S&T Making Cents newsletter: September 2018

September 17, 2018

If you are a secretary or treasurer for a SMART Transportation Division local, you should be receiving this newsletter via email on a monthly basis from the Field Audit Support Help Desk. Please check your spam folder if it is not showing up in your inbox.
If you have changed your email address recently, please contact Dora Wolf (dwolf@smart-union.org) in the Updating Department so she has the most up-to-date contact information for union-related communications.
Making cents logo

Registration is open and TD Connect workshops are filling up!

Workshops for treasurers on the TD Connect system that will be rolled out in January are planned on the following dates in select locations (click on links to register):

  • October 8, 9 & 10, 2018 – New Haven, Conn. Workshop registration deadline is Oct. 1; hotel reservation deadline is Sept. 20.
  • November 5, 6 & 7, 2018 – Kansas City, Mo. WORKSHOP FULL – REGISTRATION CLOSED, WAITLIST AVAILABLE; hotel registration deadline is Oct. 12.
  • November 7, 8 & 9, 2018 – Kansas City, Mo. (second session)
    WORKSHOP FULL – REGISTRATION CLOSED, WAITLIST AVAILABLE; hotel reservation deadline is Oct. 12.
  • November 12, 13 & 14, 2018 – Birmingham, Ala. Workshop registration deadline is Nov. 5;
    see flier for hotel discount information.
  • November 27, 28 & 29, 2018 – Rosemead, Calif. Workshop registration deadline is Nov. 12; see flier for hotel discount information.

Workshop sessions will run from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on all three days. Click here for a flier with specific workshop details.
Space in these workshops is limited and you’re encouraged to register well in advance to secure your spot. These sessions will help you in the changeover to the new TD Connect eBill system.
For additional information about these workshops or to be placed on a waitlist in case of a vacancy, call Alyssa Patchin at 216-227-5281 or email apatchin@smart-union.org.

Gearing up for fall elections

2019 is a convention year and elections must be held this fall for local committees and delegates within the union. Nominations are to be taken in October and elections conducted in November. Any local vacancies are to be addressed during this election period as well.
The President’s Office has issued rules to be followed for both the distribution of campaign literature and for the elections to be held. These have been published on the SMART TD website and also will be published in the September edition of the TD News.
Any questions should be directed to the President’s Office by calling 216-228-9400. It’s always easier to address issues in advance instead of after the fact.

Questions
about the S&T’s roles and responsibilities?

Visit the S&T Tools page on the SMART TD website for guidance on getting the job done!

Still not sure?

Call the Field Support Help Desk at 216-227-5444. Drop-in help desk hours are 9a-5p (Central Time) M-W-F. Help desk appointments can be scheduled in advance for Tuesdays, Thursdays, weekends, and evenings. Call or email fieldauditor@group.
smart-union.org
to schedule an appointment.


Important dates coming up

Important dates

By September 15 Deposit and pay CT-1 taxes (rail Locals): https://www.eftps.gov/eftps/

For more info: SMART TD guide to paying Form CT-1 taxes

• By September 15 — Deposit and pay 941 taxes: https://www.eftps.gov/eftps/

For more info: SMART TD guide to paying and reporting Form 941 taxes

• By September 15 — Submit timebook order to TD Updating Department (see related article below).

• September 20 — Monthly billing due at SMART TD office.

• September 20 — Hotel registration deadline for Oct. 8-10 TD Connect workshop in New Haven, Conn.


Be ready to use the new eBill system:

  • All 2018 paper (aka green-bar) bills must be submitted to the SMART TD office prior to gaining access to eBill. We recommend working through your December 2018 bill as soon as possible. Do not wait until the December 20th deadline!
  • Local Treasurers must work to clear outstanding member variances.
  • Local Treasurers must work to develop a system between your members, local chairmen, local president and local treasurer to gather dates required to process E-49 statuses.

Meet Mike Vega, TD’s new billing audit supervisor


Mike Vega has been promoted as the SMART TD Billing Audit Department’s new supervisor, taking over in late August after the retirement of Barbara Bankston, who was with UTU/SMART TD for 37 years.
Mike has been with SMART TD since November 1989 and says he worked “all over the place” with the union before settling in as a billing auditor in 2010. Some jobs he performed included handling direct receipts, serving as the directory administrator, and as an updater on the iLink predecessor system.
An avid road cyclist, Mike’s a native Clevelander and has one key tip for S&Ts when keeping track of the finances of his or her local — be sure that the deductions and billings totals coincide.
“If things get out of sync, that’s when the local can get into trouble,” he said. “If those totals are right, everything pretty much falls into place — there are plenty of checks and balances out there to keep things running smoothly.”


Time book orders due to SMART TD office by Sept. 15

In order to alleviate significant expense and wasteful distribution of time books, all locals must complete a time book order form and return it to the SMART TD office by Sept. 15.
It’s important that the form is completed by a local officer, even if the local does not desire to receive the books (just note “0” on the quantity requested line and return). All locals will be contacted if a form is not received to ensure accurate ordering this fall. You may return the form — available on the SMART TD website — by any one of the methods listed below.

  • Fax to: 216-227-5208 – ATTN: Dora Wolf
  • Email to: dwolf@smart-union.org
  • Via mail to:
    SMART TD
    ATTN: DORA WOLF
    24950 Country Club Blvd, Ste. 340
    North Olmsted, OH 44070 – 5333

A confirmation email will be sent to acknowledge receipt of your order – if you do not receive the email within 10 days of your order being submitted, please contact Dora Wolf by calling the SMART TD office at 216-228-9400.


Ask an Auditor

Q: The convention is coming up next year, and our Local still has an old seal with the UTU logo on it. Since we’re SMART TD now, do we have to get a new one for our Local?
The use of a local seal will be very important next year when credentialing delegates for the SMART TD Convention to take place next August in Las Vegas, Nevada. Locals are not required to replace their old UTU seals. However, if your Local does not have a seal, permission must first be obtained from the President’s Department to get one. Once permission is received, a seal can be ordered from the SMART TD Supply Department. For more information, contact John Horvath in the President’s Department at 216-228-9400.
To submit questions to Ask an Auditor, email fieldauditor@group.smart-union.org.