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NLRB seeks to speed rep-votes; increase transparency

June 22, 2011 WASHINGTON – In a move organized labor has long pushed for, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) June 21 proposed new representation-vote rules that will speed-up the voting process and give more transparency to employer actions intended to discourage a “union, yes” vote [...]

Tags National Labor Relations Board, NLRB, representation votes; rep-votes, Stem; Bus

Benefit for Minn. member who lost both legs

June 22, 2011 Friends and former co-workers of UTU Local 1177 member Corey Kluver will hold a fundraiser for the Kluver family Saturday, June 25. Kluver, a 31-year-old BNSF conductor and father of three, lost both legs in a Willmar, Minn., rail yard accident Feb. 3. The benefit, including [...]

Tags kluver; cory kluver

New year for rail unemployment, sickness claims

June 21, 2011 A new year under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act for unemployment and sickness benefits begins July 1. The maximum daily benefit rate payable remains at $66 in the new benefit year. Benefits are normally paid for the number of days of unemployment or sickness over fou [...]

Tags railroad retirement, RRB, sickenss, unemployment

T&E worker numbers still on rise, but slowing

June 20, 2011 The number of trailers and containers hauled by major U.S. railroads hit its highest peak for 2011 during the week ending June 11, but the increase in train and engine service workers slowed from previous months. Major U.S. railroads originated more than 237,000 trailers and [...]

Tags employees, employment, T&E, train and engine workers

FMCSA names UTU bus officer to advisory panel

June 17, 2011 WASHINGTON – Bus Department Alternate Vice President Calvin Studivant has been named by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Anne Ferro to a 20-member congressionally created Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee. The committee will provide advice and r [...]

Tags bus, bus department, Calvin Studivant, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, FMCSA, Local 759

House Republicans launch assault on Amtrak

June 16, 2011 WASHINGTON — An assault on the future of Amtrak and its employees was launched June 15 by the chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), and the chairman of the House Rail Subcommittee, Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) The UTU and other [...]

Tags Amtrak, boardman, British Rail, Downs, Economist, Gunn, Hutchison, LaHood, Lautenberg, Menendez, Mica, Northeast Corridor, privatization, Rahall, Shuster

Wisconsin decision will embolden extremists

June 15, 2011 MADISON, Wis. – A divided state supreme court here June 14 ruled in a 4-3 decision that the state’s controversial law revoking collective-bargaining rights for public employees may go into effect – overturning an injunction issued by a lower court. This is important to UTU me [...]

Tags collective bargaining defense fund, Ohio, political extremists, UTU PAC, Wisconsin

Have you experienced unruly passengers?

June 15, 2011 The UTU, Amtrak and other labor organizations have designed a survey to aid in the development of training and awareness programs to assist Amtrak employees deal with unruly, disorderly or aggressive passengers. While development of this program is intended for Amtrak, all UT [...]

Tags Amtrak, passengers, survey, unruly

Bus safety crackdown meets House opposition

June 14, 2011 WASHINGTON – Increased authority for random safety inspections of tour buses and money for more safety inspectors received a lukewarm reception by the Republican leadership of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee June 14 following the request by Federal Mot [...]

Tags bus, bus safety, FMCSA

Cubs not alone with problems in Chicago

June 14, 2011 CHICAGO — Newspapers and television and radio stations here June 14 were asking Union Pacific, “Is this any way to run a railroad?” after a shortage of UP engineers caused the cancellation of six morning Metra commuter trains and inconvenienced thousands of passengers t [...]

Tags Chicago, Metra, scheduling, UP