The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) made public its report on positive train control (PTC) implementation and issued a trio of recommendations including extending the deadline, approving alternative safety technologies and granting provisional certification of PTC systems.
The report said three out of four freight railroads included in its review will not meet the Dec. 31, 2015, deadline and won’t have PTC implemented until 2017 or later. GAO interviewed representatives from Amtrak, the four largest freight railroads and seven commuter railroads, selected to represent a mix of locations, ridership levels and PTC implementation status. GAO also interviewed PTC experts and suppliers and reviewed FRA’s PTC regulatory impact analyses.
I was recently informed of the passing of one of our best bus vice presidents. Kenny Moore was the vice president that helped us at Local 23 to become part of this great organization. Kenny Moore was my mentor. He was active in Washington, D.C., and on the state and local levels on all issues pertaining to the Bus and Transit Departments. He was what every vice president should be. I am honored that I had the opportunity to know him. He will be missed, and I will never forget what he stood for. Rest in peace, Kenny Moore. Our condolences to his family.
I would like to thank all the people that attended the 2013 regional meetings. For those that were unable to attend, the Bus Department had a very unique set of presentations regarding the health and well-being of operator and transit workers.
In Boston, the presenters were from both the medical field and the Transportation Learning Center. They presented information on how our health is impacted by our work. Both Dr. June Fisher, M.D., and Robin Gillespie talked about the health issues so many of us are dealing with on a day-to-day basis: long hours sitting, the lack of restroom breaks, and the inability to access good food on the road. The discussions hit home for many of us.
In Anaheim, Dr. Fisher discussed health issues in transit and transportation, both here and around the world. Dr. Peter Schnall, along with Marnie Dobson, led an interactive workshop on stress in transit and its impact on our health. Amy Calvin and John Tatman from the Los Angeles MTA presented a wellness program that they created and discussed results of the program they have seen at the MTA in Los Angeles. These workshops had some of the best attendance by our brothers and sisters that I have seen in a long time. We had between 30 and 60 participants at workshops in Anaheim and about 25 in Boston.
President Mike Futhey came to our open bus workshop in Anaheim. He spoke with the bus members, answered their questions and spoke about the involvement of SMART in our Bus Department. It was an honor. We received updates from our members on what is happening on their properties and spoke about how we could get stronger. If anyone wants information from the workshops, please contact me and I will be more than happy to provide it. My email address is bmorr@smart-union.org.
Vice Local Chairperson and Legislative Rep. Glen E. Johnson has been elevated to the position of director of the SMART Transportation Division’s Human Rights Committee following the retirement of former director Frank Hickman Aug. 31.
Johnson
A member of Local 937 at Mart, Texas, Johnson hired out with Union Pacific in September 1978 and holds seniority as a conductor and brakeman.
Johnson was originally appointed as a coordinator to the Human Rights Committee by Transportation Division President Mike Futhey in 2010. He has already worked to save dozens of members’ jobs since taking on that position.
Aside from his current local office positions, Johnson also serves as local delegate and legislative chairperson of the Texas State Legislative Board. He has also served his local in the past as secretary & treasurer and chairperson. He brings more than three decades of working railroad experience to his newest position.
Hickman
The UTU established the position of human rights coordinator in February 2000 as part of a broad-based effort to educate UTU members and employers and to promote awareness of the advantages of diversity in the UTU and in society.
A team of UTU members and UTU International employees was chosen to make up the UTU’s Human Rights Committee to ensure that every voice within the organization is heard and respected.
The other members of the committee are Robert Gonzalez (1563), Billy Moye (1971), David Stinsman (1594), Samantha Taylor (1933), Jesse Turner (1290) and Transportation Division employee Barbara Bankston.
As solar continues to be a “hot” growth industry in the United States and other parts of the world, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) is feeling especially buoyant about the new job opportunities that will result from increased use of solar air heating. To lend support to the industry, SMART has become a member of the Solar Air Heating World Industries Association (SAHWIA) and will provide assistance to help promote the use of solar air heating, which will create new installation work for members.
Solar air heating systems are typically integrated onto a building’s wall or roof. They heat the ventilation air required in institutional, commercial, industrial and residential buildings. Solar air heating systems have a rapid ROI compared to other renewable energy technologies and have been used around the world for cold climate air heating or warm climate process heat (such as crop drying). Solar air heating systems have been widely used in the USA and Canada for over 20 years by manufacturing plants, military, agriculture, schools, multi-residential, municipal buildings, and commercial operations. They can displace up to 50% of a building’s heating load and thereby be a significant contributor to global climate change goals.
Solar air heating systems are typically installed by sheet metal contractors. This means that increased deployment in this particular solar technology directly creates employment for sheet metal workers and other similar construction trades. Increased employment has always been a positive economic objective for solar, and now SMART sheet metal members will be ready to participate in this growth by “solarizing” America’s walls and roofs.
According to General President Nigro, “SMART looks forward to the partnership with SAHWIA in expanding alternative energy solutions to improve environmental conditions and increase job opportunities for our skilled members.” SAHWIA is the industry association representing the companies engaged in the manufacturing, marketing, installation and sales of solar air heating technologies across Europe and in North America. Its mandate is to promote public awareness on the benefits, applications, and necessity of solar air heating, as well as to help develop the government policies and programs required to support and accelerate the widespread use of solar air heating throughout the world.
Six people were killed after a train crashed into a double-decker city bus in Canada’s capital Ottawa during rush hour on Wednesday, an emergency official said.
The driver of the bus and five passengers died in the crash, according to Craig Watson, the transit union’s president.
As 57,000 miles of U.S. crude pipelines threaten to lure business from railroads, Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific Corp. are sticking to their bet on the nation’s energy boom.
Domestic oil that was significantly cheaper than imported crude for the last two years allowed refiners to pay rail service’s higher transportation costs rather than use slower, less expensive pipelines. With the oil price difference now narrowing, the share of crude shipped by rail from Williston Basin region in and around North Dakota has decreased for three consecutive months, the longest string of declines since 2011.
The “Your Track to Health” brand represents the wide array of health and welfare benefits and resources available to eligible railroad employees and their dependents. Whenever you see “Your Track to Health” used on communications and in materials, you can know and trust that the information is important and is being provided to help you better understand and optimize your health and welfare benefits.
Register and you could win!
On Sept. 15, eligible railroad members will be able to securely register on yourtracktohealth.com. An email address is required to complete the online registration at yourtracktohealth.com.
Can securely access and manage your family’s health and welfare benefits account online.
Can use your new username and password to securely log into the Railroad Enrollment Services online portal to easily and conveniently change or enroll in your 2014 benefits during “open enrollment” this fall.
Could win an amazing prize!
Eligible members who register on the site will be automatically entered for a chance to win one of 15 prizes including:
An iPad® Mini (2)
A Kindle® e-Reader (3)
A SodaStream® soda maker (5)
$100 gift card to DICK’S Sporting Goods stores (5; redeemable online and in stores)
The yourtracktohealth.com website launched in July with a completely new look, feel and navigation, plus new healthy living content that may be used to help you improve your health. This new website replaced the previous Railroad Information Depot.
The gym known as Planet Fitness is well noted for its’ inexpensive membership fees. But why are they so cheap and who is paying the real price? Planet Fitness hires building contractors that are from outside the area who do not contribute to the community and bring in less skilled, unsafe workers. Also these contractors generally pay their employees far less than the community wage and benefit standards, which undercuts qualified hard working people within these neighborhoods. Planet Fitness wants your business, even though they are taking part in a “race to the bottom” business model that hurts your community, your friends and neighbors. This company helps to further erode the middle class and our working standards just so they can sell you a cheap gym membership. There have been quite a few Planet Fitness locations built in the Philadelphia region that are being constructed in this manner. There’s a way you can do something about this. If you are a member of one of their gyms, please contact them via email or phone (603-750-0001) and tell them that you will be ending your membership until they change their unfair building practices. If you aren’t a member of one of their gyms you can still contact Planet Fitness and tell them that you will never purchase a membership as long as they continue to harm working families and our communities.
Carrico
The SMART Transportation Division PAC contest recently concluded this past Labor Day with a total of $30,445 raised in PAC contributions. The person who raised the most amount for PAC was James E. Carrico, Jr., of Local 333 of North Vernon, Ind., with $5,660 raised. Coming in a close second was Michael Dunham of Local 311 of La Crosse, Wis., with $5,545.
When asked why he participated, Carrico said, “It’s part of my job as being an LR (Local Legislative Representative) and it was a challenge. Kenny (Edwards), the state director of Indiana, also convinced me to give it a try as well as at the urgings of others.”
To get the donations, Carrico went to local meetings to get members to sign up. “I wish we had more time to get more people to sign up. I think we could’ve gotten a lot more if the contest had lasted longer,” Carrico said of his efforts. “Really, I didn’t do anything. It was the members who stepped up and made it happen.
“PAC is important. I’ve been around PAC my whole life, what with my dad (James Carrico, Sr.) being state director. I’ve seen how it’s good for the future of the working people. “
Dunham
Carrico got six new members to commit to donating to PAC and the rest of the money he raised came from members who already donated in which he got to pledge to increase their donations.
The contest offered a round trip to Washington D.C. for two for three days and two nights with a tour of the U.S. Capitol, Supreme Court and Union Station. The trip also included access to the Smithsonian museums, dinner with the National Legislative Office leadership, a Congressional office visit with members of congress and a SmarTrip METRO pass. As second place winner, Dunham received a SMART TD watch.
Of course, Carrico and Dunham are both PAC club members.
Members wishing to contribute to PAC or to increase their donations can visit our webpage to learn more.
