FRA proposes permanent cell-phone ban

The Federal Railroad Administration is moving to make permanent an October 2008 emergency order restricting the use by on-duty train crews of cell phones and other electronic devices. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was published Tuesday, May 18, in the Federal Register, indi [...]

Retiring soon? Don't be a fraud victim

 By UTU GS&T Kim Thompson A recent article on the UTU Web site, headlined “Ponzi Scheme Targets Retired L.A. Bus Drivers,” reminded me of the pitfalls that our members can face in having a secure retirement. It seems you can’t watch the evening news, open a ne [...]

Colon cancer: Don't be a victim

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and here are some things you should know. Colon cancer is usually found in people age 50 or older, and the risk of getting it increases with age. If you are covered by private health insurance or Medicare, you can get colon [...]

Why don't we just shut 'em down?

By Retired UTU GS&T Dan Johnson We frequently hear from frustrated members, “Why don’t we simply go on strike, shut the railroad down, and be done with it?” I, too, have shared these feelings witnessing excessive discipline, outrageous demands of arrogant mana [...]

FRA revises engineer certification rules

WASHINGTON — Revisions to locomotive certification rules (49 CFR Part 240), effective Feb. 22, 2010, were issued by the Federal Railroad Administration Dec. 23, 2009. Among the revisions: Prohibits the practice of re-classiyfing any type of engineer’s certificatio [...]

BNSF treasurers' workshop set for Jan.

The UTU International is conducting a Treasurers’ Workshop and BNSF Railway Direct Receipts of Dues training session Jan. 19, 2010, in Kansas City, Mo. All BNSF locals are being converted to the direct receipts billing system with the February 2010 billing, and local tr [...]

Tentative agreement daily rate schedule

Conductor rate of pay Effective Date GWI Percent Daily Rate Hourly Rate Current (as of July 1, 2024) Amendable $292.40 $36.59 July 1, 2025 4.00% $304.10 $38.05 July 1, 2026 3.75% $315.50 $39.48 July 1, 2027 3.50% $326.54 $40.86 July 1, 2028 3.25% $337.15 $42.18 July 1, 2029 3 [...]