News Archive
RRB Q&A: Working after retirement
Retirees, and those planning retirement, should be aware of the Railroad Retirement laws and rules governing benefit payments to annuitants who work after retirement. The following questions and answers describe these Railroad Retirement work restrictions and earnings limitat [...]
Take Action to Protect Pensions
After a lifetime of hard work, working people deserve to retire with dignity. As a result of reckless Wall Street behavior, industry deregulation and courts that allow employers the liberal use of corporate bankruptcy, important parts of that multiemployer pension system are [...]
Rally Sunday in Iowa in support of Safe Freight Act
Legislative Representative Jordan Boone of Local 445 (Niota, Ill.) reports that National Legislative Director Greg Hynes will be speaking Sunday at a rally in support of the Safe Freight Act (H.R. 1748/S.1979) national two-person crew legislation. The rally is scheduled to be [...]
Members ratify agreement with Louisiana and North West RR
SMART Transportation Division-represented members who work on the Louisiana and North West (LNW) Railroad recently ratified a new contract to run through 2023. The agreement allows for a 3% raise, effective June 2019; a 3% raise in June 2020; and a 3% raise in June 2021. Thes [...]
Representatives protest PHMSA’s granting of special LNG transport permit
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has granted Energy Transport Solutions LLC of Doral, Fla., a special permit that allows for the transport of liquid natural gas (LNG) on a route from Wyalusing, Pa., to Gibbstown, N.J. U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio [...]
CDL holders: Registration open for FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse database
Voluntary registration with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is open and available online. The Clearinghouse was created as part of new CDL employer background check requirements to take effect Jan. 6 [...]RRB: Railroad Retirement and Unemployment Insurance taxes in 2020
The amounts of compensation subject to Railroad Retirement Tier I and Tier II payroll taxes will increase in 2020, while the tax rates on employers and employees will stay the same. In addition, unemployment insurance contribution rates paid by railroad employers will not inc [...]
More testimony needed in a fifth hearing on Ohio rail safety bill H.B. 186
State Legislative Director Stu Gardner reports that an additional round of testimony has been scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019, in House Hearing Room 114 in the Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Square in Columbus, regarding H.B. 186, a comprehensive railroad safety bill [...]