, however, requires Amtrak to compete for funds against high-speed rail projects in what President Obama calls a “race to the top process.”

A request to create a more broad Transportation Trust Fund — encompassing all surface transportation project funding, including passenger and freight rail, transit and highways — is certain to spark congressional controversy. The trucking industry has long been protective of the Highway Trust Fund, which would be included in the enlarged trust fund.

  • $233 million for ramped-up Federal Railroad Administration safety inspections, including additional safety inspectors. A provision requiring railroads to begin paying a safety user fee totaling $80 million annually is expected to meet opposition from the carriers in the form of heavy lobbying to prevent imposition of the user charge.
  • $4.9 billion for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for tougher enforcement of truck and bus safety.
  • $22.4 billion for the Federal Transit Administration for new starts, rehabilitation of transit rolling stock and to help transit agencies continue full operations during difficult economic times.  The budget request also calls on Congress to allow some funds already earmarked for new equipment to be used, instead, for operating costs — a request made by the UTU. The budget also recommends Congress give the FTA safety oversight authority over rail transit operations.
  • $195 million in essential air services grants to small communities — a subsidy important to commuter airlines whose pilots and flight attendants are represented by the UTU. The program, begun in 1978 to preserve rural air service following airline deregulation, would be limited in the future to those communities already receiving essential air service grants. Separately, fiscally conservative House Republicans are pushing to eliminate the program entirely.
  • $5 billion for a National Infrastructure Bank, whose grants and loans could be used for a variety of transportation projects, including freight and passenger rail and transit.

To learn more about the House of Representatives attack on Amtrak and high-speed rail, click on the following link:

www.utu.org/worksite/detail_news.cfm?ArticleID=53889

WASHINGTON — The House Appropriations Committee this week will consider a proposal to cut more than $200 million from Amtrak’s current fiscal year 2011 federal subsidy, which could result in reductions of Amtrak service and layoffs of Amtrak workers.

Also under consideration by the House Appropriations Committee is eliminating all federal funding to states for high-speed rail projects.

Should the committee approve those cuts, they still would face a vote on the House floor and in the Senate.

Amtrak carried 2.1 million passengers in January — the 15th straight month of ridership growth – and 4.6 percent more passengers than in January 2010.

A cessation of Amtrak service — proposed by the most fiscally conservative of Republican House members — would have a devastating impact on the Railroad Retirement system.

Amtrak’s almost 20,000 workforce represents some 9 percent of the some 220,000 active rail workers nationwide, who pay — along with their employers — into Railroad Retirement. Tier II of Railroad Retirement, funded solely by rail employees and employers, would suffer a significant loss were Amtrak eliminated, putting Tier II in immediate jeopardy.

UTU members employed by Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) have ratified two new four-year agreements affecting wages, benefits and working conditions.

Conductors, engineers, trainmen and yardmen ratified their tentative agreement by a 75 percent plurality, while Florida East Coast yardmasters represented by the UTU were unanimous in ratifying their new agreement.

Both agreements are retroactive to Jan. 1, 2009, extend through Dec. 31, 2012, and include retroactive pay.

UTU negotiators included General Chairperson John Hancock and Vice General Chairperson John Whitaker (both, GO 851), Local 903 Chairperson Jim Bush, and Local 1138 Chairperson Jim McCorkle. The UTU negotiating team was assisted by UTU International Vice President Robert Kerley.

Florida East Coast is a Class II, or regional, railroad, operating more than 350 miles of mainline track along Florida’s east coast. During 2010, the railroad completed 2,000 consecutive days of on-time service to UPS — a record for any transportation company serving the logistics giant. During that almost 5 1/2 year period, FEC delivered 125,000 on-time intermodal trailers and containers.

By Assistant President Arty Martin

As I travel the nation attending local and regional meetings, I am often asked, “What has the union done for me?”

Brothers and sisters, there is no “me” in “union.” Your union cannot make agreements for one individual, or a small sector of the seniority roster.

It has long been the practice of the UTU to make agreements that protect all members — from the youngest to the oldest on the seniority roster.

In unity, there is strength in numbers. Union is about bringing together, unifying, combining and blending.

By working together — mobilizing, collecting facts and speaking collectively in a single and strong voice — we have achieved gains that could not be possible otherwise.

A union is about the collective power of strength on behalf of all its members — protecting all members from discrimination of any form, making each of us a contractual employee rather than an employee at will, ensuring the right to a given job as defined by the collective bargaining agreement, and providing health and retirement benefits beyond what is found in other industries.

As we face inevitable change from technological discoveries and economic cycles, our membership has specific needs that the union works to satisfy at the bargaining table, in grievances, and before regulatory agencies, state legislatures and Congress.

Assuring equal protection for all members is the objective. As elected officers at all levels strive to achieve that objective, we must consider the entire membership and not one individual or a small group on the seniority roster.

The more active and involved local members are, the stronger the local, general committee, state legislative board and International will be.

It is essential that every member be active in their local, understand our collective bargaining agreements and learn to document carrier violations by making detailed notes of events, the exact location, who said what and witnesses.

By attending union meetings our members gain a better understanding of how a union works on behalf of its members.

It is the carrier that attempts to reduce or eliminate jobs, benefits and improved working conditions. Without the UTU, carriers would have a free hand in replacing you with someone willing to work for less, for fewer benefits and under less safe working conditions.

The next time you hear a disgruntled union brother or sister say what the heck has the union done for me, please respond in support of your union.

Together, through preparation and hard work, we must continue — with fire in the belly — the fight for what is right. But we must do it collectively with one voice and behalf of every member.

The UTU is unique in the labor movement. We are structured from the bottom up, meaning that you, as a member, vote for and elect your local representatives, who, in turn, elect general committee officers, state legislative directors and International officers.

This form of representation has served our members well.

Moving forward, we must continue to have solid, active members and locals to continue to provide the quality jobs, wages, benefits and protections that the UTU is known for.

The Federal Railroad Administration has a stark message for rail workers with safety-related duties:

Only use your cell phone when allowed or you could lose your job.

Emergency Order No. 26, which went into effect in October 2008, restricts the use by train crews and others in safety-sensitive positions of cell phones and other electronic devices.

The ban becomes permanent in March.

There is not an exception for personal emergencies.

How serious is the FRA about compliance?

The FRA warns that it can and will subpoena cell phone records, which show the date, time and location of cell-phone use.

In fact, when an accident occurs, the FRA routinely subpoenas the cell-phone records of all crew members involved, and sometimes of those employees on adjacent trains or yard crews.

If the FRA finds that a rail employee in a safety-sensitive position used their cell phone unlawfully during their tour of duty (even if it was hours before the accident) the FRA will notify the employer, who will then terminate the employee.

Workers found violating the ban also face being taken out of service by the FRA, and they face a $25,000 civil fine.

Be aware, also, that carriers may set up a sting to catch you in violation of the ban, such as by calling your cell phone number under the guise of testing compliance with the ban.

The simplest means of avoiding violation of the emergency order is to turn off all personal electronic devices when reporting for duty, stow them away from your person, and not retrieve or activate them until you are relieved from duty by the carrier.

The FRA issued the following statement:

“49 USC 20107(a)(1)-gives the Secretary of Transportation authority to conduct investigations and issue subpoenas in carrying out the railroad safety laws.

“49 USC 20902-grants the authority to investigate and issue subpoenas when railroad accidents [resulting] in serious bodily injury or damage to railroad property.

“18 USC 2703(c)(2)–The “Stored Communications Act”, permits FRA to issue subpoenas for certain basic stored electronic communications information, as we have subpoena authority granted via the two federal statutes listed above.

“The Secretary of Transportation has delegated his subpoena authority above to FRA at 49 CFR 1.49. FRA’s regulations also permit subpoenas to be issued, at 49 CFR 209.7(a) and at 49 CFR 225.31(b).”

Note, also, that if your phone is off and stowed and a rail official demands to see your phone, you can deny them on the grounds of personal privacy. However, do not put yourself in a position where you could be charged with insubordination.

If a confrontation occurs, report the incident to your local officers, general committee officers and/or state legislative director immediately as a violation of your personal privacy rights. As with all reports, it is important to write down the exact time and location, the name of the official, the names of witnesses and other information related to the matter.

The easiest way to avoid trouble? If in doubt, don’t.

For more information on the FRA’s cell-phone and electronic device ban, click on the following links:

https://www.smart-union.org/news/fra-to-make-cell-phone-ban-permanent-7/

https://static.smart-union.org/worksite/PDFs/Cell_phone_prohibition.pdf

The Railroad Retirement Board reports it has adjusted benefits — effective with February benefits checks — for more than 140,000 beneficiaries to reflect new federal income tax withholding rates.

The new rates comply with provisions of the congressionally passed Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010.

The new rates apply to withholding from the non-Social Security equivalent portion of Tier I, Tier II, vested dual benefits, and supplemental annuity payments, and will remain in use for the remainder of 2011.

The Railroad Retirement Board says that in the absence of a request not to withhold federal income tax or to withhold the tax at specific amounts, the board will withhold taxes only if the combined portions of the non-Social Security equivalent portion of Tier I, Tier II, vested dual benefit, and supplemental annuity payments are equal to or greater than an annual threshold amount.

In that case, the RRB withholds taxes as if the annuitant were married and claiming three allowances.

The annual threshold amount for 2011 is $1,587.99. The threshold amount for 2010 was $2,063.51.

Annuitants can use form RRB W-4P (Withholding Certificate for Railroad Retirement Payments) to request:

  • No federal taxes be withheld from their Railroad Retirement payments
  • Federal taxes be withheld based on the marital status and the number of allowances they wish to claim
  • An additional amount be withheld from Railroad Retirement payments

Form RRB W-4P may be downloaded at www.rrb.gov by clicking on “Benefit Forms and Publications,” and then clicking on “Income Tax.”

Annuitants who have questions regarding their tax liability should contact the nearest office of the IRS or visit www.irs.gov.