Category: News
Sister of LIRR GC Anthony Simon dies
The sister of UTU General Chairperson Anthony Simon (Long Island Rail Road, GO 505) died Sept. 15 following a long-struggle with cancer. Cards of condolence may be sent to Simon at his general committee office at Suite 3, 200-B West Main St., Babylon, N.Y. 11702.
Local meetings source of information, inspiration
By General Secretary & Treasurer Kim Thompson As a young railroad employee, I wondered why we had the wages and benefits that we had, why we had rules for assignments and for the work we performed. I wondered what could be done to make things right when things didn’t seem [...]National rail contract pay jump effective Sept. 16
The new national rail contract and its increased rates of pay become effective Sept. 16. Sept. 16 is also the trigger date from which the carriers are pledged to make retroactive wage payments within 60 days. Health care changes will be implemented after Jan. 1. New rate tabl [...]UTU Fla. SLD in thick of fight to end gerrymandering
In Florida last week, the people prevailed as a federal district court ruled Florida voters have every right to restrict the state legislature’s ability to redraw the election map willy-nilly to favor incumbent members of Congress and the state legislature. UTU Florida State [...]UTU member dies in Ohio CSX shoving accident
BOTKINS, Ohio – CSX conductor Dennis A. Hemme, 59, became the ninth UTU member to die in an on-the-job accident in 2011 when he reportedly was crushed to death here Sept. 8 during a mainline shove of a stalled train. Botkins is some 110 miles north of Cincinnati. Hemme, with [...]
House Republicans propose sharp Amtrak cuts
WASHINGTON – House Republicans are supporting a budget plan that Amtrak says will eliminate all state-supported Amtrak service nationwide beginning Oct. 1 — the start of a new federal fiscal year. Fifteen states currently provide Amtrak with subsidies in exchange for Am [...]
Homeland Security funds UTU-TRRA security initiative
A joint rail-security project involving the United Transportation Union and Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis (TRRA) has received more than $176,000 in funding from the Department of Homeland Security’s Freight Rail Security Grant Program. TRRA has pledged a 25 perce [...]Delegates amend UTU Constitution
Delegates at the UTU’s Eleventh Quadrennial Convention amended the UTU Constitution by adopting eight proposals, one of which will remove the dues obligation of officers on E-49 status, and another of which will require all UTU Locals to adopt a set of bylaws. The changes to [...]