An arbitrator’s recent decision in a Public Law Board case brought by the SMART Transportation Division against BNSF resulted in a victory over the carrier.
In September 2017, BNSF unilaterally altered the working conditions for SMART-TD members in GO-386, who serve in and around Superior, Wisconsin, under the guise of Article IX of the 1985 UTU National Agreement (ID service notice), after the parties were unable to reach an amicable agreement. The changes included consolidating many Thru-Freight Service Pools into a single pool, as well as altering working rules under the collective bargaining agreement.
After hearing the case Dec. 14, 2021, arbiter Joshua M. Javits issued his decision April 14, 2022. He found:
that BNSF utilized the Article IX process to make efficiency changes, even though there was no new Interdivisional Service established;
that all of the evidence presented at the hearing suggested that BNSF was attempting to alter existing rules and agreements between the parties in a manner not intended by Article IX; and
that BNSF’s unilateral changes to employees’ negotiated working conditions were unreasonable, or justified under the Article IX process, and that the BNSF’s actions had improperly altered the work conditions of previous collective bargaining agreements.
Javits directed BNSF to reinstate the rules and working conditions that were in effect prior to the carrier’s imposition of the changes in October 2017.
“GC Miller and the rest of GO-386, as well as Vice Presidents Whitaker and Modesitt, should hold their heads high and be proud of this win,” SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy Ferguson said. “These types of victories are the building blocks for labor’s future success. These battles surely are not glamorous and they take time. We need to remain focused, persistent and maintain our determination that we all will hold carriers accountable while battling as a unit against their unjust impositions such as these. This is a huge success for SMART-TD once again and shows we are defending the agreements and protecting members rights to a fair and reasonable interpretation of agreements, especially as we start down the same path of arbitration for the Hi-Viz attendance policy.”
In response to the decision, members of SMART-TD Local 832 (Superior, Wis.) and 1175 (Duluth, Minn.) issued the following letter:
We would like to take a moment to thank General Chairperson Larry Miller and 1st Vice Chairperson of GCA 386 Tim Flynn for their unwavering hard work which resulted in a favorable ruling for our members regarding the contested Article IX that was imposed upon us in Superior, Wis.
Our local membership as a collective felt we were being unfairly disenfranchised from longstanding agreements put in place to create equitable outcomes for all parties tasked with supporting the multiple customers who depend on our ability to service their needs year-round, 24/7. Whether it’s spring flooding events or 45 degrees below zero, the agreement stated all parties would work together to create a reliable pact that our customers and community could count on.
Somewhere along the way, that alliance was broken, and with it our resolve. A feeling of isolation, dismay and resentment fell over the membership, yet we carried on for multiple years. So did Larry, Tim and others to make our voices heard. It would be easy to dwell on the negative impacts and feelings of animosity that soon arose after and during this time. Looking forward, hopefully with collaboration this ruling creates an opportunity to once again bring everyone into the fold and create an environment of inclusivity instead of isolation.
To Larry, Tim and everyone behind the scenes we haven’t named, we want to thank you for never losing sight of what this favorable outcome would mean for the working environment and overall mental well-being of the Superior, Wis., terminal and their families. Once again THANK YOU!
We are proud to have you in our corner and grateful for your representation throughout this time.
Sincerely,
Your Brothers and Sisters
SMART-TD Locals 0832 Superior WI & 1175 Duluth, MN
The full case, Public Law Board 7986, Award No. 1, is available to view below in PDF form.
CLEVELAND, Ohio —Upon the announcement by President Joe Biden of his nomination of five candidates to serve upon the Amtrak Board of Directors, SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy Ferguson, in conjunction with the TD National Legislative Department, issued the following statement on April 29, 2022:
“As has been the case since the very onset of his administration, President Biden has taken a measured and conscientious approach in making choices for the good of the nation. He continues to prioritize the concerns of labor as he and the DOT pursue an unprecedented and historic transformation of the nation’s passenger-rail network. We appreciate this focus, and we pledge to remain actively engaged as the Build Back Better vision is pursued. We hope for a swift confirmation process for the nominees so that Amtrak can expand its service thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and provide robust employment opportunities well into the future.”
Effective April 25, 2022, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is offering in-person appointments at its nationwide network of 53 field offices.
Individuals can schedule appointments by calling the agency’s toll-free telephone number, (877) 772-5772, and speaking to a representative. If they experience a lengthy wait time on this call, they may be given the option of receiving a return call, although this feature is not available at all times due to large call volume. RRB representatives are available between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. each weekday, except for Federal holidays. For planning purposes, please note that the agency’s busiest times are early in the week and during the first part of each month.
Customers can also reach out to individual offices by mail or fax, as well as by sending a secure message using the link on each field office’s web page at RRB.gov. Using the “Field Office Locator” tab at the top of the home page allows someone to access each office’s web page and contact information.
While most business with the RRB does not require in-person service, but can be handled by telephone or in writing, the agency has also added secure lockboxes or door slots at the office entrances for customer convenience. These can be used if someone needs to quickly drop off documents without needing to communicate with a representative and will be checked on a daily basis.
Other options for obtaining services 24 hours a day without the need to talk to an agency representative include the automated menus available through the toll-free number and the myRRB system on the agency website. The following services are accessible through these avenues.
Duplicate most recent tax statement (1099, 1099-R);
General benefit information;
Unemployment/sickness benefit application/claim status and payment information; and
RRB field office addresses.
For certain automated phone services, an individual’s social security number and/or railroad retirement claim number are required. In addition, for certain unemployment or sickness application/claim information, a person must provide their social security number and the benefit PIN printed on the back of the provided claim form.
Railroad employees who have established a myRRB account can login and complete the following actions:
Apply for and claim unemployment benefits;
Claim sickness benefits;
Check the status of their unemployment or sickness benefit claims;
View their railroad service and compensation history; and
Get an estimate of retirement benefits.
RRB offices have been closed to the public since March 16, 2020, three days after the coronavirus pandemic was declared a national emergency. Since that time, services have been limited to telephone and electronic communication, with agency employees continuing to process benefit applications and incoming mail.
The Coordinated Bargaining Coalition released the following statement on April 25, 2022:
On January 24, 2022, after more than two years of bargaining with the major U.S. Class I railroads, the 10 Rail Unions bargaining as part of the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition (CBC) announced that they had applied to the National Mediation Board (NMB) for the assignment of a federal mediator to assist in the negotiations.
As we advised then, the carriers represented by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC) simply were not bargaining in good faith. Unfortunately, nothing has changed during the four mediated bargaining sessions that the CBC has held with the NCCC. Having reported record 4th quarter 2021 profits, followed by 1st quarter 2022 record profits, the rail carriers continue to refuse to withdraw their demands for work rule and health and welfare concessions. Even more ridiculous and unacceptable is their refusal to agree to meaningful wage increases while making record profits during the highest level of inflation seen in years.
Adding insult to injury, the NCCC not only refused our request to bargain on wages at our mediated session last week, they then sent the CBC Unions a national proposal offering to pay lump sum payments of $600.00 (maximum payment) in the remaining months of 2022 while the parties remain stuck in endless and unproductive mediation. Regardless of the gaslighting the NCCC has done on their proposal, it is not all they say it is. The payments will have to be repaid from any backpay payments that may be in the ultimate national contract settlement. If there are insufficient backpay earnings to repay the lump sums, the employee will owe the employer the balance. All CBC Unions, responding in a united front, have rejected the latest NCCC proposal.
This latest proposal, somewhere between a loan and a pay day advance, is just further evidence that the NCCC has no intentions of reaching a voluntary settlement any time soon. You don’t offer temporary proposals if you plan to offer a complete contract settlement. In fact, the CEOs of UP and CSX both said in their earnings reports this past week that there would be no national contract settlement for months.
The members of our Unions, who have carried the rail carriers through a pandemic and to record profits, deserve a full contract settlement now. Due to the NCCC’s refusal to negotiate such a proposal, all CBC Unions have filed requests with the NMB asking that our contract dispute be advanced to the next steps of the Railway Labor Act process, which is for the NMB to proffer arbitration to the parties. Should either party reject the proffer, it would start a 30-day cooling off period before any party could exercise self-help.
As we advised in January, we had hoped that the involvement of the NMB would cause the industry to refocus on addressing the legitimate needs of the men and women whose labor generates their positive financial returns. That has not happened, and there is no indication that it will without allowing the remaining steps of the Railway Labor Act to play out to compel a favorable settlement.
The unions comprising the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition are: the American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA); the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen / Teamsters Rail Conference (BLET); the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen (BRS); the International Association of Machinists (IAM); the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB); the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers/SEIU (NCFO); the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW); the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU); the Transportation Communications Union / IAM (TCU), including TCU’s Brotherhood Railway Carmen Division (BRC); and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART–TD).
Collectively, the CBC unions represent more than 105,000 railroad workers covered by the various organizations’ national agreements, and comprise over 80% of the workforce who will be impacted by this round of negotiations.
Amit Bose
Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose last week addressed a shippers’ conference and said that part of his agency’s rationale in approaching a minimum crew size rulemaking will be taking into consideration the carriers’ use of longer trains, Trains Magazine reported April 8.
“We think having a consistent standard for crew size across the country benefits the rail industry, benefits safety, and gives certainty on the regulatory environment when it comes to train safety,” Bose told the North East Association of Rail Shippers. “Also, coupled with that, don’t forget: The trains are running longer. The length of trains is growing.”
In 2014, FRA issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on a minimum size for freight rail crews. Public comment was sought, thousands of Americans responded, including fire chiefs, police chiefs and emergency responders, with the vast majority of those submitted in favor of establishing a standard of at least a certified conductor and certified engineer present in the cab.
The agency has not relaunched the NPRM process for the minimum freight crew size rule, but when it does, Bose says FRA will be actively seeking comments from labor, the public and the carriers.
The negotiating team is scheduled to engage in mediation for the latest national railroad contract on the following days:
March 31, 2022
April 6, 2022
April 11, 2022
April 20, 2022
May 4, 2022
May 5, 2022
We were released from mediation by the NMB on June 15. A proffer of arbitration was made, which the unions rejected. A 30-day cooling-off period began on June 17. The next scheduled meeting with the NMB for July 12 was fruitless. President Biden has issued an executive order establishing a Presidential Emergency Board.
The board, an independent and bipartisan federal agency charged with the economic regulation of various modes of surface transportation, primarily freight rail, announced the meeting April 7 in the light of indications of poor performance data.
“Rail network reliability is essential to the Nation’s economy and is a foremost priority of the Board. In recent weeks, the Board has heard informally from a broad range of stakeholders about inconsistent and unreliable rail service. The Board has also received reports from the Secretary of Agriculture and other stakeholders about the serious impact of these service trends on rail users, particularly with respect to shippers of agricultural and energy products. These reports have been validated by the Board’s weekly rail service performance data.”
Board Chairman Martin Oberman went into additional detail about how job cuts in particular have hampered the carriers.
“I have raised concerns about the primacy Class I railroads have placed on lowering their operating ratios and satisfying their shareholders even at the cost of their customers. Part of that strategy has involved cutting their work force to the bare bones in order to reduce costs,” he said. “Over the last six years, the Class Is collectively have reduced their work force by 29% – that is about 45,000 employees cut from the payrolls.
“In my view, all of this has directly contributed to where we are today – rail users experiencing serious deteriorations in rail service because, on too many parts of their networks, the railroads simply do not have a sufficient number of employees.”
Carriers summoned to appear include BNSF Railway Company, CSX Transportation, Inc., Norfolk Southern Railway Company, and Union Pacific Railroad Company. Executive-level officials from the other three Class Is also were invited to attend, as were labor organizations and shippers.
The hearing will take place at the Board’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., with each session beginning at 9:30 a.m.
On Friday, April 1, the SMART Transportation Division sought Surface Transportation Board Administrator Martin Oberman’s intervention in ending the precision scheduled railroading (PSR) onslaught that has caused continual havoc in the United States’ supply chain and gutted the rail workforce.
SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson detailed the anti-worker attendance policies implemented by the nation’s largest freight rail carriers while echoing concerns expressed March 24 by the head of the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA), a group representing more than 8,000 facilities and firms that provide goods and services to the nation’s grain, feed, and processing industries.
“We believe intervention from the STB is critically warranted and necessary to right the ship,” Ferguson wrote. “Simply put, the railroads cannot sustain the same level of production they had to prior to the advent of PSR given the number of drastic cuts they’ve made across their systems.”
Railroads have cut thousands of workers since the onset of PSR in 2017, placed thousands of locomotives in storage and have been running longer and slower trains to drive down their operating ratios (OR). NGFA President Mike Seyfert said this has led to “significant service disruptions,” for its represented companies served by BNSF, Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, in particular.
“The service issues that our member companies are raising indicate that the problem is a network problem affecting entire regions of the country,” Seyfert said. “NGFA members have done as much as possible to keep animals fed, but the ability to stretch resources is exhausted.”
Rail carriers such as the Warren Buffett-owned BNSF, the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern enjoyed record profits in 2021, even as rail traffic and carloads fell short of previous high marks. A main source of this revenue has been through tens of thousands of workforce cuts implemented well before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the service difficulties reported by NGFA, rail carriers have been doing less with less and reaping higher rewards at the expense of customers and workers.
“Not only has morale dropped to an all-time low, but employees are leaving the industry in unprecedented numbers,” Ferguson wrote to Oberman. “The freight rail network is at a breaking point. It cannot sustain any more reductions. Substantial changes must be made and they must be made quickly.”
According to union-collected data, Ferguson wrote, more than 500 employees have quit the industry since BNSF implemented a points-based policy Feb. 1. The “Hi-Viz” policy requires workers to be available to work 29 out of 30 days a month in order to avoid punitive deductions on their attendance records that eventually would lead to suspension and dismissal.
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The SMART Transportation Division is comprised of approximately 125,000 active and retired members of the former United Transportation Union, who work in a variety of crafts in the transportation industry.
While railroad employees with less than 30 years of service may retire at age 62, their railroad retirement benefits are subject to early retirement (“age”) reductions if they retire before attaining their full retirement age.
The following questions and answers explain how full retirement age is determined, and how age reductions are applied to railroad retirement annuities.
1. How is full retirement age for a railroad employee with less than 30 years of service determined?
Full retirement age – the earliest age at which someone can begin receiving railroad retirement benefits that are not reduced for early retirement – is determined by the year a person was born. It has gradually increased since the year 2000, as a result of amendments to the Social Security Act which impacted railroad retirement annuitants and social security beneficiaries. Full retirement age for a railroad employee with less than 30 years of service is age 66 for those born in 1943 through 1954, and gradually increases to age 67 for those born in 1960, or later. (A chart listing employee birth years and the corresponding full retirement age is included in the answer to Question 2.)
2. Does the increase in full retirement age affect the computation of benefits reduced for early retirement?
Yes. The early retirement annuity reduction percentages applied to annuities awarded before full retirement age have increased. For employees retiring between age 62 and full retirement age with less than 30 years of service, the maximum reduction is 30% in 2022. Prior to 2000, the maximum reduction was 20%.
Age reduction percentages are applied separately to the tier I and tier II benefits of a railroad retirement annuity. The age reduction percentage is computed using the following formula: 1/180 for each of the first 36 months the employee is under full retirement age when his or her annuity begins, and 1/240 for each additional month (if any). This has resulted in the gradual increase in the annuity reduction percentage at age 62 to 30% for an employee, now that the full retirement age of age 67 is in effect. (See chart below.) However, if an employee had creditable railroad service before August 12, 1983, the retirement age for tier II purposes is age 65, and the tier II benefit will not be reduced beyond 20%.
The following chart shows the gradual increase in full retirement age and the corresponding increase in the age reduction percentages applied to the applicable employee annuities.
Employee Retires with Less than 30 Years of Service
Year of Birth*
Full Retirement Age**
Annuity Reduction at Age 62
1937 or earlier
65
20.00%
1938
65 and 2 months
20.833%
1939
65 and 4 months
21.667%
1940
65 and 6 months
22.50%
1941
65 and 8 months
23.333%
1942
65 and 10 months
24.167%
1943 through 1954
66
25.00%
1955
66 and 2 months
25.833%
1956
66 and 4 months
26.667%
1957
66 and 6 months
27.50%
1958
66 and 8 months
28.333%
1959
66 and 10 months
29.167%
1960 or later
67
30.00%
* A person attains a given age the day before his or her birthday. Consequently, someone born on January 1 is considered to have attained his or her given age on December 31 of the previous year. ** If an employee has less than 10 years of railroad service and is already entitled to an age-reduced social security benefit, the tier I reduction is based on the reduction applicable on the beginning date of the social security benefit, even if the employee is already of full retirement age on the beginning date of the railroad retirement annuity.
3. What are some examples of how age reductions are applied to the annuities of employees with less than 30 years of service who retire before attaining full retirement age?
Consider an employee who was born on March 2, 1960, and retired in 2022 at the age of 62. Assume this employee was eligible for monthly tier I and tier II benefits, before age reductions, of $1,800 and $1,200, respectively, for a total monthly annuity of $3,000.
Upon retirement at age 62, the employee’s tier I benefit and tier II benefit was reduced by 30.00%, the maximum age reduction applicable in 2022. This yielded a tier I amount of $1,260 and a tier II amount of $840, for a total monthly annuity of $2,100. However, if the employee had railroad service before August 12, 1983, the tier II amount would be subject to a maximum reduction of only 20%, providing a tier II amount of $960, and a total monthly annuity of $2,220.
As a second example, if the same employee had been born on March 2, 1959, and retired in 2022 at the age of 63, the employee’s tier I benefit and tier II benefit would be reduced by 24.167%. This would yield a tier I amount of $1,364.99 and a tier II amount of $910, for a total monthly annuity of $2,274.99. However, if the employee had railroad service before August 12, 1983, the tier II amount would be subject to a maximum reduction of only 20%, providing a tier II amount of $960, and a total monthly annuity of $2,324.99.
4. How are railroad retirement spouse benefits affected by these requirements?
If an employee retiring with less than 30 years of service is age 62, the employee’s spouse is also eligible for an annuity the first full month the spouse is age 62. However, early retirement reductions are applied to the spouse annuity if the spouse retires prior to her or his full retirement age.
Beginning in 2000, full retirement age for a spouse gradually began to rise to age 67, just as for an employee, depending on the spouse’s year of birth. While reduced spouse benefits are still payable at age 62, the maximum age reduction is 35% in 2022.
As with employee annuities, age reduction percentages are applied separately to the tier I and tier II benefits of a spouse annuity. However, the tier I reduction is 1/144 for each of the first 36 months the spouse is under full retirement age when her or his annuity begins, and 1/240 for each additional month (if any). This has resulted in a gradual increase in the annuity reduction percentage at age 62 to 35% for a spouse, now that the age 67 retirement age is in effect. (See chart below.) However, if an employee had any creditable railroad service prior to August 12, 1983, the spouse retirement age for tier II purposes is age 65 and the maximum age reduction percentage applied to tier II would only be 25%. Age reductions are not applied to spouse annuities based on the spouse’s caring for the employee’s child.
The following chart shows the gradual increase in full retirement age and the corresponding increase in the age reduction percentages applied to the applicable spouse annuities.
Spouse Age Reductions
Year of Birth*
Full Retirement Age**
Annuity Reduction at Age 62
1937 or earlier
65
25.00%
1938
65 and 2 months
25.833%
1939
65 and 4 months
26.667%
1940
65 and 6 months
27.50%
1941
65 and 8 months
28.333%
1942
65 and 10 months
29.167%
1943 through 1954
66
30.00%
1955
66 and 2 months
30.833%
1956
66 and 4 months
31.667%
1957
66 and 6 months
32.50%
1958
66 and 8 months
33.333%
1959
66 and 10 months
34.167%
1960 or later
67
35.00%
* A person attains a given age the day before her or his birthday. Consequently, someone born on January 1 is considered to have attained her or his given age on December 31 of the previous year. ** If the employee has less than 10 years of railroad service and the spouse is already entitled to an age-reduced social security benefit, the age reduction in her or his tier I will be based on the age reduction applicable on the beginning date of the spouse’s social security benefit, even if the spouse is already of full retirement age on the beginning date of her or his railroad retirement annuity.
5. What are some examples of how age reductions are applied to the annuities of the spouses of employees with less than 30 years of service whose spouses retire before full retirement age?
Consider the spouse of a railroader with less than 30 years of service, none of it prior to August 12, 1983, who was born on April 2, 1960, and is retiring in 2022 at age 62, with monthly tier I and tier II benefits, before any reductions for age, of $700 and $300, respectively, for a total monthly benefit of $1,000.
Upon retirement at age 62, the spouse’s tier I benefit and tier II benefit would be reduced by 35.00%, the maximum age reduction applicable in 2022. This would yield a tier I amount of $455 and a tier II amount of $195 for a total monthly annuity of $650. However, if the employee had any rail service before August 12, 1983, the tier II benefit would be subject to a maximum reduction of only 25%, providing a tier II amount of $225, and a total monthly annuity of $680.
As a second example, if the same spouse had been born on April 2, 1959, and retires in 2022 at age 63, the spouse’s tier I benefit and tier II benefit would be reduced by 29.167%. This would yield a tier I amount of $495.83 and a tier II amount of $212.50, for a total monthly annuity of $708.33. However, if the employee had any rail service before August 12, 1983, the tier II benefit would be subject to a maximum reduction of only 25%, providing a tier II amount of $225, and a total monthly annuity of $720.83.
6. Are age reductions applied to employee disability annuities?
Employee annuities based on disability are not subject to age reductions except for employees with less than 10 years of railroad service, but who have five years of service after 1995. Such employees may qualify for a tier I benefit before retirement age based on total disability, but only if they have a disability insured status (also called a “disability freeze”) under Social Security Act rules, counting both railroad retirement and social security-covered earnings. Unlike with a 10-year employee, a tier II benefit is not payable in these disability cases until the employee attains age 62. And, the employee’s tier II benefit will be reduced for early retirement in the same manner as the tier II benefit of an employee who retired at age 62 with less than 30 years of service.
7. Do these changes to full retirement age affect survivor benefits?
Yes. The eligibility age for a full widow(er)’s annuity has gradually risen, and is age 67 for those born in 1962, or later. A widow(er), surviving divorced spouse or remarried widow(er) whose annuity begins at full retirement age or later will generally receive an annuity unreduced for early retirement. (However, if the deceased employee received an annuity that was reduced for early retirement, a reduction would be applied to the tier I amount payable to his or her widow(er), surviving divorced spouse or remarried widow(er).) For widow(ers) who retire before attaining their full retirement age, the maximum age reduction percentages will vary, depending on the widow(er)’s date of birth, and is 20.36% for those born in 1962, or later. These age reductions apply to both tier I and tier II. For a surviving divorced spouse or remarried widow(er), the maximum age reduction is 28.5%. For a disabled widow(er), disabled surviving divorced spouse or disabled remarried widow(er), the maximum reduction is also 28.5%, even if the annuity begins at age 50.
8. Does the increase in full retirement age affect the age at which a person becomes eligible for Medicare benefits?
No. Although the age requirements for some unreduced railroad retirement benefits have risen just like the social security requirements, railroad retirement beneficiaries are still eligible for Medicare at age 65.
9. Do these increases in full retirement age also apply to the earnings limitations and work deductions governing benefit payments to annuitants who work after retirement?
Like social security benefits, railroad retirement tier I benefits paid to employees and spouses, and tier I and tier II benefits paid to survivors, are subject to deductions if an annuitant’s earnings exceed certain exempt amounts. These earnings limitations and work deductions apply to all age and service annuitants and spouses under full retirement age regardless of the employee’s years of service. Although employees retiring at age 60 with 30 years of service have no age reduction, these earnings limitations and work deductions still apply until they reach their full retirement age, which, like other employees, is determined by the year they were born. These earnings limitations also apply to survivor annuitants, with the exception of disabled widow(er)s under age 60 and disabled children.
Likewise, while special earnings restrictions apply to employees entitled to disability annuities, these disability earnings restrictions cease upon a disabled employee annuitant’s attainment of full retirement age. This transition is effective no earlier than full retirement age even if the annuitant had 30 years of railroad service.
The additional deductions applied to the annuities of retired employees and spouses who work for their last pre-retirement nonrailroad employer continue to apply after the attainment of full retirement age.
10. How can individuals get more information about railroad retirement age reductions?
Individuals with questions about railroad retirement age reductions can send a secure message to their local RRB office by accessing Field Office Locator at RRB.gov and clicking on the link at the bottom of their local office’s page. If a customer needs to talk to an RRB representative, they can call the agency’s toll-free number (1-877-772-5772) between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. each weekday, except on federal holidays. However, customers are asked to be patient because of the increase in call volume due to the closure to the public of RRB offices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
FRA is seeking a hazardous materials railroad safety inspector to be based out of Baton Rouge, La.
The position requires that the candidate:
Plans and carries out periodic inspections at rail hazardous materials shipper/consignee locations including oil & gas refineries/fractionation plants, chemical and explosives manufacturers, rail intermodal terminals/van yards, freight forwarders, import/export agents and tank car manufacturing and repair facilities within their district and neighboring districts when called upon to conduct team inspections.
Inspects railroads for compliance with the hazardous materials regulations and assists in training railroad personnel to enhance compliance with federal regulations.
Conducts railroad accident investigations including train and/or railcar collisions, reportable derailments, Non-Accidental Releases (NAR) of hazardous materials, or other accidents/incidents resulting in serious injury to person(s) or to the property of a railroad occurring on the line of any common carrier engaged in interstate transportation.
Conducts in-depth Hazardous Materials Incident Investigations (HMII) to determine the root cause of an incident and the corrective and preventative actions that will prevent recurrence.
