International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation WorkersVolume 46 • Number 11 • November 2014

Previsich testifies before Senate subcommittee on passenger rail

SMART Constitution now available online

public funding to provide excellent quality service tothe communities through which they operate.

“In my home state of California, I havewatched Caltrain in the San Francisco Bay Arealeverage a combination of local and federal fund-ing to revitalize the service and move from a lowof 5,500 boardings per day, when operated by aprivate enterprise, to the current figure of over53,000 boardings per day.

“In my home county of Santa Cruz, Calif., aplanning process is already underway to identifytransit corridors that will reduce the number ofdaily auto trips, decrease our use of fossil fuels andpromote more affordable housing. All acrossAmerica, communities are relying on transitfunding to invest in strategic planning that willpay back the investment many times over throughjob creation, community stimulus, an increasedtax base and better utilization of local resources.

“It is important to note that for more than100 years prior to the creation of Amtrak, pas-senger rail service was provided by private rail-roads. For at least 40 years prior to public fund-ing, the private rail carriers were unable to pro-vide passenger rail service without sustainingsignificant financial losses. It was because pri-vate operators were unable to continue to pro-vide that service without sustaining huge lossesthat Amtrak was formed.

“Amtrak was created to save rail passengerservice in America, but it must be rememberedthat the creation of Amtrak was also intended tosave our freight rail industry from economic ruin.America’s railroads were losing $1 billion peryear providing passenger service just prior to thecreation of Amtrak. That is $10 billion in today’sdollars. Had Amtrak not been established, Amer-ica’s rail system would have financially collapsed.

“Today, Americans support and want morepassenger rail. Amtrak has set ridership records in10 of the last 11 years and polling that our unionhas commissioned throughout the country shows Continued on page 10

Top leaders of the Transportation Divisionof the International Association of SheetMetal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers(SMART TD) and the Brotherhood of Loco-motive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET)announced Dec. 17 that their organizationswill be participating with four other railunions in coordinated bargaining in the

upcoming round ofnational negotiations.

On Dec. 8, 2014,BLET general chair-men and SMARTTransportation Divi-sion general chairper-sons each served bar-gaining notices ontheir respective rail-roads, including identi-

cal notices related to health and welfareand related benefits.

“Today we build on the successes ofjoint bargaining during the past two

national rounds,” saidBLET National Presi-dent Dennis R. Pierce.“Now, more than everbefore, it is imperativethat the unions repre-senting railroad operat-ing crafts sit side byside at the nationaltable, and I am pleasedthat we have been ableto accomplish that.”

“This is a landmark occasion for BLETmembers and SMART Transportation Divi-sion members alike,” said TransportationDivision President John Previsich. “Today’sannouncement builds on several years of

SMART TD, BLET, othersto bargain together

debated and resolved.The August proceedings in Las Vegas closed

with a show of unity, cooperation and newfoundstrength.

Of significance to SMART’s TransportationDivision membership, the amended constitutioncontained provisions for the addition of a secondvice president to the division’s Bus Departmentand the addition of a member of the AviationDepartment to the division’s board of appeals.

As noted in the October edition of the Trans-portation Division News, the Transportation Divi-sion’s board of directors selected former Alter-nate Vice President – Bus Calvin Studivant toserve as the division’s second bus vice presidentto serve the Bus Department’s growing member-ship. To fill the vacant office of alternate vicepresident – bus, the board of directors elevatedformer board of appeals member Alvy Hughes tothat position.

On Oct. 23, the Transportation Division’sboard of directors selected Charlotte Transit GOTMD Vice General Chairperson Brenda H.Moore (1715) to fill the open bus position on theboard of appeals. The board also chose GreatLakes Airlines Local 40 (Denver) President JohnNolan to fill the position of aviation representa-tive to the board of appeals.

Transportation Division News

SMART Transportation Division PresidentJohn Previsich testified before the U.S. SenateCommittee on Commerce, Science and Trans-portation’s Subcommittee on Surface Trans-portation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure,Safety and Security Dec. 10 at the Russell SenateOffice Building.

The hearing focused on the current state ofintercity passenger rail in the United States, theneed to invest for future growth and implicationsfor future legislative action. It was presided overby Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), chair-man of the subcommittee.

Previsich called on the committee and Con-gress as a whole to present a long-term vision forpassenger rail that includes predictable, dedicat-ed sources of funding.

“Public investment in our nation’s passengerrail system is truly an investment in our nation’sfuture. Passenger rail is a critical part of our nation-al transportation infrastructure, an important driv-er of our national and regional economies, and is amiddle-class job creator,” Previsich said.

“I can speak to this matter from personal experi-ence. In my capacity as a union representative, Ihave been involved on passenger rail properties fromcoast to coast that have leveraged various forms of

Previsich

Pierce

overwhelming support for more service andincreased funding for Amtrak. This is not a parti-san issue – our polls show that Democrats andRepublicans in red states and blue all stronglysupport continued and improved Amtrak service.

“Unfortunately, this comes at a time wheninadequate federal funding has caused ournation’s passenger rail system to age and deterio-rate. As Amtrak’s annual budget requests haveestablished, its aging fleet needs replacing and

The official SMART Constitution, as amend-ed by SMART delegates at the first SMARTGeneral Convention, is now available on boththe SMART website at www.smart-union.organd the Transportation Division website atwww.utu.org.

In January 2014, the SMART Sheet Metal andTransportation Division officers completed consti-tutional modifications required by the terms and

conditions of themerger between thetwo predecessor organ-izations. That docu-ment incorporated theformer UTU Consti-tution into the formerSMWIA Constitutionas Article 21B of themerged document. Atthat time, all conflictsbetween Article 21Band the remainder ofthe constitution were

resolved in order to effectuate the merger.In 2014, delegates to the SMART Trans-

portation Division convention proposed rec-ommendations for amendments to the consti-tution. At the first SMART General Conven-tion held Aug. 11-15, those amendments were

SMART Transportation Division President John Pre-visich, seated, discusses his testimony with Amtrak GO769 General Chairperson Dirk Sampson prior to a Dec.10 hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Com-merce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee onSurface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastruc-ture, Safety and Security.

Continued on page 10

Page 2 November 2014 SMART-TD News

Local 199, Creston, Iowa

Local 486, Glendive, Mont.Beginning in January, this local will hold a

monthly photography contest for its members for itswebsite photo gallery, member Michael Shumwayreports. “Each monthly winner will receive a $50prize and all photos submitted will be included inthe website’s photo gallery, with each monthly win-ner being featured on the website’s homepage,”Shumway said. Photographs will also be eligible tobe included in the yearly Transportation Divisioncalendar for Alumni Association members. Thewebsite can be found at www.utu486.com.

Local 303, Springfield, Mo.

Local 607, Thayer, Mo.

Around the SMARTAround the SMART TDTDIn the desolate tract of land adjacent to the

Farmingdale, N.Y., railroad tracks, a buff-col-ored stray German shepherd was familiar toLong Island Rail Road passengers and crews.

One day, about five years ago, “Pretty Girl”was visited by a kind lady who fed her. Thatkind lady is SMART Transportation Divisionmember and LIRR conductor Clara T.Campbell of Local 645 at Babylon, N.Y.

Campbell and hercoworkers named herPretty Girl and Campbellbegan putting out food forher in bowls on a near dai-ly basis. Other co-workersquickly followed suit.

For nearly five years,Campbell provided foodto the dog. She fed hersteak and bread, ham-

burger meat and canned dog food – mealshigh in protein with good nutritional con-tent. As time went by, she decided to and res-cue the dog from the elements. It was timethat Pretty Girl got a good home.

Campbell first contacted animal controlofficers in the town of Oyster Bay. Afterattempting to rescue the dog, they informedher that they were unsuccessful. With anothercold winter rapidly approaching, and at her witsend, she recruited the help of a good friend. Aplan for Pretty Girl’s capture was in order.

The two novice trappers studied the dog’shabits and were able to snare her in a largecage with a trap door.

The dog was taken to the Massapequa Hos-pital for Animals. Veterinarians discoveredthat Pretty Girl was infested with ticks andhad Lyme disease. Pretty Girl’s medical billswere paid for by the animal rescue group, LastHope. The group says that she will go througha specialized animal rehab program that willhelp re-socialize her to live with a family.

Who else is more deserving to adopt thisdog other than Campbell? In a heart-break-ing twist, individuals have come forwardclaiming to be the dog’s owners after hearingabout Campbell’s story in the media. Theyhave purportedly submitted documentationproving that the dog was theirs when it ranaway five years ago.

While Campbell admits that her chancesto adopt Pretty Girl have now diminished,she is still holding out hope.

SMART’s LIRR General ChairpersonAnthony Simon said, “We are extremelyproud of Clara. She is just another example ofa SMART Transportation Division membergoing above and beyond the call of duty bydoing the right thing. Our membership hereon Long Island is a dedicated group and itprovides safe transportation and always goesthe extra mile. Clara is one of many who dis-play these traits each and every day. I couldnot be prouder of our entire membership.”

Whatever the adoption outcome, congrat-ulations to Clara Campbell who, in a modernworld often characterized as indifferent,cared enough about this suffering creature toget it out from the cold.

Conductor nabs stray dogafter five-year rail odyssey

www.utu.org / www.utuia.org

Local 240, Los Angeles, Calif.“This year’s 14th annual rail reunion and

retirement dinner Nov. 7 for Southern Pacific,Union Pacific, Pacific Electric, Amtrak,ATSF/BN, and Metrolink had a great turnout,with more then 190 in attendance from allcrafts,” Local Chairperson Harry Garvin Jr.reports. “We even had a retired company officer.Everyone had great time and all are looking for-ward to next year’s reunion Nov. 6.” Garvin alsonoted the death of retired conductor Douglas L.

West, who died Oct. 31. He retired March 1,2004, after 42 years of service and is survived byhis wife, Doris, and a son and daughter. Local240 wishes everyone “Happy Holidays.”

Local 911, Minneapolis, Minn.Retired former Local 911 Chairperson Fred J.

Croes Jr., 78, a mentor to many United Transporta-tion Union and SMARTTransportation Division offi-cers in the Upper Midwest,died Nov. 12 of natural caus-es. During his railroad career,he served his local in a vari-ety of capacities, mostnotably as local chairperson,legislative representative anddelegate. He also served as avice general chairperson of

Soo Line – Milwaukee Road GO 261. He attend-ed UTU International conventions from 1971 to1999. He retired in May 1998. “Brother Croes wasa remarkable leader. He was a fixture at regionalmeetings and conventions for years. I rememberWillis Croonquist once telling me, ‘Croesknows the federal regulations better than theFRA inspectors do,’” said Transportation Divi-sion National Legislative Director John Risch.Croes is survived by his wife of 59 years, Jan;children Andrea, Denise, Marcia (Ken) Gall-away, David (Sherry), Lisa (Doug) Strenke; 10grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Local 1162, Erwin, Tenn.Retired former Local Chairperson Bruce A.

King, 70, died Sept 24 at the Johnson City Med-ical Center with family and friends by his side,Secretary & Treasurer W. Ray Thompsonreports. A CSX conductor, King was a member ofthe UTU for 47 years, during 16 of which heserved as local chairperson. He was a faithfulmember of Alcoholics Anonymous for 31 years,serving as a sponsor to many in their quest forsobriety. He was preceded in death by his wife,Sherry, and survived by his son, Tony; his daugh-ter, Stacey, and two grandsons.

Local 1701, Montebello, Calif.

Local 1741, San Francisco, Calif.In the fall, this bus local negotiated a contract

for its Durham School Services drivers in SanCarlos, Calif., GO SFS General ChairpersonPaul Stein reports. The six-year agreement pro-vides a 4.5 percent wage increase for the first yearand cost-of-living adjustments each year there-after, based on the Consumer Price Index. Mem-bers will also receive a new paid holiday for LaborDay, their eighth. Representing the drivers wereGO SCS General Chairperson Bergman Zuniga,with assistance from former Transportation VicePresident Bonnie Morr and Stein.

Newly hired conductors for BNSF Railway here completedtheir class Nov. 21, Local Secretary & Treasurer RyanKing reports. Pictured in the front row, from left, are Tan-ner Holman, Richard Dills, Ryan Lamb, Chase Bensonand Matt Turnbough. In the back row, from left, areStoney West, Brian Powell, Allan Brown, BenjaminBurns, Josh Lindberg and Ricky Smith. Congratulations.

The members of this BNSF Railway local recently recognizedthe retirement of three members in November, Local Chairper-son Billi Vavra reports: Lonnie Grail, who hired out withChicago & North Western Transportation Company in 1976;Dale Hoepker, who hired out with Burlington Northern in1978; and Jamie Hayes, who joined BN in 1972. Hayes andHoepker are pictured above. “All were great members andmentors and will be missed tremendously,” Vavra said.

Longtime Local Chairperson Steve McElhany was hon-ored with a retirement celebration at the Springfield BNSFRailway Terminal Dec. 2 after more than 42 years of serv-ice, Legislative Rep. Jeff Nichols reports. McElhany is pic-tured above with his wife and daughter. “Steve hired outwith the Frisco Railroad when he was 18 years old. Heserved as chairperson for conductors and brakemen formore than 20 years and was a convention delegate. Healso worked as a new-hire training coordinator along withLocal Chairperson Scott Perryman. I can count on onehand the union meetings Steve missed over the last 10 yearsand they were usually because he was on duty and out oftown,” Nichols said.

Campbell

SMART members gather outside a city council meeting inMontebello in October after council members approved amemorandum of understanding regarding the payment ofpension contributions and rest and meal periods for Trans-portation Division members employed by the city’s TransitDepartment. At an earlier council meeting, Sheet MetalLocal 105 Business Rep. Tim Hinson approached Local1701 Chairperson Cecilia Lopez, who was wearing aSMART T-shirt, and asked if he could help by bringingmembers from his local to the next council meeting in sup-port of 1701, General Chairperson Tom Pate reports.“One Local 105 member, who regularly used the transitsystem, addressed the council. In the end, three localswere represented at the council meeting, including 1701,Sheet Metal 105 and 1674. It was fantastic to see the uni-ty between Transportation and Sheet Metal. This group iswhat the union is all about,” Pate said.

Croes

www.utu.org / www.utuia.org

November 2014 SMART-TD News Page 3

Compensation subject to RRB taxes to increase in 2015The amounts of compensation subject to rail-

road retirement Tier I and Tier II payroll taxeswill increase in 2015, with the Tier I tax ratesremaining the same while Tier II tax rateswill increase for both railroad employersand employees. Also, railroad unemploy-ment insurance contribution rates paidby employers will include a surcharge of1.5 percent in 2015.Tier I and Medicare Tax – The Railroad

Retirement Tier I payroll tax rate on coveredrail employers and employees for the year 2015remains at 7.65 percent. The Railroad RetirementTier I tax rate is the same as the Social Security tax,and for withholding and reporting purposes isdivided into 6.20 percent for retirement and 1.45percent for Medicare hospital insurance. The max-imum amount of an employee’s earnings subject tothe 6.20 percent rate increases from $117,000 to$118,500 in 2015, but there is no maximum onearnings subject to the 1.45 percent Medicare rate.An additional Medicare payroll tax of 0.9 per-

cent applies to an individual’s income exceeding$200,000 or $250,000 for a married couple filinga joint tax return. While employers will beginwithholding the additional Medicare tax as soonas an individual’s wages exceed the $200,000threshold, the final amount owed or refunded

will be calculated as part of the individual’s Fed-eral income tax return.

Tier II Tax – The Railroad Retirement Tier IItax rate on employees will be 4.9 percent in2015, and the employers’ rate will be 13.1percent. The rates in 2014 for employeesand employers were 4.4 percent and 12.6percent, respectively. The maximumamount of earnings subject to RailroadRetirement Tier II taxes will increase from

$87,000 to $88,200 in 2015. Since 2004, TierII tax rates are based on an average account bene-fits ratio reflecting Railroad Retirement fund levels.Depending on this ratio, the Tier II tax rate foremployees can be betweenzero percent and 4.9 per-cent, while the Tier II rate for employers can rangebetween 8.2 percent and 22.1 percent.Unemployment Insurance Contributions –

Employers, but not employees, pay railroadunemployment insurance contributions, whichare experience-rated by employer. The RailroadUnemployment Insurance Act also provides for asurcharge in the event the Railroad Unemploy-ment Insurance Account balance falls below anindexed threshold amount. The accrual balanceof the Railroad Unemployment InsuranceAccount was $140.8 million on June 30, 2014.Since the balance is less than the indexed thresh-

old of $141.2 million, a 1.5 percent surcharge willbe added to the basic contribution rates for 2015,but will not increase the maximum 12 percentrate. There was no surcharge in 2014 or 2013,although a surcharge of 1.5 percent applied in2012.As a result, the unemployment insurance contri-

bution rates (including the 1.5 percent surcharge)on railroad employers in 2015 will range from theminimum rate of 2.15 percent to the maximum of12 percent on monthly compensation up to$1,455, an increase from $1,440 in 2014.In 2015, the minimum rate of 2.15 percent will

apply to 77 percent of covered employers, witheight percent paying the maximum rate of 12 per-cent.During the year, new employers will pay an

unemployment insurance contribution rate of4.09 percent, which represents the average ratepaid by all employers in the period 2011-2013.

Transportation Division sets

2015 regional meeting sitesThe SMART Transportation Division has

set the dates and locations of the union’s two2015 regional meetings.The western regional meeting will be held

June 29 – July 1 at the Arizona Biltmore inPhoenix.The eastern regional meeting will be held

July 13-15 at the Rhode Island ConventionCenter in Providence. Accommodations will beavailable at both the connecting Omni Provi-dence Hotel and the Providence Biltmore.Both regional meetings will run Monday

through Wednesday. The Transportation Division’s officers and

director of meeting management will contin-ue to finalize details of both meetings in thecoming months. Check www.utu.org regular-ly for meeting updates.

SMART Transportation Division-representedconductors and trainmen employed by the Cana-dian National/Illinois Central Railroad have rat-ified a new six-year agreement, Vice PresidentDave Wier reports.The agreement provides for six annual wage

increases retroactive to Aug. 1, 2010, with thefinal wage increase to be effective Jan. 1, 2015,totaling 18.6 percent and resulting in a cumula-tive wage increase of 20.08 percent over the lifeof the agreement. The accord includes conductorcertification pay rolled into the rates of pay andfull retroactive back pay for all active trainmenand employees that retired or died subsequent toAug. 1, 2010.The agreement also lowers the calculated

vacation qualification days from 240 to 160 days;increases the meal allowance to $12 after fourhours and every eight hours thereafter at theaway-from-home terminal; improves bereave-ment leave; provides for a furlough retentionboard; institutes provisions for temporary transferto other CN properties, and establishes seniorityon the first day of compensated service.It also establishes regular assignments after four

consecutive days of similar-type work and pro-vides for six-and-two and four-and-two work restcycles with local negotiations concerning eleven-and-three work rest cycles. Participation in theNational Health and Welfare plans continues.“The work rest cycles are, six days of work fol-

lowed by two days of rest, and four days of workfollowed by two days of rest, in a 14-day period,”Wier said. “The 11 and three is subject to localnegotiations and includes ‘Smart Rest,’ to allowan employee’s consecutive work days to be resetby taking a 24-hour period off. This complieswith Rail Safety Improvement Act regulations.”Wier, who assisted with the mediated negotia-

tions, expressed his appreciation to CN/IC GO401 General Chairperson Tracy Bublitz (234),retired General Chairperson R.W. “Red” Dare(1525), GO 433 Acting General ChairpersonWilliamButch St. John (1557) and GO 433 Gen-eral Committee Secretary Jerry “J.J.” Russum(1334) for their exceptional effort in bringing themembers’ concerns to the bargaining table.“This agreement will make their members

some of the highest paid rail employees in thecountry,” Wier said.

Treasurers receive training at Atlanta workshop

SMART Transportation Division Auditors Bobby Brantley and Mike Araujo conducted a three-day local treasurers’ workshopat the Hampton Inn & Suites Atlanta Airport North Oct. 6-8, 2014. The workshop provided local treasurers with hands-ontraining on the responsibilities and reporting duties pertaining to their office, including direct receipts and Winstabs. It alsofocused on completion of mandatory filings for Labor Management reports, IRS Form 990 and Department of Labor require-ments. Pictured, from left, are Keith Hartley (1501), Mike Laughlin (533), Araujo, Ernie B. Suazo (1701), Carl E. Schab(60), Bernard Gray III (1033), Charles K. Burn (427), Benjamin Vang (64), Milton L. Driver III (back row, 1290), T.Craig Spangler (974) and Brantley (back row).

SMART’s CN/IC members ratify retroactive agreement

SOFA warns of winter-related safety issuesThe upcoming months are historically the

most deadly time of year for railroad workers,with more career-ending injuries than any oth-er period of the year.In February 1998, a Switching Operations

Fatalities Analysis (SOFA) working group,with representatives from the Federal RailroadAdministration (FRA), labor and manage-ment, was formed at the request of the FRA toreview employee fatalities and to develop rec-ommendations for reducing fatalities in switch-ing operations. It is a voluntary, non-regulatory,workplace-safety partnership that looks forcommonalities among the fatalities that occurduring switching operations.SOFA consultant Dr. David Skinner, who

has been a part of the working group since itsinception, has compiled a summary notice toboth railroads and rail crews currently experi-encing winter-related conditions. To view thenotice, enter “Dr. David Skinner” in theSearch box at www.utu.org.As the onset of winter is upon us, take note

of the following safety measures to help avoid acareer-ending injury or loss of life during thewinter months:•Be sure winter clothing does not restrict

movement or degrade hearing and vision.•Identify any winter-related conditions affect-

ing safety. For example, ice can cause derail-ments. Ice, snow and mud can cause falling.Snow can muffle sound and reduce visibility.•Adjust productivity expectations based on

darkness and weather.•Discuss winter conditions in safety briefin-

gs and post any weather-related concerns onbulletin boards.•Do not lose situational awareness, no mat-

ter the other circumstances in your family orpersonal life.

“So this is Christmas, And what have youdone, Another year over, And a new one justbegun,” so sang John Lennon.

The holidays are a good time for all of us toponder what we have done to make life bet-ter for our families, our brothers and sisters inthe workplace, and the communities inwhich we live.

I love a new year; 2015 offers a fresh startwith new opportunities to make some progressfor our membership and in our personal lives.The year 2014 is water under the bridge, anddwelling on past mistakes and lost opportunitieswastes precious time and energy.

There are opportunities, and of course chal-lenges, in store for our union this year and we arepreparing to address them all.

National negotiations with the big freight rail-roads are front and center. John Previsich, ourTransportation Division president, has assembleda great negotiating team and this team, alongwith our general chairpersons, have establishedour priorities. The rail industry, of course, hasother priorities, but then that’s the nature of col-lective bargaining.

The good news is the industry is in very goodfinancial shape and the future looks great forfreight rail in America. Our big freight railroadsare investing in their infrastructure and are hir-ing far beyond normal attrition levels, meaningthere will be more jobs in the industry in 2015than in 2014.

It makes sense for America to expand ourfreight rail network for a number of reasons:shipping by rail is better for the environment;it’s more fuel efficient, it relieves highwaycongestion and freight rail doesn’t rely on gov-

ernment investment, because it is almostentirely privately funded.

As for passenger rail, Amtrak continues to setridership records and needs less federal operatingassistance every year. Amtrak, however, continuesto need additional money to invest in infrastruc-ture and equipment. We will be working withAmtrak’s leadership to make that case in Congress.In addition to Amtrak, passenger rail is expanding.

California is proceeding with their high-speed railproject and there are other passenger rail proposalsin Florida, Texas, Nevada and elsewhere.

For our bus members, there arealways challenges for adequatefunding at the federal and statelevels. Our national office and ourstate legislative directors will beworking to make sure transitagencies get the money they sore-ly need. But the big picture forpublic transportation is that moreyoung people are opting out ofcars in favor of public trans-

portion. So the future is bright here as well.There is no question the 2015 Congress, and

many of the state legislatures, are more conser-vative and less supportive of public transporta-tion and organized labor in general than in2014. So be it. We will make our case thatinvestments in public transportation, andadopting policies that encourage the expan-sion of rail, is not just good for our members,but is good for America as well.

So this is Christmas. And while we will havelots of challenges in 2015, it’s a great time to bein our industry and for that reason we are trulyblessed.

Wishing you and your family all the best thisholiday season.

Fraternally,

John RischNational Legislative DirectorSMART Transportation Division

By John Risch

SMARTSMART

Transportation DivisionTransportation Division

Officer’s ColumnOfficer’s Column

Our goal for the coming year is growth.Through growth, we will be able to maximize ourunion’s bargaining strength for the betterment ofeach and every member. It is in everybody’s self-interest to help out in these efforts.

While workers on every Class I railroad mustbelong to a union, not every one of them is amember of SMART. Because of this, it is easierfor the carriers to pit workers against each otherdue to those employees being in separate organi-zations.

Our ability to bargain is further hurt when shortline carriers utilize the lower pay of their non-unionworkforce to undermine the standards we built.

That cannot be allowed to continue and weneed to challenge these threats to the advancesthat those that came before us made.

We have a long trip ahead of us in the comingyears. It will not always be easy, but that which isworth doing never is.

We now have theframework and the foun-dation to forge a unitedpath forward thanks toour new constitution andthe hard work and dedi-cation put in by dele-gates from the trans-portation and sheet met-al industries.

As we enter the holi-day season and makeplans for the New Year, Iam humbled by the com-mitment of so many of

our brothers and sisters across thisunion. We work tirelessly to build andkeep our country moving forward.

The sky is the limit to what we canaccomplish when every part of thisunion comes together to build a betterfuture for every member.

On behalf of General Secretary-Trea-surer Joe Sellers, the General ExecutiveCouncil and myself, I wish you a safe

and happy holiday season.

Fraternally,

Joe NigroSMART General President

While we are thankful, we must continue to build for the future

Page 4 November 2014 SMART-TD News

www.utu.org / www.utuia.org

“The 2015 Congress will be lesssupportive of transportation andlabor. We will make our case thatinvestments in public transporta-tion and adopting policies thatencourage the expansion of rail isnot just good for our members,but is good for America as well.”

In the spirit of the holiday season, Iwant to focus on what we have to bethankful for as we leave 2014 behind.

For one, our First SMART GeneralConvention will go down as the seminalmoment when our two former organiza-tions merged into a strong, united unionbuilt to improve upon our advance-ments of the past.

This has been a long time coming. Already, local unions from coast to coast and

everywhere in between are working together tosolve the challenges that face us.

In New York, we showed what we can accom-plish when we stand united. I was proud to seesheet metal workers, mechanics, and sign hangersjoin conductors and their fellow workers instanding together for what became a fair contractfor members on the Long Island Rail Road.

We built on that success by moving forwardwith organizing and bargaining advances inplaces like Tennessee, Pennsylvania, NewMexico, Colorado, New Jersey, Michigan andCalifornia.

Already, leaders from the local level represent-ing both the transportation and sheet metalindustries are coming together to learn abouthow to launch strategic campaigns customized forevery industry we represent.

By Joe Nigro

SMARTSMART

General President’s General President’s

ColumnColumn

John Previsich,SMART Transportation Division President

president_td@smart-union.org

John Risch,SMART Transportation Division National Legislative Director

jrisch@smart-union.org

Contact us: news_td@smart-union.orgPhone (216) 228-9400; fax (216) 228-5755

For the latest news, visit www.utu.org; also, register

on the SMART TD website to receive news alerts via email.

Risch: ‘Another year over. And a new one just begun’

“Our goal for the coming yearis growth. Through growth, wewill be able to maximize ourunion’s bargaining strength forthe betterment of each andevery member. It is in every-body’s self-interest to help outin these efforts.”

HappyHol iday s !

Georgia State Legislative Director Matt Campbell intro-duces Georgia Senate President Pro-Tempore David Shafer(R), who gave the keynote address to attendees of the Geor-gia Railroad Association’s Freshman Legislator Workshop.

Pictured in the top row, from left, are Chase, GO 261Vice General Chairperson Gavin Lindahl (980), LocalChairperson Gerry Wallace (590) and Local PresidentTrevor Koop (980). In the bottom row, from left, are GO261 General Chairperson Jim Nelson (980), AlternateLegislative Rep. Duane Steedsman (980), Heitkamp, GO261 Vice General Chairperson Tim Baird (887) and LocalSecretary & Treasurer Chad Waldoch (980).

www.utu.org / www.utuia.org

November 2014 SMART-TD News Page 5

State Watch News from SMART TD State Legislative Boards

Georgia

North Dakota

Wisconsin

Washington

In a letter to the editor published Oct. 24 in theFond du Lac Reporter, State Legislative DirectorCraig Peachy wrote a response to an article pub-lished Sept. 13 entitled, “More trains lead to traf-fic delays at crossings.”

“A train blocked the 175 Highway crossing formore than five hours Sept. 7. Almost immediate-ly, three misguided Republican congressmen mis-diagnosed the problem and proposed Congresspass a law that would require railroad workers towork longer hours.

“The problem with this incident is not thefault of the crew on the train. Rather, it lies withbad decisions by railroad managers.

“The train blocked the crossing because a rail-road manager refused to communicate with thetrain crew and forced them to pull the train to apoint where it blocked the highway crossing,knowing full well there were places where thistrain could have parked that would not haveblocked a crossing.

“Railroads are ever increasing train lengths to9,000 to 10,000 feet, when road crossings are gen-erally located on section lines approximately amile apart. Add to the mix that some railroadswant to go to one-person train crews, which wouldmake it impossible to cut road crossings.

“What is the solution? Better managementdecisions, shorter trains and the continuation ofat least two persons on every train.”

Bus DepartmentBy Alvy Hughes, Alternate Vice President-Bus

ALVYHUGHES1@GMAIL.COM

Winter is coming, so let’s be safe out thereAlthough winter hasn’t arrived yet, many states have already seen win-

ter conditions and record snowfall. It’s that time of the year that U.S. roadsand highways can be hazardous for transportation.

According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), more than70 percent of the nation’s roads are located in snowyregions that receive more than five inches of averagesnowfall annually. Nearly 70 percent of the U.S. popula-tion lives in these snowy regions.

These conditions can be especially difficult for busoperators, as many people depend on us to get them totheir destinations safely and on time.

We need to be extra cautious and prepared this season.Here are a few preventive measures you should practiceto keep you and your passengers safe.

•Facility lots and walk areas may be in horrible condition due to weath-er. Watch for slick spots – especially ice – when approaching your bus.Always take the safest path.

•Make sure to do proper pre-trips. Checking tires, defroster, wiperblades, mirrors, lights and heating system are especially important in win-ter. If you discover any issues during your pre-trip, please write it up andreport it to the proper company personnel. If your issues aren’t addressed,please contact your local union legislative representative.

•Many companies have a “no idling” policy to save on fuel, but it’s veryimportant that you take some time to warm-up your vehicle.

•Be aware of the conditions around you at all times and remember thatthe posted speed limits are for normal road conditions.

•Enhanced driving skills, alertness and reaction time are needed in win-try conditions. (Bridges freeze first, and many exit ramps can be challeng-ing due to the fact they may receive less attention than main roads.)

•Watch out for pedestrians.•Always buckle your seat belt.Our main goal is to be safe. All operators should have buses that are

equipped with the necessities to handle the winter weather. Make sure thatyou put yourself and your passengers in the safest position at all times.

Hughes

Ill. Legislative Director Guyresponds to Amtrak attack

SMART Transportation Division’s Illinois State Legislative DirectorBob Guy responded to a “letter to the editor” published in the Nov. 5issue of the The News-Gazette and Guy’s letter was published by the news-paper Nov. 13.

The original letter by Corrine Ann Williams of the Heritage Foundation wasa call to stop increased funding for Amtrak and put the carrier “on a path

toward privatization.”Guy’s response is below.“A recent letter about Amtrak from the Heritage Founda-

tion regurgitated tired arguments that Amtrak critics havespewed for decades, that Amtrak receives taxpayer assis-tance, doesn’t run on-time, should be privatized and (myfavorite) blamed the workforce, yet dismisses ridershiprecords attained nearly every year for a decade.

“The author gripes about taxpayer assistance, but omitsthe fact that roads and aviation don’t nearly pay for themselves and rely on pub-lic support. The state of the highway trust fund and its seemingly yearly bailoutis proof enough.

“The author slams Amtrak for on-time performance, but admits it’s thefreight railroads’ fault, yet insists that’s no excuse. Handling of Amtrak bytheir freight “hosts” is a huge problem, especially Chicago-Champaign,which is why Amtrak is taking action, having the Surface TransportationBoard investigate Amtrak’s handling by Canadian National Railway.

“The author blames the unionized workforce for their “above-market” wages.What market? These aren’t 9-to-5 jobs. Amtrak’s highly skilled, trained, safe-ty-sensitive employees work every single day serving the most precious cargo,passengers.

“Finally, the author retreads ‘privatization.’ Forty-plus years ago, Congressallowed railroads to shed passenger service; it wasn’t profitable. If these sameprivate railroads, while enjoying record revenue and profits, could make pas-senger rail profitable, they would. But they can’t, so they don’t!

“Amtrak should be accountable to taxpayers. But, with a generation of youngpeople driving less to stay electronically connected and relocating to localeswith public transportation, why starve a transportation mode Americans areobviously demanding.”

Northwest Now is an Emmy-award winningweekly public affairs show that goes beyond theheadlines to provide perspective on the issuesthat have western Washington talking.

In the episode, Northwest Now took a closer lookat coal trains and the two proposed terminals thatwould be used to export coal and oil through Wash-ington. To view this episode online, enter “North-west Now” in the Search box at www.utu.org.

The Transportation Division’s Georgia StateLegislative Board was a sponsor of the GeorgiaRailroad Association’s Freshman Legislator Work-shop, Legislative Director Matt Campbell reports.

“The freshman legislators learned about thefreight rail industry and important issues such asrail funding, truck sizes and weights, and elimina-tion of the sales tax on diesel fuel used by locomo-tives,” Campbell said. “SMART TransportationDivision is the only union member of the GRA,which represents 25 freight railroads that operatein Georgia.”

Guy

U.S. Sen. Heitkamp (D-N.D.) recently spoketo employees of Canadian Pacific Railway aboutagricultural shipment delays, her support for railworkers and the need for CP to get back on trackwith its shipments, Legislative Director JimChase reports.

“North Dakota’s farmers rely on consistent railservice to get their products to market so they can

make a living and support their families. But thedisappointing reality is that extreme backlogshave hurt our state’s farmers, unnecessarily cost-ing them time and money,” said Heitkamp.

“Rail workers, including those from CanadianPacific, have shown a great deal of commitmentthrough these difficult circumstances to helpfarmers and address these agriculture shipmentdelays – but we need those at the top of the com-pany to get on board and make real changes.

“We can’t have this same problem happenagain next year. We need to make sure all ofNorth Dakota’s farmers, grain elevators, and util-ities have the certainty and rail service they needduring this harvest and in the future.”

Washington State Legislative Director HerbKrohn Nov. 7 appeared on Northwest Now, aPublic Broadcasting System program that airsin Washington on Television Station KBTC.

www.utu.org / www.utuia.org www.utu.org / www.utuia.org

Page 6 Page 7November 2014 SMART-TD News November 2014 SMART-TD News

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UTU PAC contributions for 2013Your top-performing local legislative representatives

Alabama598 Mobile .21622 Birmingham 1.99762 Montgomery 2.32772 Sheffield .47847 Birmingham .601053 Selma .301291 Birmingham 1.471887 Fairfield .001972 Birmingham .18State Average .84

Alaska1626 Anchorage .86State Average .86

Arizona113 Winslow 7.71807 Tucson 2.921081 Glendale 17.221629 Phoenix 6.021800 Tucson 4.22State Average 7.62

Arkansas221 North Little Rock 1.14462 Pine Bluff 2.01507 Van Buren 1.87656 North Little Rock .68733 DeQueen 5.07950 West Memphis 12.41State Average 3.86

California23 Santa Cruz 2.0331 San Jose 11.0032 Glendale 1.4284 Los Angeles 2.42 98 San Luis Obispo 2.02100 Oakland .61239 Oakland .86240 Los Angeles 7.54492 Sacramento .64694 Dunsmuir 2.35771 Needles 1.29811 San Bernardino 3.36835 Bakersfield 1.231201 Stockton 1.051241 Richmond 1.121252 Fresno .251422 Los Angeles 1.911544 Maywood 2.681563 El Monte 1.171564 Los Angeles 1.391565 West Hollywood 1.201570 Roseville 1.091581 Bakersfield 1.791584 Lancaster .001607 Los Angeles 1.161608 Chatsworth 1.771674 Los Angeles 5.581694 Barstow .501700 Perris .001701 Montebello .001730 Richmond .911732 San Jose 1.311741 San Francisco .001770 Los Angeles .661785 Santa Monica .411801 Martinez .301813 West Colton .771846 West Colton .61State Average 1.69

Colorado40 Denver .00201 Trinidad 1.48202 Denver 3.68204 Pueblo 4.50500 Grand Junction 2.92945 La Junta 3.811136 Sterling 3.24State Average 2.80

Connecticut277 Hartford .00328 New Haven .111361 New Haven .841672 New London .17State Average .28

Delaware1378 Wilmington 1.83State Average 1.83

District of Columbia1522 Washington 1.441933 Washington 3.19State Average 2.31

Florida30 Jacksonville 3.74903 Jacksonville .621035 Lakeland .191138 Miami 3.931221 Tampa .89

Average UTU PAC contribution per member, per month in dollars for 2013

1312 Pensacola .291502 Wildwood 1.071504 Sanford 1.821900 Miami .00State Average 1.39

Georgia511 Atlanta 1.38535 Macon 1.60674 Augusta .75941 Columbus .74998 Waycross .771031 Savannah 1.431033 Atlanta .761245 Atlanta 1.181261 Atlanta 1.121263 Valdosta .811598 Manchester .401790 Fitzgerald .621910 Macon 1.111971 Atlanta .69State Average .95

Idaho78 Pocatello 5.61265 Pocatello 2.191058 Nampa 2.41State Average 3.40

Illinois168 Chicago 2.67171 Aurora 1.41195 Galesburg 2.76196 Beardstown 3.00198 Peoria .27234 Bloomington 10.13258 Rock Island 1.04432 Champaign-Urbana 4.04445 Niota 2.30453 Clinton 3.20469 Madison 4.34528 Chicago 1.36565 Centralia 7.50577 Northlake 1.58597 Des Plaines 4.72620 Chicago 3.16653 Blue Island 2.24740 Joliet .84768 Decatur 2.51979 Salem .431003 Kankakee 1.411083 Villa Grove .471258 Elgin 3.011290 Chicago 2.901299 Chicago 3.831358 Danville 1.361402 Dupo 2.291421 Franklin Park 9.471423 Galesburg 1.911433 Elmwood Park 2.921494 Chicago 3.821525 Carbondale 5.551534 Chicago 3.211597 Chicago 3.651883 Riverdale 1.751895 Chicago 1.871929 East St. Louis 2.021973 Chicago 1.45State Average 2.96

Indiana6 Indianapolis 2.21194 Elkhart 2.74206 Peru 4.13298 Garrett 4.39333 North Vernon .93490 Princeton 9.86744 Frankfort 6.15904 Evansville 3.471202 Fort Wayne 1.481381 Hammond 1.901383 Gary .541518 Indianapolis 2.651526 Michigan City 2.251548 Indianapolis 5.431620 Elkhart 4.651663 Indianapolis 2.41State Average 3.45

Iowa17 Marshalltown 3.84199 Creston 4.31228 Cedar Rapids 1.59306 Eagle Grove 2.15316 Clinton 1.80329 Boone 1.93418 Sioux City .53493 Waterloo 3.18646 Council Bluffs 2.34867 Des Moines 3.45State Average 2.51

Kansas44 Phillipsburg 2.3194 Kansas City 3.63412 Kansas City 3.98464 Arkansas City 1.08

477 Newton 1.29495 Salina 2.45506 Herington 1.45527 Coffeyville .88533 Osawatomie .72707 Marysville 8.63763 Pittsburg .98774 Atchison 1.00794 Wellington 4.031227 Wichita 1.731409 Kansas City 2.061503 Marysville 4.691532 Kansas City 4.19State Average 2.65

Kentucky376 Louisville .33573 Danville .52630 Ashland 1.19785 Paducah .211190 Ludlow .701310 Loyall .801315 Covington .391316 Ravenna 1.111328 Louisville .641377 Russell 1.341567 Corbin 2.801963 Louisville .23State Average .85

Louisiana659 Leesville .81781 Shreveport 1.90976 Shreveport 2.461066 New Orleans .581337 New Orleans .791458 DeQuincy 2.381501 Baton Rouge 3.221545 Monroe 1.531678 Minden 2.121836 New Orleans 1.121947 Lake Charles .68State Average 1.60

Maryland430 Cumberland .81600 Cumberland .28610 Baltimore .55631 Brunswick 1.571470 Edmonston 4.711949 Baltimore .25State Average 1.36

Michigan72 Battle Creek 1.66278 Jackson 9.29313 Grand Rapids 7.34320 Saginaw 2.57886 Marquette 4.701075 Trenton 8.191183 Port Huron 3.071438 Lincoln Park 1.021477 Dearborn .631709 Pontiac 8.311760 Detroit 2.39State Average 4.47

Minnesota650 Minneapolis 3.17911 Minneapolis 1.751000 Minneapolis 1.591067 Virginia 5.491175 Duluth 4.111177 Willmar 1.731292 Proctor 2.001614 St. Paul 1.751976 St. Paul .69State Average 2.47

Mississippi427 McComb 2.98584 Meridian 1.14853 Amory .481088 Jackson .431334 Hattiesburg 1.05State Average 1.22

Missouri5 Kansas City 1.84185 Brookfield 5.07219 Hannibal 9.85226 Moberly 1.78259 St. Joseph 3.85303 Springfield 3.60330 Poplar Bluff 2.02349 Kansas City 4.03607 Thayer 2.78643 Kahoka 3.82933 Jefferson City 5.09947 Chaffee 2.891216 Kansas City 2.141388 St. Louis 3.551403 Kansas City 2.221405 St. Louis 2.931780 Kansas City 5.131823 St. Louis 2.271975 Kansas City 1.16State Average 3.47

Montana486 Glendive 3.12544 Havre 5.75730 Great Falls 5.11891 Whitefish 8.171840 Glasgow 7.61State Average 5.95

Nebraska7 North Platte 3.12200 North Platte 3.97257 Morrill 1.93286 North Platte 6.92305 Lincoln 2.65367 Omaha 3.49626 McCook 3.96627 Wymore 4.70872 Omaha 7.02934 Alliance 2.20962 Alliance 2.98State Average 3.90

Nevada1043 Sparks 1.341117 Las Vegas 5.061775 Elko .00State Average 2.13

New England States254 Fitchburg 1.92262 Boston 2.51352 West Springfield .26587 Greenfield .35663 Bangor .47679 Attleboro .00898 Boston .171400 South Portland .001462 Boston 2.531473 Boston 1.24State Average .94

New Jersey60 Newark 2.07710 Newark .15759 Newark .27800 Jersey City 3.341390 Trenton .621413 Jersey City 1.201445 Elizabeth 3.141447 Newark 1.741558 Bergenfield .721589 New Brunswick .09State Average 1.33

New Mexico1168 Clovis 2.341687 Belen 6.24State Average 4.29

New York1 Buffalo .6029 Babylon .7195 Rensselaer .36153 Spring Valley .00167 Albany .22211 Binghamton .13212 Albany .24256 Watervliet .58292 East Syracuse .00318 Hornell .83377 Salamanca .00394 Albany .19645 Babylon 1.68722 Babylon 1.55982 Rochester .031007 Syracuse .071370 New York .791393 Buffalo .371440 Staten Island .321491 Port Jervis .001566 Buffalo .591582 Albany .311831 Babylon 3.571908 Buffalo .001951 Albany .331978 New York .50State Average .54

North Carolina0782 Asheville 4.230783 Spencer .441011 Hamlet .281105 Wilmington 1.191106 Rocky Mount 1.081129 Raleigh 15.871166 Charlotte 1.171596 Charlotte .541715 Charlotte .01State Average 2.76

North Dakota0525 Grand Forks 1.160887 Harvey 2.600980 Enderlin 3.121059 Minot 1.971137 Fargo 2.311344 Mandan 2.74State Average 2.32

UTU Political Action Committee Donation Form

24950 Country Club Blvd., Suite 340, North Olmsted, OH 44070-5333

“To have a strong union, you must have a voice in your local union, attend your local union

meetings and support and contribute to your PAC fund. Here at Local 854, all members

(100 percent) contribute to the PAC fund. We teach our new members by example.

I am a proud Gold Club member. When I greet a new member with an application to join,

they also receive a PAC form with information that all 854 members support our PAC.”

Ronnie R. Hobbs, Local 854 Legislative Rep.

Robert “Scott” JonesLocal 1081

Jared M. CostelloLocal 1129

Ronnie R. HobbsLocal 854

Bruce A. PrzybylskiLocal 312

Brian J. HageleLocal 234

Shawn NanceLocal 490

Joseph H. WingerterLocal 219

Steven R. EvansLocal 950

Kamron T. SaundersLocal 508

Wilbur J. WitzelLocal 31

Ohio2 Toledo .4614 Cincinnati .08138 Lima 1.03145 Columbus 1.21225 Bellevue 1.08284 Cleveland 1.11378 Cleveland .14421 Conneaut 1.02440 Sharonville .47496 Portsmouth .21586 Willard .52601 Crestline .00792 Cleveland .20860 Middleport .05991 Steubenville .161365 Youngstown .651376 Columbus 1.111397 Columbus 1.891529 Walbridge .291816 Toledo 1.091928 Toledo 1.121948 Youngstown .311962 Toledo .50State Average .64

Oklahoma770 Heavener .52894 Tulsa 1.451016 Enid 1.721042 Oklahoma City 3.731188 Oklahoma City 1.381289 Tulsa 1.13State Average 1.66

Oregon0283 Portland 4.950471 Eugene 6.090473 La Grande 4.061573 Klamath Falls 1.961574 Portland 1.671841 Klamath Falls 3.41State Average 3.69

Pennsylvania61 Philadelphia .66172 Darby .00300 Philadelphia .99309 Altoona .00340 Connellsville .18386 Reading .72498 Allentown .43596 Albion .00632 Altoona .00816 Harrisburg .17830 Harrisburg .73838 Philadelphia 2.231006 Brownsville .081074 Freeport 1.161373 Philadelphia 1.831374 New Castle 1.451375 Philadelphia 3.471379 Pittsburgh .181418 Conway .291594 Upper Darby .811628 Pittsburgh 1.14State Average .79

South Carolina407 Charleston .82793 Columbia 2.22931 Greenville .84942 Florence .33970 Abbeville .641814 Spartanburg 3.31State Average 1.36

South Dakota64 Huron 2.50233 Aberdeen .22375 Edgemont .84State Average 1.19

Tennessee338 Chattanooga 1.19339 Jackson 7.64750 Knoxville 1.81753 Memphis .00974 Nashville .651162 Erwin .391301 Knoxville .201308 Bruceton/Hollow .801314 Etowah .641345 Knoxville .091346 Nashville .181420 Memphis .581557 Memphis 2.68State Average 1.30

Texas9 Slaton 3.7711 Houston .2418 El Paso 1.8420 Beaumont .72243 Fort Worth 1.32293 Houston .72331 Temple 1.40439 Tyler 2.88

489 San Antonio 3.09508 Smithville 12.03513 Gainesville 1.81524 Palestine .85564 Cleburne .77569 Ennis 1.68594 Mineola 2.38756 San Antonio 1.86773 Galveston 2.60818 Fort Worth .71821 Del Rio 8.65823 Big Spring .39857 San Antonio 2.17878 Greenville .96923 Dalhart .64937 Mart 1.40940 Wichita Falls 2.36949 Sherman .46953 Victoria 4.13965 Dallas 1.791092 Teague 4.351205 Kingsville 1.171313 Amarillo 1.651524 Houston .171571 El Paso 2.541593 Brownwood 1.391670 Laredo 1.911886 Houston 1.751892 Houston .641904 Houston 3.471918 El Paso 1.131957 Silsbee 5.801974 Fort Worth 1.73State Average 2.23

Utah166 Salt Lake City 6.94238 Ogden 1.761294 Milford 2.241366 Salt Lake City 1.041554 Ogden 2.18State Average 2.83

Virginia48 Norfolk .41363 Roanoke .84623 Clifton Forge 1.22662 Richmond .37706 Roanoke .82769 Alexandria 1.36854 Portsmouth 13.19924 Richmond .92971 Crewe 2.721601 Appalachia .26State Average 2.21

Washington117 Vancouver 3.46161 Seattle .31324 Seattle 1.74426 Spokane 1.07556 Tacoma 2.04845 Seattle 2.14855 Spokane 1.57977 Pasco 1.211238 Vancouver .251348 Centralia 1.521505 Spokane .261637 Wishram .961713 Everett .371977 Seattle .70State Average 1.26

West Virginia118 Hinton .06504 Wheeling .39605 Grafton 3.47655 Bluefield .20915 Handley .661062 Huntington 1.651172 Mullens .701327 Peach Creek .071386 Parkersburg .111869 Williamson 1.58State Average .89

Wisconsin281 Milwaukee 3.93311 La Crosse 4.25312 Madison 12.51322 Milwaukee 6.05581 Green Bay 2.00582 Stevens Point 2.93583 Fond du Lac 2.76590 Portage 3.22832 Superior 3.141293 Altoona 2.641382 Milwaukee 1.67State Average 4.10

Wyoming446 Cheyenne 2.60465 Gillette 2.34866 Rawlins 2.18951 Sheridan 4.881279 Greybull 5.491280 Casper 3.121857 Green River 5.93State Average 3.79

Local AmountArizona 7.62Montana 5.95Michigan 4.47New Mexico 4.29Wisconsin 4.10Nebraska 3.90Arkansas 3.86Wyoming 3.79Oregon 3.69Missouri 3.47Indiana 3.45Idaho 3.40Illinois 2.96Utah 2.83Colorado 2.80North Carolina 2.76Kansas 2.65Iowa 2.51Minnesota 2.47North Dakota 2.32District of Columbia 2.31Texas 2.23Virginia 2.21Nevada 2.13Delaware 1.83California 1.69Oklahoma 1.66Louisiana 1.60Florida 1.39Maryland 1.36South Carolina 1.36New Jersey 1.33Tennessee 1.30Washington 1.26Mississippi 1.22South Dakota 1.19Georgia .95New England States .94West Virginia .89Alaska .86Kentucky .85Alabama .84Pennsylvania .79Ohio .64New York .54Connecticut .28

How does yourstate stack up?(Average UTU PAC contributions permember, per month)

(Average UTU PAC contributions per member per month)

Local City Amount

1081 Glendale, Ariz. $17.22Robert S. Jones, Legislative Rep.

1129 Raleigh, N.C. 15.87Jared M. Costello, Legislative Rep.

854 Portsmouth, Va. 13.19Ronnie R. Hobbs, Legislative Rep.

312 Madison, Wis. 12.51Bruce A. Przybylski, Legislative Rep.

950 West Memphis, Ark. 12.41Steven R. Evans, Legislative Rep.

508 Smithville, Texas 12.03Kamron T. Saunders, Legislative Rep.

31 San Jose, Calif. 11.00Wilbur J. Witzel, Legislative Rep.

234 Bloomington, Ill. 10.13Brian J. Hagele, Legislative Rep.

490 Princeton, Ind. 9.86Shawn Nance, Legislative Rep.

219 Hannibal, Mo. 9.85Joseph H. Wingerter, Legislative Rep.

If You Want a Say…Give a Dollar a Day

UTU Alumni AssociationPage 8 November 2014 SMART-TD News

www.utu.org / www.utuia.org

News, information for members of the UTU Alumni Association

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portions of railroad retirement employee andspouse annuities, and the Tier I, Tier II, and vest-ed dual benefit portions of survivor benefits.

All earnings received for services rendered,plus any net earnings from self-employment, areconsidered when assessing deductions for earn-

ings. Interest, dividends, certain rental income,or income from stocks, bonds, or other

investments are not considered earningsfor this purpose.

Retired employees and spouses,regardless of age, who work for their lastpre-retirement non-railroad employer are

also subject to an additional earningsdeduction, in their Tier II and supplemental

benefits, of $1 for every $2 in earnings up to amaximum reduction of 50 percent. This earningsrestriction does not change from year to year anddoes not allow for an exempt amount.

A spouse benefit is subject to reduction notonly for the spouse’s earnings, but also for theearnings of the employee, regardless of whetherthe earnings are from service for the last pre-retirement non-railroad employer or other post-retirement employment.

Special work restrictions continue to be appli-cable to disability annuitants in 2015. Themonthly disability earnings limit increases to$850 in 2015 from $840 in 2014.

Regardless of age and/or earnings, no railroadretirement annuity is payable for any month inwhich an annuitant (retired employee, spouse orsurvivor) works for a railroad employer or railroadunion.

Georgia rail retirees hold barbecue, swap tales from the rails

Landfall Travel offers 2015Alaskan land, sea vacation

Landfall Travel – the official travel agencyof the UTU Alumni Association – is offeringan 11-night Alaska land and sea vacationAug. 19 – Aug. 30, 2015.

Travelers will begin their journey with aseven-day “Voyage of the Glaciers” cruiseaboard a Princess Cruise ship, with visits toGlacier Bay National Park and the HubbardGlacier or College Fjord, and visits to theports of Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan. Onday seven, they’ll enjoy a scenic rail journeyon the Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail service.

Day eight of the trip has members depart-ing on a scenic motorcoach journey, arrivingat the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge fora two-night stay. On day nine, members canenjoy the attractions of Denali NationalPark, with an included history tour detailingthe flora and fauna of the area. On day 10,guests will reboard the motorcoach and trav-el to the Mt. McKinley Princess WildernessLodge, where they’ll have spectacular viewsof the mountain. The final night of the jour-ney allows members to explore Anchorageand all it has to offer.

Interested parties can contact LandfallTravel directly at (440) 799-8977 or toll-free at (800) 835-9233 for more informa-tion. Fares start at $1,883 per person, basedon double occupancy. All members are wel-come. You do not have to be a member of theAlumni Association to enjoy this excursion.

Railroad Retirement annuitants subject toearnings restrictions can earn more in 2015 with-out having their benefits reduced as a result ofincreases in earnings limits indexed to averagenational wage increases.

Like Social Security benefits, some RailroadRetirement benefit payments are subject todeductions if an annuitant’s earningsexceed certain exempt amounts. Theseearnings restrictions apply to those whohave not attained full social securityretirement age. For employee and spouseannuitants, full retirement age rangesfrom age 65 for those born before 1938 toage 67 for those born in 1960 or later. Forsurvivor annuitants, full retirement age rangesfrom age 65 for those born before 1940 to age 67for those born in 1962 or later.

For those under full retirement age throughout2015, the exempt earnings amount rises to$15,720 from $15,480 in 2014. For beneficiariesattaining full retirement age in 2015, the exemptearnings amount, for the months before themonth full retirement age is attained, rises to$41,880 in 2015 from $41,400 in 2014.

For those under full retirement age, the earn-ings deduction is $1 in benefits for every $2 ofearnings over the exempt amount. For thoseattaining full retirement age in 2015, the deduc-tion is $1 for every $3 of earnings over theexempt amount in the months before the monthfull retirement age is attained.

When applicable, these earnings deductionsare assessed on the Tier I and vested dual benefit

T H E F I N A L C A L L

Following are the names of recently deceased members who maintained annual membership in the UTU Alumni Association, according to reports received atUTU International Headquarters. These brothers and sisters will be missed by their many friends and by fellow UTU Alumni Association members.

Rail retiree earnings limits to rise in 2015

Local Name City/State Local Name City/State Local Name City/State

Railroad retirees from Georgia held a barbecue in Portal, Ga., on the cotton farm of retired Seaboard Coast Line (CSX) con-ductor Jackie Anderson (1031) Nov. 12. “It is great to see these men who worked so hard for so many years be able to enjoythe fruits of their labor,” said Georgia State Legislative Director Matt Campbell. “The stories they tell could be wrapped into aNew York Times best selling novel.” Pictured in the top row, from left, are Gary Weitman, Joe Fletcher (30), Johnny Campbell(1031), Lester Igou, Lamar Lanier (942), Anderson, Billy Whitfield (1031), Mike May (1031), Ricky Fail, Jimmy Hendley(1031), Jerry Brantley and Roy Thigpen. In the bottom row, from left, are Paul Deloach, Mickey Fell (1031), J.C. Smith,Ed Cope (1031), Buzzy Zetterower, Paul Myers, Gerald Cook and Harold Miller.

1 Yusz, Danial P. Lake Placid, Fla.2 Chism, Warren C. Elkhart, Ind.2 Stage, Jack Northwood, Ohio94 Albin, Ernest B. Emporia, Kan.118 Anderson Jr., Garland E. Hinton, W.Va.202 Jorstad, John T. Thornton, Colo.206 Varvel, Lawrence C. Oakwood, Ill.225 Cook, Clifton C. Bellevue, Ohio262 Welsh, Edward V. Palm Bay, Fla.284 Grabowski, Ted J. Cleveland, Ohio305 Aukerman, Timothy W. Lincoln, Neb.

306 Miller, Hiram O. Sioux City, Iowa311 Harrison, Lyle A. La Crescent, Minn.322 Flisiak, Paul B. Valparaiso, Ind.329 Smith, L.J. Greenwood, Ariz.376 Redden, Clayton L. Georgetown, Ind.464 Givens, Harold W. Edmond, Okla.493 Reed, William B. Lena, Ill.496 Finn, Kevin D. Wheelersburg, Ohio511 Odom, Dennis D. Decatur, Ga.590 Dopp, J.H. Portage, Wis.605 Deleurere, George H. Hendricks, W.Va.

694 Olsen, Wayne J. Redding, Calif.771 Wilmot, William W. Needles, Calif.792 Cline, Jack C. Morristown, Tenn.793 Goldson Jr., Harry L. Columbia, S.C.911 Linn, Clarence E. St. Paul, Minn.1075 Roberts, Richard H. Trenton, Mich.1344 Zander, Nicholas Bismarck, N.D.1382 Malicoat, Russell G. Woodruff, Wis.1388 Trickey, Clyde V. Farmington, Mo.1709 Anderson, Archie D. Belleville, Mich.

UTU Alumni Association member WalterDemich (586) advises that Lorain, Ohio, Chapter9 of the Association has begun having meetingsevery second Tuesday of the month at 10 a.m. Thechapter briefly closed after former head Tim Smithdied. Members meet to discuss Railroad Retire-ment, healthcare and other issues. Meetings areheld at the Amherst Diner at 46323 Telegraph Rd.(Route 113), South Amherst, Ohio. ContactDemich at (440) 233-7801 for more information.

Lorain, Ohio, Alumni chaptermeeting monthly again

November 2014 SMART-TD News Page 9

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General chair Bill Beebe reaches 60-year membership milestone

Foote

To be described as a “classic” means that one isconsidered to be of the highest quality with lastingvalue; an authoritative standard; fashionable, withsimplicity and restraint in style; one of a kind. Likethe classic ‘57 Chevy or the fashionable Elvis Pres-ley, SMART General Chairperson William A.Beebe is a classic in his own right.

Amtrak GO 663 General Chairperson Beebe is aclassic railroad union man who has withstood the

test of time. On Jan. 1, he willhave completed 60 years ofservice as a union representa-tive to the Brotherhood ofRailroad Trainmen, the formerUTU, and now the SMARTTransportation Division. Moreamazingly, Beebe will turn 86years young in January andshows no signs of slowingdown. Throughout those 60

years, the membership has been his top priority.GO 663 Vice General Chairperson Gary J.

Hopson offered highlights of Beebe’s union career.Beebe has been a delegate to every national con-vention since the creation of the UTU. He haswitnessed, firsthand, the evolution of this unionand has often been described as the union’s resi-dent historian. Hopson said Beebe was an activeparticipant in the formation of the UTU.

According to Local 227 (Hartford, Conn.) Chair-person Francis L. Ariola, Beebe proudly served in theU.S. Army, beginning in 1946. He later attended col-lege at the University of South Florida and Southern

Connecticut State University, where he earnedboth a bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate.

He hired out in 1951 with the New Haven Rail-road (New York, New Haven and Hartford Rail-road) in the mail and baggage department, and onMay 29, 1953, he transferred into operations as abrakeman, joining the BRT on Aug. 1, 1953. OnJan. 1, 1954, Beebe assumed the office of secretaryof the local committee of adjustment for BRTLodge 937 (now Local 1361). He was elected vicelocal chairperson in 1957 and became local chair-person in 1962. While serving simultaneously aslocal chairperson and Connecticut state legislativedirector from 1964 to 1976, he was elected generalchairperson on the former New Haven and Hart-ford Railroad in 1976.

In 1983, Beebe led UTU-represented MetroNorth Railroad employees through a six-weekstrike that resulted in a ground-breaking agree-ment that has become the benchmark for com-muter rail contracts. SMART TD members stillbenefit from that agreement today, Hopson said.“Now, our committee handles our own contractnegotiations with Amtrak with minimal nationalinvolvement by the International. Beebe’s 1983agreement opened the door to this.”

In addition to serving as general chairperson,Local 1361 delegate and trustee, Beebe is againthe Connecticut state legislative director. Hemaintains a rigorous caseload and there are noindications that retirement will ever even be aconsideration of his, Ariola said.

So how does Beebe keep it all going? Accord-

ing to Ariola, Beebe makes a concerted effort tostay healthy through physical fitness, diet andrest. “He is very health-conscious and works outevery day, and has even been known to beat rac-quetball opponents 30 years his junior.”

Hopson provides more evidence, explainingthat, “Beebe was a renowned handball player atthe New Haven YMCA, and played masterfultennis even into his seventies.” According to Ari-ola, Beebe was a successful minor league pitcherin the Drummond Baseball League during the ear-ly 1950s. He is also a family man and ensures thathe is involved in his two granddaughters’ lives byfrequently visiting his daughter Susan’s family inOregon. “He just loves his grandkids and theylove their grandpa,” Ariola said.

“As the union’s ‘resident historian,’ Bill hasaccumulated a lot of stuff over the years. He keepsthe most current union contract with him at alltimes, in the very likely event that someone askshis opinion about some vague, but pertinent, con-tractual provision. Members are always asking forhis thoughts on various provisions because theytrust him as highly competent, knowledgeable andwise. The funny thing is that, he really doesn’tneed it since he practically has it memorized.”

“As a union representative and as a man, Bill isfearless. The carriers know that he is a fighter andthat he is never intimidated.”

As SMART embarks on another year, mem-bers can rest assured that Bill Beebe will continueto take care of business by representing themwith the highest quality. Bill Beebe truly is a one-of-a-kind classic.

Beebe

www.utu.org / www.utuia.org

Page 10 November 2014 SMART-TD News

Continued from page 1

Bus operator, Amtrak conductor attacked

the system needs significant renovations totracks, bridges, tunnels and other infrastructure.Meanwhile, the rest of the world – most notablyChina – is investing heavily in modern and effi-cient passenger rail infrastructure, leaving Amer-ican competitiveness, and American workers,further and further behind.

“Earlier this year, the House Transportation andInfrastructure Committee reported out the Passen-ger Rail Reform and Investment Act (PRRIA) of2014. My union, as well as other rail labor unions,supported this measure and applauded the biparti-san nature of the proposal. The four-year bill doesmany important things that will help strengthenour national passenger rail network. However, itdoes not provide Amtrak with the funding levelsrequired to meet the needs of an aging system.Most of all, it does not establish a predictable, ded-icated funding source so Amtrak and our commu-nities can adequately plan for future investments.

“The last passenger rail reauthorization – PRIIA,signed into law by President Bush in 2008 – wasbipartisan and provided realistic, multi-year fundinglevels for Amtrak, and resisted efforts to recklesslyprivatize. In fact, the privatization pilot projects thatwere included in PRIIA received virtually no privatesector interest. Permitting private companies to seizeroutes is a recipe for ending Amtrak service acrossthe country and would give investors the green lightto profit from assets paid for over decades by theAmerican taxpayer and rail passengers.

“The next passenger rail reauthorization shouldbuild on the framework established by PRIIA2008. It should include dedicated, adequate fund-ing to upgrade and operate the Northeast Corri-dor and to operate the regional and long-distancetrains that make up our national system.

“I want to emphasize one point. Our union isnot opposed to private enterprise. The bulk of our

Previsich testifies before Senate subcommittee membership works for privately held freight rail-roads and, overall, we have good relationshipswith those companies.

“But the facts are, Amtrak has partnered withour private freight railroads and has negotiatedoperating agreements with them for more than40 years. Amtrak’s employees, many of whom arefederally certified, know and understand thecomplex operating rules that govern freight rail-roads, making Amtrak the right fit to operate thisvital nation-wide service.

“Reauthorization must also protect therights, jobs and wages of workers. Labor pro-tections provided for in PRIIA should beupdated to ensure they apply to all rail workerswhen federal funds are used. In addition, itmust ensure that there is a level playing fieldfor all competitors and that rail workers arecovered under the appropriate rail and laborstatutes, including the Railroad RetirementAct, the Railway Labor Act and FederalEmployers’ Liability Act.

“Allowing employers, oftentimes foreign cor-porations, to circumvent U.S. labor laws or toundercut wages and benefits, and then claim theprivate sector is more efficient or profitable, is agame that must not be played. If we are seriousabout having a first-class rail system, it must beone that creates and sustains middle class jobs.

“Passenger rail reauthorization is an opportuni-ty to make needed investments in a critical seg-ment of our transportation system.

“I look forward to working with the membersof this committee on the timely passage of a billthat establishes dedicated long-term passengerrail funding, supports the jobs and rights of ourskilled and dedicated rail employees, rejectsunwanted and ill-advised privatization propos-als and lays out a national rail policy that isintegrated with America’s multi-modal trans-portation needs.”

cooperation between our organizations on avariety of common issues, and is the logicalnext step for our great unions. Workingtogether will allow rail labor to make thestrongest possible effort to obtain for ourmembers the wages and working conditionsthat they deserve.”

Also participating in the coordinated bar-gaining effort are the American Train Dis-patchers Association (ATDA), the Brother-hood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS), theInternational Brotherhood of Boilermakers,Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers andHelpers (IBB), and the National Conferenceof Firemen and Oilers/SEIU (NCFO).

Jointly, the participating unions representmore than 85,000 railroad workers covered bythe various organizations’ national agree-ments and comprise over 58 percent of theworkforce that will be impacted by the nego-tiations.

The serving of the Section 6 bargainingnotices is the first step in reaching a newnational agreement with railroads represent-ed by the National Carriers’ ConferenceCommittee.

“All affected members will be keptinformed regarding the Section 6 notices anddevelopments in negotiations, when possible,through the SMART Transportation DivisionNews and the SMART TD website,” Pre-visich said.

Under the Railway Labor Act, the currentnational agreement between the SMART TD(UTU) and NCCC will remain in effect untila new agreement is reached.

As specified in the current national agree-ment, a three-percent general wage increasewill be paid on Jan. 1, 2015.

SMART TD, BLET, othersto bargain togetherContinued from page 1

BLS reports steady declinein workplace injuries

WASHINGTON – Dr. David Michaels, assis-tant secretary of labor for occupational safety andhealth, Dec. 4 issued the following statement onthe Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics’2013 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses:

“Today we learned that, in 2013, approximatelythree million private sector workers in Americaexperienced a serious injury or illness on the job. Inthis extraordinarily high number, it is easy to focuson the headline and miss the trend line. We areencouraged that the rates continue to decline overthe past few years, even during this period ofhealthy economic growth when we would expectthe rate of injuries to rise.

“The decrease in the injury rate is a product oftireless work by those employ-

ers, unions, worker advo-cates and occupationalsafety and health pro-fessionals all coupledwith the efforts of fed-eral and state govern-ment organizationsthat make workersafety and health a

high priority each andevery day.

“But we cannot ignore those three millionworkers. The severity of their injuries and illness-es varies widely; some are amputees, some sufferback injuries, while others have to struggle foreach breath. Work injuries can instantly pull therug out from a family striving for a good middle-class life. This is why the work of the LaborDepartment is so vital, and why the Occupation-al Safety and Health Administration, along withour partners in both the public and private sector,will maintain our commitment to ensuring thateveryone can work in a safe, healthy place.”

To view the BLS’s complete report, visithttp://www.bls.gov/news.release/osh.nr0.htm.

A member of the SMART TransportationDivision employed by Los Angeles Metro wasbrutally assaulted Nov. 17 while operating a busin the West San Fernando Valley and an Amtrakconductor was seriously injured while performinghis duties Dec. 5 near Niles, Mich., after he wasstabbed in the head, neck and several times onhis body.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Departmentidentified the alleged attacker as Geovanny Fal-con using the Metro bus’ surveillance video ofthe attack. Falcon, 24, was arrested on Thanks-giving Day and is being held on almost $250,000bail.

After boarding the bus, Falcon put the driverin a headlock and began punching and kickingher for no apparent reason, deputies said.

At a Nov. 24 news conference, Los AngelesMetro unveiled new programs to assist in the pre-vention of operator assaults. One initiative is apilot program to install a two-part barrier systemto provide separation between operators and thepublic.

“This union has sought this method of protec-tion for more than 15 years. The SMART Trans-portation Division fully supports any initiativethat promotes and furthers the safety and securityof its members,” said GO 875 General Chairper-son James Williams.

The Federal Transit Agency (FTA) recentlysent a letter to Los Angeles Metro informingthem of new oversight rules and regulations forlocal transit agencies in regard to public andoperator safety.

“These programs will bring the best practices,as well as federal dollars, to tackle the issue ofoperator safety,” Williams said.

“In the past, operator safety has not beengranted the appropriate level of attention that itdeserves. It is the hope of SMART Transporta-tion Division GCA 875 that new leadership atthe Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department,along with cooperation from the Los Angeles

County Metropolitan Transportation TransitAuthority board of directors, will bring aboutnew ideas and a sense of urgency to these veryserious problems.”Dontreal “Donnie” Bankhead, 40, a member

of Local 168 at Chicago, was stabbed numeroustimes while performing his duties aboard AmtrakTrain No. 364 on the evening of Dec. 5 nearNiles, Mich. Three passengers were also injuredin the attack.

Illinois State Legislative Director Robert Guysaid Bankhead underwent surgery on Saturday,Dec. 6, and is currently in stable condition.

The assailant was apprehended by police at theNiles station. A family member said MichaelWilliams had suffered from mental illness sinceleaving the military and that it worsened afterthe deaths of his mother and father.

Guy said that collection boxes were set up atAmtrak facilities in Chicago until Dec. 12 toaccept donations to assist the Bankhead familywhile Bankhead recovers.

“The SMART Transportation Division isdeeply saddened after receiving the disturbingnews that one of our members, while faithfullyperforming his duties, was seriously injured in aseemingly senseless and random act of violence,”Guy said.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to our fellowmember and the other passengers that wereinjured during this inconceivable attack. I wouldlike to express my sincere appreciation to ourother crew members, passengers and local lawenforcement for any assistance that led to theapprehension of this suspect.

“SMART Transportation Division will standready to assist Amtrak and local law enforce-ment as the investigation into this rare act ofviolence moves forward and we will do every-thing in our power to ensure that the personresponsible for these acts is prosecuted to the fullextent of the law.”

www.utu.org / www.utuia.org

November 2014 SMART-TD News Page 11

Amtrak delivers strong Fiscal Year 2014financial results, losses lowest since 1973

Amtrak Nov. 25 reported unaudited recordrevenue totaling approximately $3.2 billion forthe fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2014, represent-ing the fifth consecutive year of revenue growth,and the eighth out of the past nine years.

In Fiscal Year 2014, America’s Railroad cov-ered 93 percent of its operating costs with ticketsales and other revenues, up from 89 percent theyear before. In addition, Amtrak’s unaudited fed-erally funded operating loss of approximately$227 million was the lowest level since 1973, rep-resenting a 37 percent decrease fromthe prior year and 52 percent lowerthan in Fiscal Year 2007.

As a result of the com-pany’s strong operating per-formance, long-term debtreductions of approximately 61 per-cent over the past seven years to $1.3billion, and other contributing factors, Moody’sInvestor Service confirmed Amtrak’s A1/Stabledebt rating on Nov. 12, 2014.

“Our financial performance over the past yearis the clearest indication yet that Amtrak’sinvestments, operating efficiencies and focus onits customers is paying off,” said Amtrak Chair-man of the Board Tony Coscia.

“Under the leadership of Amtrak’s board andmanagement, the company is transforming howit does business. We are delighted with our latestfinancial results and committed to making fur-ther progress in the years ahead.

“As we continue to make improvements in ouroperating and financial performance, we callupon the federal government and our stakehold-ers to support the capital investments necessaryto keep moving Amtrak forward.”

“Our efforts to operate a more financiallysound railroad for our stakeholders continues toexceed expectations,” said Amtrak President andCEO Joe Boardman. “Amtrak’s customer valueproposition improves each year as seen by ourcontinued ridership and revenue growth for the

better part of the past decade.”Amtrak’s corporate restructuring has resulted

in a strong emphasis on increased financial trans-parency, a de-leveraged balance sheet, and pro-viding an improved product to its existing cus-tomer base while attracting new passengers. Thishas resulted in consistently strong ridership andrevenue growth, and less reliance on federal oper-ating grant support.

Amtrak also is building the equipment, infra-structure and organizationneeded to ensure its stronggrowth continues.

Over the past few years,the company has seen the

expansion of state-supported servic-es, the introduction of Wi-Fi and eTick-

eting technologies, the procurement ofnew equipment for Northeast Corridor and

long-distance services, a major planning effort forthe development of next-generation high-speedrail, and the installation of positive train controlsafety technology to more sections of track main-tained by Amtrak, among other critical capitalprojects.

These actions form the foundation that willsupport more and faster service, improve the reli-ability and safety of current and future opera-tions, and meet the expectations of a growingnumber of customers choosing Amtrak for theirtravel needs.

Boardman added that to meet future passengerdemands, increased levels of federal capitalinvestment are needed to improve, expand andreplace the aging infrastructure that supportsintercity passenger rail. Predictable dedicatedfunding from the federal government to buildnew tracks, tunnels, bridges and other rail infra-structure-particularly on the Northeast Corridorand in Chicago-will keep Amtrak advancing andits customer base growing.

Metra board chairman: Engineers, conductors do a great jobThe following letter to the editor of the Chicago

Sun-Times by Martin Oberman, chairman of theMetra Board of Directors, was published by thenewspaper Nov. 23. It was in response to an articlepreviously published by the newspaper that impliedthat Metra conductors and engineers were overpaid.

“The Chicago Sun-Times, without any evi-dence, insinuates that Metra engineers and con-ductors are overpaid because we use a century-old pay structure that other commuter railroadsno longer use [“Money Train,” Nov. 12]. Youdemean these employees by portraying them asmembers of some exclusive club – never mindthat they work very long hours, never mind thattheir pay is commensurate with the industry,never mind that they are responsible for the safeoperation of trains carrying up to 1,500 riders,and never mind that cutting the overtime pay ofthese workers (who for the most part are paidstraight time for overtime, not time and a half)would end up costing Metra even more money.

“Yes, we use a complicated pay formula thatevolved in the decades before Metra’s formation.And yes, some engineers and conductors makegood money. But that’s only because they workfar more hours than a conventional 40-hourweek. For example, a conductor working a stan-dard 40-hour week would make about $81,000 ayear. When those conductors effectively put inan extra one-third to one-half of a year’s work –some of our assignments regularly call for a 70-hour week – their annual pay increases propor-tionately and may exceed $100,000 per year, as itshould for that much work.

“But as one of your own experts pointed out,changing the formula is not the same thing aschanging the pay. It would be difficult to get theirunions to agree to a new formula that reducestheir pay. (We closely watched last summer’s

labor dispute between Long Island Rail Roadworkers and New York’s Metropolitan Trans-portation Authority, which went to two Presi-dential Emergency Boards and resulted in wageincreases similar to ours.) And like it or not, thestandard for their pay is largely set by nationallabor agreements. We either keep pace with thatstandard or lose employees that we’ve alreadyspent money to train. For those reasons, we canconfidently assert that a new formula would notonly be difficult to negotiate but would not resultin any lower wage levels.

“There is a way we could reduce the amount ofstraight-time overtime pay to these workers: hiremore of them. You’d see fewer six-figure workersbecause there would be a lot less overtime to goaround, and the Sun-Times would find it harder to

sensationalize about their pay. But you’d see theoverall cost to Metra go up. We’d be paying totrain new people, and paying all their fringe ben-efits, so we could pay the new workers at the samerate we are already paying the existing workers.We don’t think the Sun-Times, or our riders,would think that is a desirable or economicallysound alternative.

“It is disappointing that the Sun-Times chose tohighlight the pay of conductors and engineers insuch a disparaging way rather than recognizingthat these are veteran, experienced employeeswho work early in the mornings and long into theevenings, on weekends and on holidays to earntheir wages and who carry heavy responsibilityfor providing safe, reliable transportation to mil-lions every year.”

Tommy Casey, online Santa

With the holiday season upon us, Santa Claus was so busythat he gave in to the digital age by making himself availableonline. Our Santa is none other than BNSF Railway con-ductor and SMART Transportation Division Local 202(Denver) member Tommy L. Casey. In his spare time,Casey was working with TalktoSanta.com. For a nominalfee, Casey and others appeared in live-streaming, interac-tive video for children around the world. There, they wereable to interact with Santa, tell him what they wanted forChristmas and heard his reassuring response. Althoughthey were unable sit on his lap or tug at his beard, the magicof seeing and hearing Santa Claus talk to them from veryfar away added to the mystique and the joy they experi-enced. Casey notes that Toys-For-Tots received 15 percentof the proceeds for every live chat purchased on this site. Hesaid that he simply did it for the love of Christmas and hisSMART brothers and sisters think his portrayal is great.This is the first year that he has been Santa Claus profes-sionally, but he has thought about it for years. The beard isreal and has been growing whiter with each passing year.The few dark hairs that remained were bleached white tomatch the rest.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Trans-portation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Nov.25 issued a safety advisory to the rail industry to betterprotect rail employees working on active tracks, or right-of-ways, under the supervision of a dispatcher.

“Clear communication is critical to keeping employeesout of harm’s way,” said U.S. Transportation SecretaryAnthony Foxx. “I want railway workers to returnhome safely to their families after their shift andit is the responsibility of the railroads and theiremployees to keep the work environment assafe as possible.”

Safety Advisory 2014-02 Roadway WorkerAuthority Limits, highlights the need for rail-roads to ensure that appropriate safety redundan-cies are in place in the event an employee failsto comply with existing rules and procedures.The advisory describes several related incidents andstresses the importance of clear communication and theneed for railroads to monitor their employees for compli-ance. This Safety Advisory satisfies one National Trans-portation Safety Board (NTSB) safety recommendationrelated to dispatchers and partially addresses anotherrelated to redundant signal protection.

There are three safety measures in the advisorydesigned to reduce incidents that FRA expects railroadsto take action on immediately:

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Please recycle

This photo was taken by Great Lakes Airlines pilot Christopher “Chip” Leffelman of Local 40 atDenver. “This is our Embraer Brasilia 120 after an early morning de-icing in Riverton, Wyo. It is a 30-seat turboprop that we operate out of Denver. The Pratt & Whitney engines deliver 1,800 shaft horse-power each and the airplane cruises at approximately 300 knots true airspeed,” Leffelman said.

www.utu.org / www.utuia.org

Metra board chairman: Engi-neers, conductors do a greatjob. See page 11.

Tommy Casey, online Santa.See page 11.

Treasurers receive training atAtlanta workshop.See page 3.

Conductor nabs stray dogafter its five-year odyssey.See page 2.

Inside this issue of SMART Transportation Division News:

SMART Transportation Divi-sion is always looking for goodphotos,  and  awards  prizes  tomonthly photo winners.

SMART-TD  seeks  photo-graphs  or  digital  images  ofwork-related  scenes,  such  asrailroad,  bus  or  mass  transitoperations,  new  equipmentphotos, scenic shots, activitiesof  your  local,  or  photos  ofyour brothers and sisters keep-ing America rolling.

Printed photographs shouldbe  mailed  to  SMART-TD,24950  Country  Club  Blvd.,Suite 340, North Olmsted, OH44070-5333.

High-resolution digital pho-tographs should be in the JPEGformat  and  emailed  to“news_td@smart-union.org”.

With  each  photograph,please include your name andSMART  local  number,  thenames  of  the  persons  in  thephoto (left  to right), where thephoto was taken, and all otherpertinent information.

All  photographs  submittedbecome property of SMART.

Remember  to  review  youremployer’s  policies  regardinguse of cameras on the propertyor during work hours.

FRA issues advisory on roadway worker authority•Increase monitoring of their employees for compli-

ance with existing applicable rules and procedures.•Examine train dispatching systems, rules, and proce-

dures to ensure that appropriate safety redundancies arein place.

•Adopt electronic technology such as the EnhancedEmployee Protection System, Hi-Rail Limits Com-

pliance System, and the Train Approach WarningSystem, which would provide appropriate safetyredundancies.

Until such technologies are in place, rail-roads should stress the importance of dispatch-ers being advised of roadway workers’ where-abouts and work plans; forbid student dispatchersfrom removing blocking devises until confirmedby a supervisor; and that, prior to passing anyabsolute signal, a roadway worker should verify

the limits of his or her authority.FRA believes positive train control, a system for mon-

itoring and controlling train movements to enhance safe-ty, would have prevented the incidents described in theSafety Advisory. However, where positive train control isnot in effect, FRA recommends that railroads adopt oneor more electronic technologies that may serve to fill thetechnology gap and safeguard roadway workers.

The full advisory can be found at www.utu.org by enter-ing “Safety Advisory 2014-02” in the Search box.

Volume 46 • Number 11 • November 2014 International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers

Transportation Division News