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From the SMART Transportation Division President’s Department:
As some state and local governments have begun to relax COVID-19 related precautions, Transportation Division (TD) Locals are advised they may choose to hold regular monthly meetings in June if conditions safely allow, and if permitted in accordance with state/local
guidelines. Locals choosing to resume meetings in June are reminded to observe the Centers for Disease Control’s illness prevention guidelines, which can be found at cdc.gov.
Locals not holding their meetings in June may continue to pay authorized expenses via the process outlined by this office in the March 17, 2020, circular. This advised officers and members seeking membership approval of expense submissions to utilize a version of a procedure that was previously available only to Local Chairpersons. For exact details and procedures, please reference the March circular. A copy of the claim form to be used can be obtained via TD Connect or by contacting this office.
Reimbursement for expenses via the five-signature claim form is only to be sought after fulfilling a legitimate duty of office, pursuing a matter as adopted and directed by the membership, or in fulfilling an assignment at the direction of an officer with authority over
the matter in question. It is not for members or officers to unilaterally assign themselves duties or make purchases and then seek a disbursement from the Local or the LCA.
As a reminder, there is no mechanism available for “official” meetings to be held via video conference. Among other concerns, such meetings pose a challenge to the constitutional requirement to keep the union’s business private, and some members might not have the equipment or skills to “attend” such meetings.
Further guidance will be circulated as the situation develops.

March 17, 2020

In line with White House recommendations that gatherings of more than 10 people be avoided to counter the transmission of the COVID-19 virus, SMART Transportation Division Locals are advised they may cancel monthly meetings in March and April 2020.
During this period only, officers and members seeking membership approval of expense submissions will be able to utilize a relaxed version of a procedure that was previously available only to Local Chairpersons.
In addition, a form is being made available for use by those seeking expense reimbursement. Any officer or member abusing the form and/or submitting fraudulent claims may be subject to removal from office, reprimand, penalties and fines in accordance with the SMART Constitution.
Questions regarding this procedure should be directed to the office of the Transportation Division President.

Making cents logo

Time to connect!

We’re closer to the rollout of the new TD Connect eBill system. Will you be ready?

The TD Connect eBill system is going to save treasurers valuable time and energy when it rolls out this coming January. With this paperless eBill system, the entire processing and submitting of the monthly bill is completed online in TD Connect.

A fall workshop schedule has been set up for S&Ts to learn how to use the new TD Connect system. Dates are:

  • Oct. 8, 9 & 10 – New Haven, CT
  • Nov. 5, 6 & 7 – Kansas City, MO
  • Nov. 12, 13 & 14 – Birmingham, AL
  • November 27, 28 & 29 – Rosemead, CA

Sessions will run 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. all three days and details about the locations will be provided soon. Attendance is limited to 30 registrants and will be accepted on a first-come basis. The three-day sessions will include all training and materials at no cost to the local. However, the local is responsible for all other costs associated with the treasurer’s attendance at the workshop. Lost time or salary, travel, hotel and meal expenses connected with attendance may be reimbursed if pre-approved by the membership at the local meeting as an allowable expense of the local. Help us plan accordingly and complete a workshop interest form so you can be among the first notified with location-specific details.

Handling E-49 in TD Connect

This new system has built-in logic that will help treasurers apply dues in compliance with Article 21B of the SMART Constitution.

For E-49 (dues exempt) status, the new TD Connect eBill system automatically flags members who did not provide dues payments when dues were received the month prior. The eBill system then requires a date that the member last worked to be entered in order to proceed.

Conversely, if a dues payment is received from a member who had been designated the month before as having an E-49 status, then that member will be flagged as an active member and a return-to-service date will be required in order to proceed.

The TD Connect system will calculate dues owed by the member once those required dates are entered.

The SMART Constitution requires (Article 21B, Section 49) that the Local Treasurer, President and Chairman monitor closely which members have E-49 status. Fulfilling this requirement and keeping track of these dates will make everyone’s job a bit easier. Members who are in E-49 status are required by the Constitution to complete, sign and turn in the E-49 form to the Local S&T, Local Treasurer or Local Chairperson.

A quick quiz for E-49:
Q: A member goes into active military service on July 20, 2018. When would that member qualify for exempt status?

A: September 2018.

Q: That same member then returns to the job on November 29, 2018. When would the member be required to pay dues again?

A: December 2018.

Questions
about the S&T’s roles and responsibilities?

Visit the S&T Tools page on the SMART TD website for guidance on getting the job done!

Still not sure?

Call the Field Support Help Desk at 216-227-5444. Drop-in help desk hours are 9a-5p (Central Time) M-W-F. Help desk appointments can be scheduled in advance for Tuesdays, Thursdays, weekends and evenings. Call or email fieldauditor@group.
smart-union.org to schedule an appointment.

Important dates coming up

Important dates

• By August 20 — SMART TD billings due at office

• By September 15 — Deposit and pay CT-1 taxes (rail Locals): https://www.eftps.gov/eftps/

For more info: SMART TD guide to paying Form CT-1 taxes

• By September 15 — Deposit and pay 941 taxes: https://www.eftps.gov/eftps/

For more info: SMART TD guide to paying and reporting Form 941 taxes

Be ready to use the new eBill system:

  • All 2018 paper (aka green-bar) bills must be submitted to TD prior to gaining access to eBill. We recommend working through your December 2018 bill as soon as possible. Do not wait until the December 20th deadline!
  • Local Treasurers must work to clear outstanding member variances.
  • Local Treasurers must work to develop a system between your members, local chairmen, local president and local treasurer to gather dates required to process E-49 statuses.

Locals must notify TD with dues rates

For proper record keeping and member maintenance, your local dues rates must match the SMART Transportation Division record in iLink. The structure consists of:

  • International (TD) dues
  • State legislative dues
  • General committee (GCA) dues
  • Local dues
  • Local committee of adjustment (LCA) dues

If the dues rates in WinStabs and iLink do not match, it will cause issues with your monthly billing.

Your dues structure can be checked through iLink by going to MEMBERSHIP > REPORTS > DUES SUMMARY REPORT.
If the dues levels for the international, state or GCA are not the same as what is reflected in iLink, then WinStabs would need to be updated, and you should contact the Field Audit Help Desk at fieldauditor@group.smart-union.org for assistance.

If the local or LCA dues levels are not the same as those shown in iLink, then the TD offices need to be receive an update. Please notify the Updating Department by calling 216-228-9400 or emailing Dora Wolf at dwolf@smart-union.org to get the discrepancy resolved.

If you have questions regarding the proper process for changing your dues rate or implementing assessments, contact the TD President’s Department at 216-228-9400.

Ask an Auditor

Q: We have a future meeting that falls on a holiday. The TD Constitution mentions that a quorum is required to switch the meeting time. How do we go about doing this?

In Article 21B, Section 55 of the SMART Constitution, it says that a quorum consisting of five (5) members in good standing is required for a transaction of business. If you have a regular or special meeting and a quorum of members is present, then a majority of the quorum would be required to carry a motion that approves the meeting schedule change on a one-time basis. This can be done informally through a show of hands.

Provided the motion to change the meeting date carries, “reasonable” notice should then be posted at all locations where affected members report for duty. “Reasonable,” according to the SMART Constitution, is at least five (5) days, but additional notice is always a good idea for people to rearrange their schedules, especially around a holiday. Posting the notice immediately after the meeting in which the change has been made wouldn’t be a bad thing to do.

If a local’s scheduled meeting does get changed, please notify the TD President’s Department of the new schedule. A new member or one who is returning to service could call the TD office asking about his or her local’s meeting schedule, and we would then be able to pass the information along.

To submit questions to Ask an Auditor, email fieldauditor@group.smart-union.org.

North Dakota locals will hold their annual Spring Swing meetings April 23-25, State Legislative Director James M. Chase reports. These meetings provide an excellent opportunity to learn about your benefits as a member and to visit with SMART Transportation Division officers, general chairpersons and representatives from UTUIA, the Railroad Retirement Board, designated legal counsel and health-and-welfare benefit providers.
All members and their spouses are welcome to attend any of the three meetings and lunch will be served at the conclusion of each meeting. For further information, call (701) 223-0061 or send email to utu4nd@gmail.com. The schedule is as follows:
•Wednesday, April 23, Locals 887, 980, 1137 and 1137-RRVW; 1 p.m. meeting at the Fargo Howard Johnson Inn at 301 3rd Ave. N., in Fargo; (701) 232-8850.
•Thursday, April 24, Local 525; 2 p.m. meeting at the Hilton Garden Inn, 4301 James Ray Dr., in Grand Forks; (701) 775-6000.
•Friday, April 25, Local 1059; 1 p.m. at the Vegas Motel, 2315 N. Broadway Ave. in Minot; (701) 839-3000.