Transportation News

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Report dependent SSNs to retain health coverage

This is a final effort to collect dependent Social Security numbers to comply with new federal law for all medical plans including: The Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare Plan; and The National Railway Carriers and United Transportation Health and Welfare Plan Fed [...]

Dependent child healthcare coverage alert

One of the jewels of the Obama health care reform plan passed into law by Congress earlier this year allows certain dependent children to remain on an employee’s health care insurance plan until age 26 without regard to student, marital, residence of financial dependent statu [...]

Most rail members eligible for death benefit

If you retired from railroad service on or after April 1, 1967, you may be eligible for a $2,000 retiree life insurance benefit. Benefits are administered by MetLife for all retirees from railroads participating in the National Railway Carriers’ / UTU Health & Welfare Pla [...]

Younger members are our future

By Assistant President Arty Martin For more than 40 years, the UTU has been instrumental in improving job security, wages, benefits and safe working conditions. To achieve that success, the UTU has always relied on the membership to step forward to rebuild elected officers [...]

Rail Retirement finances remain strong

The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is required by law to submit annual reports to Congress on the financial condition of the railroad retirement system and the railroad unemployment insurance system. These reports must also include recommendations for any financing changes w [...]

UTU DIPP: Above all, ‘peace of mind’

By General Secretary & Treasurer Kim Thompson We are all familiar with employers imposing unwarranted discipline and even dismissal on employees. A member survey by the UTU’s Rail Safety Task Force revealed that more than 50 percent of train, engine and yard workers cite [...]

LACMTA talks continue; operational funding a must

By Vic Baffoni, Vice president, Bus Department I extend my congratulations to all the newly elected and re-elected Bus Department officers and delegates, and I ask that they do their best to represent all their membership. Dedication and hard work must include conversation an [...]

UTU locals must file IRS Form 990

UTU locals that have not filed Form 990, Form 990EZ or Form 990-N with the Internal Revenue Service for the last three years have until Oct. 15, 2010, to file, or they will automatically lose their tax-exempt status. For additional information on which of three above forms a [...]

UTU member recalls good old days

PRESCOTT, Ariz. – John Stevenson can relate to the thousands of people who flock to the Peavine Trail each year to take in the imposing views of Granite Dells, the Daily Courier reports. In a completely different era, Stevenson also spent plenty of time walking and ridi [...]

State of the union, 2010

By International President Mike Futhey Are things better now than they were three years ago? Have you witnessed an improvement in representation, union finances, internal procedures and management transparency since Arty Martin, Kim Thompson and I took office Jan. 1, 2008? He [...]