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L SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER Daily news updates 2008 www.ble-t.org ocomotive LEngineers& Trainmen News Published by the BLET, a division of the Rail Conference,• International Brotherhood of Teamsters ELECTION 2008 John McCain’s health care plan proposal a disaster for BLET members, absentee voting information, legislative board endorsements and more. pgs.8 - 11 Deadly Hurricanes Flexible Ike and Gustav ravaged Louisiana and Texas. Spending Account will provide real savings egistration for the money- saving Flexible Spending Account (FSA) begins next month, and BLET mem- bers are encouraged to take advantage of this valuable new health Rand welfare benefit. The program al- lows BLET members to pay for doctor co-pays and other medical expenses with pretax dollars. A partial list of items that qualify for this type of payment includes: Doctor co- pays; Drug Co-pays; Dental Co-pays or other dental expenses not covered in our dental plan; Vision Co-pays or addition- al cost for eye care not covered under the national plan; and Over the counter med- Disaster Relief ications, such as cold medicine, decon- gestant medicine, aspirin, Tylenol or their generic brands. At the Union Pacific Railroad, South- ern Region General Chairman Gil Gore is a staunch supporter of the program. He encourages all BLET members to ke’s sign up. I “I have a personal experience with the medical portion of the FSA,” Brother Gore Aftermath said. “The program has helped tremen- Many BLET members are rebuilding their lives dously with braces and other major den- tal work for my children not covered by with assistance from other BLET members our health insurance.” and the Teamsters Disaster Relief fund. Brother Gore gave braces and ortho- dontist work as an example. He said the pg.6 courtesy of FEMA FSA could really help BLET members who Photo: have children save money. “If you have some major dental work scheduled (such as braces for your kids) BLET members at Norfolk Southern ratify new contract up to $3,600 of that expense can be paid embers of the Brotherhood of and 1,091 against. Members will also re- The agreement provides for substantial with pretax dollars,” he said. “If you are Locomotive Engineers and ceive lump sum bonus payments totaling improvements in lifestyle related areas and in a 25%–33 % tax bracket, that amounts Trainmen have overwhelming- $4,700 — a signing bonus of $1,200 plus holds the line on health and welfare cost to as much as a $1,200 reduction in the Mly ratified a new contract agreement with an additional lump sum payment of $3,500 sharing. The agreement also institutes an federal taxes that you pay. Norfolk Southern. by January 1, 2009. important Scope Rule that protects the “We planned ahead to have our chil- The six-year agreement governs about “Substantial wage increases of 19 per- work of locomotive engineers in the face dren’s dental work done at the proper time 4,800 engineers and provides for general cent put NS engineers in line with engi- of new and changing technologies. “We to get maximum benefit from the plan,” wage increases of 19 percent in addition neers covered by the National Agreement want to stress that the agreement does not he said. to bonuses that members can earn based as of July 1, 2009,” said BLET General serve to eliminate any positions in any In much the same way that a 401k pro- on the company’s financial performance. Chairmen Ray Wallace, Willard Knight other craft,” the General Chairmen said. Continued on page 11 • It was ratified by a vote of 1,894 in favor and Cole Davis, negotiated the contract. Continued on page 3 • METROLINK TRAGEDY: Labor Day 2008 Your Rights, Accident claims 25 lives Celebrating our Your FELA BLET Engineer Robert M. Sanchez holiday in Douglas, Joseph L. Bauer Jr. provides • among the dead pg4 Wyoming pg2 an overview of FELA pg7• [2 www.ble-t.org ] Engineers& Trainmen News Labor Day 2008 Not just another day in Douglas, Wyoming or most folks, Labor Day is a Gary Trauner also spent a good holiday that marks the end deal of time with guests. The 49- F of the summer season. But year old Wyoming Democrat is that’s not the case in towns and cities running for the U.S. House of Rep- throughout the United States where resentatives. In a short time, guests trade union members gather to cele- learned that Gary is a husband, brate “their” day. father, businessman, entrepreneur, Don Hill, event co- Such was the case for BLET mem- community volunteer, and former organizer gets the first burgers going on bers in Douglas, Wyo., on Labor Day elected official residing in Wilson, the grill. 2008. Wyo. Eighteen years ago, he and As do many other Divisions his wife Terry chose Wyoming as throughout the U.S., BLET Division 31 the place they wanted to live and has held a union Labor Day picnic raise a family; they are now the for several years. The last two were proud parents of two Wyoming held in conjunction with Local 257 of born-and-raised young boys — the United Transportation Union. “It ages 14 and 8. just made sense to combine the pic- Division 31’s members work for nic with the UTU,” said Division 31 the Union Pacific Railroad out of Bill, Local Chairman Don Hill. “We work Wyo., some 35 miles from Douglas on the same trains, we can certainly (where most of the members reside), get together for a Labor Day picnic.” and the Division is a part of the UP Terry Jones, a candidate for the Wyoming House speaks to the crowd. The 2008 picnic was an all day Northern Lines General Committee family affair. of Adjustment. Bruce D MacArthur, “The burgers started grillin’ about General Chairman of the committee, 10 a.m. and we didn’t finish until was also in attendance. His office after 6 that day,” said Brother Hill, is in Clinton, Iowa, and visited with who was one of the organizers of the guests and their families. Steve Dyer, LR for Division 31 staples a poster for event, along with Shawn VonWald, As holidays go, Labor Day has Terry Jones, BLET member running for the Wyoming House. shop steward of UTU Local 257. “We a lot of “seniority.” It originated in had a good turnout with over 150 1882 as the Central Labor Union people being served, and lots of kids, (of New York City) sought to create There’s more where that came from. Shawn VonWald (left), UTU 257 local steward serves up who had a great time. We have 70 a “day off for the working citizens.” a hot bratwurst to an eager youngster who was pools working in place now, and al- Congress made Labor Day a fed- one of the first in line , as Don Hill, Local Chairman for BLET Division 31 looks on. Both were joint most half were able to lay off, which eral holiday on June 28, 1894, two organizers of the event. left about 20 pools working at any months after the May Day riots of one time during the day, so it worked 1894. All 50 states have since made out pretty nice for most everyone to Labor Day a state holiday. get to the picnic at one time or anoth- Labor Day has been celebrated They’re not really checking the line-up on the lap er during the day,” he said. on the first Monday in September in top computer, but the weather forecast. Don Hill “We roasted a 200 pound pig, the United States since the 1880s. (center at the computer) is show with Dennis Duran on the left, and Tim Skinner on the right, S/T of went through about 90 pounds of The form of the celebration of Labor Division 31. hamburger, 300 bratwursts, and Day was outlined in the first propos- lots of salads, chips, sodas and cold al for the holiday: a street parade beer,” he said. “We started plan- to exhibit to the public “the strength A red-white-and-blue friendship. Division 31 ning for the picnic sometime in June. and the esprit de corps of the trade President Glenn Dalton (left) shown with Terry Jones, who is running for the Wyoming State House, It takes a lot of work, but it is great and labor organizations,” followed and to the right Cory Runion and in the red shirt, to see the members and their families by a festival for the workers and his son Brandon get together, especially for the kids.” their families which became the pat- Even the weather seemed to co- tern for a Labor Day celebrations. operate for a time in Douglas, Wyo., Speeches by prominent men and but a late afternoon shower, try as it women were introduced later, as Engineer Trent Young (left) has a conversation might, could not dampen the spirits of more emphasis was placed upon the with Engineer Cory Patterson, both members of Division 31. guests. Later, as if to make amends, economic and civil significance of the sun broke out and shown again the holiday. Still later, by resolution near the end of the picnic. of the American Federation of Labor Political candidates paid visits convention of 1909, the Sunday pre- to the picnic in Douglas, Wyo., as ceding Labor Day was adopted as they were no doubt doing elsewhere labors Sunday and dedicated to the Locomotive Engineer Fred Green makes sure his throughout the United States on La- spiritual and educational aspects of grandson Connor has a snack bor Day.