Transportation News

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Unions under attack; we must respond

By Assistant President Arty Martin While we go about our daily lives, political extremists are gaining strength and working non-stop to undermine and eliminate much of what we cherish on the job and look forward to in retirement. It’s not just Wisconsin and Ohio where r [...]

Another organizing win for UTU; 21 since 2008

Maintenance-of-way employees on Georgia & Florida Railway — where train and engine workers have been UTU members since 2006 — have voted unanimously in favor of UTU representation. UTU organizer Mike Lewis, who has secured numerous previous organizing wins, le [...]

Medicare changes could affect your wallet

Federal legislation affecting how Medicare reimburses physicians requires Medicare providers to reprocess claims dating back more than a year. This reprocessing, required by federal law, may result in your receiving a refund for Medicare services you received in 2010, or your [...]

Ready to help those ravaged by weather

Recent tornados in southern states — from Mississippi to Virginia that killed more than 340 and injured thousands more — plus severe flooding in other parts of the country have likely affected UTU-member families living in those areas. While identification of the [...]

T&E employment up 7.47 percent in March

Train and engine employment on major U.S. railroads climbed by almost 7.5 percent in March 2011 to 62,627, versus March 2010, according to U.S. Surface Transportation Board data. The 7.47 percent increase in train and engine employment is more than double the increase in any [...]

Chicago South Shore members ratify new pact

Brakemen, conductors and engineers on Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railway (CSS), all represented by the UTU, have ratified a new five-year agreement by a four-to-one margin. The contract, retroactive to Jan. 1, provides for hourly wage increases, a cap on health care [...]

Wrap up: Major rails’ 1st quarter 2011 profits

Most major North American freight railroads reported strong earnings for the first quarter 2011 versus first quarter 2010. Following is a wrap-up for the quarterly earnings reported by the railroads to the investment community. Not included is BNSF, which is privately held an [...]

UTU, rails in tentative new five-year agreement

A tentative new five-year national rail agreement covering wages, benefits and working conditions has been reached between the UTU and the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC). The tentative agreement is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2010, and extends through Dec. 31 [...]

Rail engine out-chugging U.S. economy

America is still mired in recession, but the railroad industry continues to show financial strength. Most railroads over the past week reported strong improvements in profit and operating efficiency for the first quarter 2011. Stocks of Union Pacific and Kansas City Southern [...]

NS first-quarter profit leaps 26 percent

Norfolk Southern reported a 26 percent increase in profit for first quarter 2011 versus first quarter 2010. This follows a 45 jump in NS profit for calendar-year 2010. NS CEO Wick Moorman said the railroad intends to add some 1,100 new workers during 2011, returning employmen [...]