Transportation News

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RRB benefits subject to age reductions

Railroad retirement benefits are subject to reduction if an employee with less than 30 years of service retires before attaining full retirement age. While employees with less than 30 years of service may still retire at age 62, the age at which full retirement benefits are p [...]

UTU member pulls pin after 42 years

When Art Anderson started working for passenger railroads, the Beatles were still together, and everyone still dressed up for work, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “Things are a lot more casual these days,” said Anderson, 59, who retires next month after 42 ye [...]

Retiree Hageman, 84, re-elected to city council

UTU retiree John Hageman was recently re-elected to his fourth four-year term as city councilman in Fitzgerald, Ga. This is not surprising, since the 84-year-old Hageman’s forefathers helped found the town back in 1895. Fitzgerald is a town of about 9,500 residents in s [...]

Strength, unity will help us win a good contract

By James A. Williams General Chairperson, LACMTA Contract negotiations are underway between the UTU and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA). As required by California law, the parties exchanged proposals prior to April 1, and, as also dictate [...]

UTU, AFL-CIO tackle school bus driver issues

By Bonnie Morr Alternate Vice President-Bus The UTU, other labor unions and the Transportation Trades Department (TTD) of the AFL-CIO are jointly tackling workplace training, discipline and other workplace safety and economic issues on behalf of school bus drivers. Nationwide [...]

RRB sickness, jobless benefits update

A new benefit year for jobless and sickness benefits under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act begins July 1, 2010, the Railroad Retirement Board reports. Administered by the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), this law provides two kinds of benefits for qualified railroader [...]

UP inaugurates “close call” project

Employees at the nation’s largest rail yard, the Union Pacific yard in North Platte, Neb., can now voluntarily and anonymously report “close-call” incidents that could have resulted in an accident, but did not, without fear of sanction or penalty from their [...]

Healthy options a phone call away

By Steven BurdickSenior VP, UnitedHealthcare Committing to a healthier lifestyle is something that all of us struggle with everyday. We all think about it, but it’s doing something about it that’s the challenge most of us face. The goal of UnitedHealthcare wellness programs i [...]

Health plans require dependent info

To comply with federal law, those enrolled in the Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare Plan and the National Railway Carriers and United Transportation Union Health and Welfare Plan must provide Social Security numbers of dependents. Failure to comply can result in [...]

Wellness programs promote healthier lives

By Steven Burdick, senior vice president, UnitedHealthcare Committing to a healthier lifestyle is something that all of us struggle with everyday. We all think about it, but it’s doing something about it that’s the challenge most of us face. The goal of UnitedHealthcare welln [...]