Transportation News

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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 [...]

Situational awareness saves limbs, lives, careers

A UTU-member conductor employed by Canadian Pacific in LaCrosse, Wis., suffered a severe injury – being pinned beneath a freight car that derailed and tipped over — during a switching operation Sept. 5. The 43-year-old conductor had less than one year of service. During [...]

Another UTU bus organizing win

PERRIS, Calif. – In the 24th organizing victory in 43 months, the UTU has added representation of additional employees of Southland Transit here. Following the lead of bus drivers and mechanics of Southland Transit, who voted “UTU, yes” in June, the company’s call center empl [...]

Labor Day: For too many, another day without a job

UTU members participated in Labor Day events and parades nationwide, demonstrating that a healthy, energized and committed labor union movement is alive and well in America. In truth, there was not too much to celebrate. For too many Americans, this Labor Day was just another [...]

National rail contract ratified

A new national rail contract, delivering a 17 percent wage increase over 60 months (18.24 percent when compounded), a 78-month cap on health care insurance contributions, plus  improvements in health care benefits, has been ratified by solid margins by UTU members in each of [...]

Knowing you have high cholesterol is important

(The following message is provided by UnitedHealthcare) High cholesterol affects children, young adults and older individuals — and many do not know they have it because high cholesterol usually doesn’t present noticeable symptoms. However, it is a major risk factor for [...]

National Rail Contract voting deadline: Sept. 2

The deadline for voting on the National Rail Contract is 4 p.m., Eastern time, Friday, Sept. 2. Votes may be cast by telephone around the clock. Voting packages, with information on the tentative agreement and voting instructions, including a telephone access code, were maile [...]

Bus companies ordered to post organizing message

WASHINGTON — Employers, including union and non-union bus companies, covered by the National Labor Relations Act must now post notices on bulletin boards informing employees they have a right under federal law to organize and be represented by a labor union. The Nationa [...]