News - Page 447 of 694

Opinion: Want to be happy? Join a union

January 23, 2015 Fewer and fewer Americans belong to a union. Membership is down to a historic low of 11.2 percent of the work force, and only 6.7 percent of workers in the private sector. And if the nation’s confidence in the institution is any measure, not many people are mourning its dimin [...]

Tags unions

Opinion: Rail lines should not compromise safety

January 22, 2015 The Associated Press article on railroads’ collective push to reduce freight train crews from two persons to one is informative yet fails to address the very real danger of equipment, mechanical or infrastructure failure. As a matter of record I am a 40-year railroad co [...]

Tags Lloyd R. Holman, one-person crew, two-person crews

Q&As regarding Railroad Retirement spouse benefits

January 22, 2015 In addition to the retirement annuities payable to employees, the Railroad Retirement Act, like the Social Security Act, also provides annuities for the spouses of retired employees. Payment of a spouse annuity is made directly to the wife or husband of the employee. Divorced [...]

Tags Railroad Retirement Board, RRB, spouse benefits

Bargaining Update for Sheet Metal Mechanical and Engineering Members

January 21, 2015 The BMWED/SMART-Mechanical bargaining coalition met for the first time with the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC) yesterday at the NCCC’s offices in Crystal City, Virginia. The parties reviewed and discussed in general terms their respective “Section 6 notices” s [...]

A new year can mean a new you with Medicare

January 21, 2015 The start of a new year is the time for resolutions. Railroad retirees covered under Medicare can receive the help they need in making some of their resolutions a reality. According to USA.gov, the top three New Year’s resolutions are: Lose Weight Volunteer Quit Smoking [...]

Tags Medicare, obesity, Palmetto, Palmetto GBA, quit smoking

BNSF announces plans to expand capacity

January 19, 2015 BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) Jan. 15 announced more details about the major capital projects it plans to complete in 2015 to maintain and grow its rail network. In BNSF’s North Region, the company will invest approximately $1.5 billion across eight states for engineering maint [...]

Tags BNSF Railway

Union Plus scholarship deadline Jan. 31

January 15, 2015 The Union Plus Scholarship Program is once again offering up scholarships ranging from $500 to $4,000 to help union members and their children attend college. These one-time cash awards are for study beginning in the Fall each year and students may re-apply every year that th [...]

Tags AFL-CIO, Scholarship, Union Plus, Union Plus Scholarship

Treasurers’ workshop scheduled for Feb. 23-25

January 15, 2015 The SMART Transportation Division is conducting a second local treasurers’ workshop at its headquarters in North Olmsted, Ohio, Feb. 23-25. The treasurers’ workshop scheduled for Feb. 18-20 is full. Attendance is limited to 25 registrants. If demand for the workshop is [...]

Tags treasurers' workshops

Businessman offers to buy New Orleans Public Belt

January 15, 2015 A prominent local businessman has offered to buy the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad. In a statement released Wednesday morning, Thomas B. Coleman, a New Orleans native and former CEO of International-Matex Tank Terminals, said he wants to buy the Public Belt to spur the loc [...]

Tags New Orleans Public Belt Railroad

At least 10 killed when prison bus hits train in Texas

January 14, 2015 PENWELL, Texas – At least 10 people were killed Wednesday when a bus carrying state prisoners skidded off an icy highway overpass in West Texas, slid down an embankment and collided with a passing train, a county sheriff said. The overpass on Interstate 20 was slick with ice [...]

Tags bus, collision, Union Pacific