Category: Aviation

Obama again names NMB, STB nominees

January 6, 2011 WASHINGTON — President Obama has renominated two Republicans to key transportation posts after the Senate failed to take action on the nominations last year. Nominated to the three-person National Mediation Board, for a term expiring July 1, 2013, is Republican Thomas M [...]

Tags beck, NMB, Obama, STB, Surface Transportation Board, Thomas M. Beck

2011: So, where are we headed this year?

January 6, 2011 By UTU International President Mike Futhey We continue making progress in negotiations to amend the national rail agreement, affecting some 40,000 UTU members employed by BNSF, CSX, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific and many smaller railroads represented b [...]

We’ll keep pressing to improve, protect

January 4, 2011 By James StemUTU National Legislative Director January brings a new session of Congress and the start of state legislative sessions across the country. Our UTU legislative team in Washington and our state legislative directors will be on guard protecting the interests of our [...]

Tags funding, Jay Rockefeller, John Mica, legislation, privatization, RSIA, safety, state legislative directors

Senate failed to act on NMB, STB nominees

December 23, 2010 WASHINGTON — Two Obama administration nominations of Republicans to key transportation regulatory positions — one to the National Mediation Board; the other to the Surface Transportation Board — were returned to the White House by the Senate this week withou [...]

Tags National Mediation Board, NMB, nominees, senate, STB, Surface Transportation Board

SS, Rail Retirement benefits go electronic

December 22, 2010 Come May 1, Social Security and Railroad Retirement checks for new recipients no longer will be mailed. The Social Security Administration and the Railroad Retirement Board are going paperless — sending payment electronically (direct deposit) to those receiving retireme [...]

Tags benefits, checks, direct deposit, paperless, railroad retirement, Social Security

Payroll tax cut will NOT weaken trust funds

December 22, 2010 The 2 percentage point reduction in payroll taxes for railroad workers covered by Railroad Retirement, and bus and aviation workers covered by Social Security, will NOT have a negative impact on either the Railroad Retirement or Social Security trust funds, as has been wrongl [...]

Tags payroll, railroad retirement, Social Security, tax, tax cut, trust funds

Former McCain operative nominated to STB

December 21, 2010 WASHINGTON — A former John McCain operative has been nominated by President Obama to fill a Republican seat on the Surface Transportation Board. The nomination requires Senate confirmation. It is not clear whether there is sufficient time for the lame-duck Congress to a [...]

How tax cut & jobless bill affects YOU

December 17, 2010 Now that Congress has approved, and sent to President Obama for signing, the compromise tax cut and jobless benefits legislation, the question UTU members have, is, “What does it mean for me?” For the jobless — and there are currently some five applicants fo [...]

Great Lakes Aviation grows riders in Pueblo

December 15, 2010 PUEBLO, Colo. — The number of passengers boarding regional carrier Great Lakes Airlines at Pueblo is up 45 percent this year, which may help the airport qualify for additional federal funding, reports the Pueblo Chieftain. The UTU represents Great Lakes pilots and fligh [...]

Congress to consider upping federal fuel tax

December 13, 2010 WASHINGTON — Truckers won’t be happy when the new Congress, with John Mica (R-Fla.) chairing the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, looks at raising the federal motor fuels tax. Mica told the Florida Times-Union that he supports raising the feder [...]