WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has announced it will make permanent its Emergency Order No. 26 restricting the use by on-duty train crews of cell phones and other electronic devices. Some changes, as described below, are to be included in the permanent [...]
By UTU International President Mike Futhey 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, mari [...]
WASHINGTON – President Obama has nominated Republican Thomas M. Beck, an attorney, to succeed Republican Elizabeth Dougherty on the three-member National Mediation Board. The nomination requires Senate confirmation, and a confirmation hearing before the Senate Labor Committee [...]
By Calvin StudivantAlternate vice president, Bus Department Newly manufactured motorcoaches would be required to have lap-shoulder seat belts – and older motorcoaches might be required to add them – under proposals from the U.S. DOT that are open for public comment. The feder [...]
GREAT FALLS, Mont. – A Montana resident believed to be the world’s oldest man celebrated his 114th birthday Tuesday at a retirement home in Great Falls, the Great Falls Tribune reports. Walter Breuning was born on Sept. 21, 1896, in Melrose, Minnesota, and moved to Mont [...]
By Richard Ross Former SMART TD Director of Organizing The SMART Transportation Division has a long history of representing transportation workers — fighting on their behalf for better job security, and improved wages, benefits and working conditions. We have consistent [...]
WASHINGTON – An official of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) this week affirmed the agency’s support for whistle-blower protection. OSHA enforces provisions of 19 laws protecting employees who report violations of various securities, trucking, airline, [...]
The Railroad Retirement Board’s policy is that every annuitant has the right to manage his or her own benefits. However, when physical or mental impairments make a railroad retirement annuitant incapable of properly handling benefit payments, or where the Railroad Retir [...]
We are about to begin the flu season and a flu vaccine is the best way to prevent infection and the complications associated with the flu. Vaccination is necessary each year because flu viruses change each year. The flu shot can be received once a year in either the fall or w [...]
The UTU’s fourth Federal Railroad Administration sponsored risk-reduction pilot project, known as “Confidential Close Call Reporting System” (C3RS), has been formalized in a memorandum of understanding among the UTU, Amtrak and the Brotherhood of Locomotive [...]
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