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Help Us Help You
Money from the BLET-PAC is used to help in the
fight on Capitol Hill for issues that impact your job, your family and your future!
Big Railroads spend big money in Washington to influence
members of Congress and push their anti-worker plans. They outspend working families by more than 15-1. Through
grassroots political action and agressive lobbying on Captol Hill and in State Houses and City Halls across America, labor
has stopped some of the worst attacks on working people.
Why should you join?
Big Railroads are pushing their agenda harder than
ever. That means we have to fight back stronger than ever. Unions cannot just react when important issues arise.
We must get in the game early and help set the agenda. BLET-PAC helps elect and retain elected officials who share our
concerns.
I Already Pay Union Dues?
Laws prohibit the use of union dues for political
purposes. Your voluntary BLET-PAC contribution fills this gap and enables us to help those who share our interests on
the state and national level.
I'm Almost Ready to Retire?
BLET-PAC also works for our retired members and their
spouses. We're working to protect your interests on matters related to Railroad Retirement, survivor's benefits and
other timely issues.
I myself, contribute to BLET-PAC. So should
you! Please join me in support of BLET-PAC. If we all contribute just a little, it CAN make a difference.
You can obtain a BLET-PAC Authorization Card from the BLE-T Division 622 office. You can also get an Authorization Card
from your Division Legislative Representative. A new option available to our membership is
to go to www.bletdc.org and clicking on the political action committee icon in the top right hand corner,
or under the heading of take action. The direct link for the sign up page is http://www.bletdc.org/action/PAC/ . Before a member can proceed to the PAC page they will be prompted both for a username and
password. The username and password can be obtained via e-mail from your Legislative Representative or from the BLE-T
Division 622 office.
If you already contribute, consider contacting our
Secretary/Treasurer to increase your BLE-T PAC contribution. Let's make an effort to be proactive in the effort to support
issues that are important to us and our families!
Behind the Scenes in Washington D.C.
OMNIBUS BILL PASSES
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a $556 billion bill on Wednesday, December
19 to fund most of the federal government through September 2008. The voted ended a year-long budget fight with President
George W. Bush by also including new money for the Iraq war. The House gave final congressional approval to the bill, which
was passed by the Senate late on Tuesday. It now goes to President Bush for his expected approval.
The omnibus legislation
included 11 of the 12 bills the U.S. Congress must handle every year to fund government programs, and included much needed
funding for the National Mediation Board, Federal Railroad Administration, and Amtrak.
Federal Railroad Administration:
The
amended bill provides $150,193,499 for safety and operations instead of $148,472,000 as proposed by the House and $151,186,000
as proposed by the Senate. The amended bill includes an increase of $892,500 above the budget request for inspector travel
instead of $1,785,000 as proposed by the Senate. The House assumed the budget request. In addition, the amended bill includes
an increase of $629,000 to expeditiously fill agency vacancies as proposed by the Senate.
Amtrak:
The amended bill
provides a total of $1,325,000,000 for operations, capital improvements and debt service to Amtrak instead of $1,400,000,000
as proposed by the House and $1,370,000,000 as proposed by the Senate.
NMB:
The amended bill includes $12,911,000
for the National Mediation Board instead of $12,992,000 as proposed by both the House and Senate. Within the total for the
National Mediation Board, $669,000 is included to supplement the budget request for arbitration. The original bill contained
$750,000 for arbitration. These funds are provided for arbitrator salaries and should be used to address the backlog of section
3 arbitration cases. The House and Senate reports included similar language.
The BLET, along with the BMWED and the
Teamsters, worked to ensure that additional funding for the backlog of NMB cases was secured.
Railroad Safety Legislation Update
The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
marked up S. 1889. The latest version of the legislation is breifly described as follows:
While we are not entirely pleased with the
direction the legislation has taken, we hope that it will be passed before the Senate adjourns in November and then changed
in the conference committee process.
The Hours of Service provisions in the legislation are not at all what
we wanted but we hope that they will be worked out during conference. The legislation imposes 276‑hour monthly cap,
which includes all limbo time; (2) the 24 hours off every 7 days has been changed to either (a) 2 days off
at the home terminal after 6 days, (b) 3 days off at the home terminal after 7 days, (c) a collectively
bargained alternative approved by FRA. The limbo time provisions limit limbo to 3 hours in any tour of duty (unless one of
the many exigencies included in the original bill occur), in lieu of the 4 hour per day / 30 hours per month total limbo
time cap in the original draft. It also provides extra rest time for work tours in excess of 12 hours continues
to be at the option of the employee. The bill also does not outlaw the use of camp cars. It merely suggests that the FRA regulate them.
On a good note, the legislation also provides for the implementation of
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing programs on all Class I railroads. During yesterday’s markup, Senator John Kerry made
remarks in support of the BLET and the BMWED positions on limbo and camp cars.
Again, I hope that we will be able to work out all of the issues in conference
or amendments.
A Republican proposal, made at the behest
of the AAR, that a 276 hour monthly hours of service cap be imposed. This provision is similar to one AAR previously
sought in the House bill, and would include limbo time, which otherwise would not be considered as time on duty.
This AAR proposal is completely bogus and attempts to interject a red herring
into the debate in order to evade the industry’s culpability for fatigue. When considered in the context of AAR’s
insistence that the legal status of limbo time remain unchanged, it is clear that the proposal is meant to be nothing more
than a “poison pill” intended to force us to abandon our attempt to reform limbo time.
Source: John P. Tolman; Nation Legislative Representative
Wheather you are for or against this
legislation, you need to let your congressmen know, especially in the Senate, your opinion on this legislation
while it is being discussed on the Senate floor and in conference. As you can see, the railroad lobby has been busy!!!
Dorgan-Specter Amendment Blocks Funding for Bush Administration Pilot Program allowing Mexican Trucks
to Enter the United States
The Senate
on Tuesday voted 74-24 to block funding for the pilot program, mirroring the House vote on July 24. The measure was an amendment
to the Fiscal Year 2008 Transportation Appropriations bill. It was sponsored by Sens. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., and Arlen Specter,
R-Pa.
The Senate action followed the tragic truck explosion that killed more than 30 people and injured 150 in Northern
Mexico on Sunday. Congress has only blocked funding for a year, the Teamsters will continue the fight against this unwise,
unsafe program.
The House
Transportation Committee/Railroad Subcommittee will be holding a crucially important hearing on October 18, 2007 at 2:00 pm
on the subject of Carrier Harassment of injured employees.
The House Railroad Subcommittee passed its version of the Rail Safety Act which in sections 301 and 606 included an
anti harassment sections which among other things prevents carriers from denying or delaying medical treatment to injured
employees. The Senate has no such section in its bill. We hope the House is having this hearing with
thoughts that if evidence is sufficient, perhaps section 301 and/or 606 could be included and strengthened
in its final version of the bill to include a section preventing other harassment of injured rail employees and provide a
civil cause of action for those affected to enforce the provision. It is hoped that when the two bills are reconciled that
these provisions would be included.
Suorce:
Bill Jungbauer BLET Designated Legal Counsel
Yaeger, Jungbauer & Barczak
Mpls, MN
What brought about the changes
in the DUI Citation/Conviction controversy?
Your Nebraska State Legislative Board Chairman knows!! Click on the two links to find out!!
Complaint
Resolution
News from the Legislative Frontline
U.S. House of Representatives propose sweeping rail safety legislation
Changes to LB 676 (Crossing Bill) as Proposed by your NESLB
Employee Identification Credential
DM&E and Taxpayer Financing
BNSF-NS ECP Brake Waiver for Pilot Trains
The President signed into Law HR 5483
Railroad Retirement Disability Earnings Act, into law today, January 12, 2007.
The bill will raise the outside earning limits of retired railroad workers from $400
to $700 per month. It was signed by President Bush; the measure will become effective January 2007, and will also create an
indexing formula to provide for automatic increases in the future. The $400 cap was established more than a decade ago.
Writing to Congress, State and Local Legislative Representatives and Officials.
On occasion, every citizen wants to write their Federal, State or Local Representative or Officials.
It is your right, and your Federal, State and Local representatives do expect to hear from their constituents. Click
on the link for some helpful hints on writing effective letters to your representatives.
Printer Friendly Letter Writing Tips
LINKS
Change to Win IBT Rail Conference NE State Leg. Board CEO Pay Calculator
Contact your U.S. Senator Contact your U.S. House Representative
Contact your NE State Senator
CALLING TREE
We are constantly changing the calling tree. Because of recent retirements and
new additions to our Division, we are in need volunteers to staff new and existing branches of the calling tree.
If you are willing to volunteer for such an assignment, contact us using the information on this website. If you are
already one of the volunteers for this important and vital task, please check with me to see if there are any additions or
corrections to your branch of the tree.
e-mail
The use of e-mail is one of the most non-invasive and practical ways to communicate.
It allows us to mass mail pertinent information as we get it. It also allows you the recipient, to browse
this information at your convenience. Electronic, or e-mail eliminates the hassle of playing "phone tag" when trying
to access information for you local union representative. It allows you to communicate when you have
the time. Please use the addys that are within this site to communicate with us. By the same token, we only have
about half of the membership's e-mail addys. If you are browsing this site right now, more than likely, we already have
your most up-to-date addy. If we don't, you can either sign up for a blet622.com addy or supply us with one of your
own at blet622@telecomwest.net You can also help by spreading the word that we need addys!!
Fraternally
Lance Flohr
BLE-T 622 Legislative Representative
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