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THE LOCOMOTIVE NGINEER ENEWSLETTER · FEBRUARY 2002 BLE ready to defend crafts ing crafts on the Kansas City Southern, the National Advisory Board to suspend dues assessment after March, Mediation Board has given KCS management until Feb- ruary 22 to submit certain information regarding the April collections; NMB collects cross-utilization data on KCS cross-utilization of employees working in the operat- ing crafts. The BLE’s Advisory Board passed a motion on BLE International President Don M. Hahs said, In a January 28 letter, the NMB requested that January 31 that will suspend the temporary dues “The Executive Committee has determined that the assessment after two months of implementation. March and April assessments, coupled with other KCS management provide the following information: BLE members will be assessed the additional $25 funds that are available, should provide adequate fi- • The total number of persons employed by the Carrier and working in each of the crafts or classes for March and April only. nancing to defend the BLE on the Kansas City South- of Conductor, Trainman, Brakeman, Switchman, At its upcoming February meeting, the Board will ern in the event the National Mediation Board issues revisit the issue to determine if further action is nec- an adverse ruling.” essary. Regarding the BLE’s defense of historic operat- See Kansas City Southern, Page 7 Discussions on Teamsters, other AFL-CIO remote control affiliates support BLE arbitration ongoing Are the carriers obligated The parties had not yet arrived Rail Labor Division resolution toughens sanctions for raiding to assign remote control opera- at an arbitration agreement tions to locomotive engineers? when the Newsletter went to Since the January issue The resolution is pending man, hostler, and hostler This is the question the press. General Chairmen for Locomotive Engi- of the before the TTD Executive helper, and combine them BLE is preparing to submit for all general committees with neer Newsletter went to Committee before heading to into a single craft of “train arbitration. agreements on the six proper- press, the BLE Inter- the full AFL-CIO Execu- and engine service employ- On January 14, 2002, ties have been kept up to date national Division has tive Committee for ap- ees.” United States District Judge on the negotiations and have continued to receive proval (the full text of Should the NMB create Joan Gottschall held that the offered suggestions and assis- support from various the resolution appears a single craft on any carrier, dispute between six major car- tance that will ensure that ev- AFL-CIO bodies and on Page 4 of this issue). it would force a representa- riers and the BLE is a “minor ery reasonable argument affiliates, including The UTU, which tion election on that prop- dispute” under the Railway against the carriers’ rash ac- the International Brother- dropped out of the AFL-CIO to erty to determine which Labor Act that must be arbi- tions gets presented in the ar- hood of Teamsters, in its avoid sanctions, is raiding BLE union would represent the trated. The federal judge is- bitration. struggle to thwart raiding membership by attempting to new craft. This would allow sued an injunction against any The court’s injunction does attempts by the United change operating craft struc- the UTU to use its greater strike or job action by the BLE not allow the carriers to extend Transportation Union. ture in the railroad industry numbers as leverage in in response to the carriers’ remote control operations be- The Rail Labor Division and forcing a series of repre- raiding the BLE — while implementation of remote con- yond terminal operations. of the AFL-CIO’s Transpor- sentation elections. attempting to destroy it. trol technology “in their termi- Judge Gottschall made it clear tation Trades Department In essence, the UTU is With the threat of an at- nal operations in and around that the carriers could not use passed a resolution in early seeking to take over the BLE tack by a non-affiliate loom- terminals.” the restraint she placed on February, which would pre- by asking the National Media- ing, nearly a dozen AFL- Since the Judge issued her BLE to service customers out- vent unions such as the tion Board to eliminate the his- CIO unions — representing order and injunction, BLE side terminals with locomo- UTU from rejoining the toric operating crafts of loco- more than two million mem- counsel has been engaged in tives operated by remote con- AFL-CIO for a period of five motive engineer, conductor, discussions with counsel for trol without locomotive engi- years. brakeman, switchman, fire- See Affiliate Support, Page 4 the carriers regarding the for- neers, absent agreement with mat the arbitration will take. the BLE. • Amtrak Reform Council recommends dismantling of Amtrak The Amtrak Reform Council October if it does not receive the nec- pick its most desirable parts.” marred by poor infrastructure and “pulled the trigger” on Amtrak in a re- essary funding (see related article, The Rail Labor Division of the TTD equipment maintenance, major acci- port to Congress on February 7, saying page 6). filed a lawsuit on January 22 to stop dents, constant delays, and nationwide Amtrak is irreversibly flawed and Rail Labor was critical of the pro- the ARC’s efforts to destroy Amtrak. labor strikes. It has gotten so bad that should be broken up to give the free posal and dismissed it — as well as the However, it failed to persuade a federal British citizens have scheduled a na- market an opportunity to improve ARC itself — as “biased.” judge to block release of the council’s tional boycott of the railways in March. America’s passenger rail system. “The ARC has never been a legiti- report (see related article, page 6). “The Amtrak Reform Council… has The U.S. House Transportation mate panel,” said Sonny Hall, President Many of the ARC’s recommenda- wasted far too many taxpayer dollars Committee has scheduled a hearing on of the AFL-CIO’s Transportation tions for dismantling and privatizing advancing already-rejected ideas,” February 14 to review the proposal. Trades Department (TTD). “It was Amtrak have been tried before in Great TTD President Hall said. Amtrak has requested $1.2 billion in stacked with people who walked in the Britain — but the results have been The ARC’s report says that Amtrak federal assistance, and said it will door on a mission to breakup Amtrak disastrous for the country’s traveling cease many long-distance routes by and allow private interests to cherry- public. The British rail system is See Amtrak’s Future, Page 6 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Since 1863, a tradition of forward thinking Page 2 Locomotive Engineer Newsletter · February 2002 RETIREMENT NEWS Railroad Retirement benefit changes The Railroad Retirement and Sur- is age 60 and has 30 years’ service, his tirement annuities to employees with would be payable in these cases. vivors’ Improvement Act of 2001 (P.L. or her spouse can now receive an an- less than ten years (120 months) of rail- 107-90), enacted on December 21, 2001, nuity at age 60 without any age reduc- road service if they are credited with 8. How are railroad retirement makes a number of major changes to tion if the spouse’s annuity beginning at least five years (60 months) of rail- widow(er)s’ benefits affected by the the Railroad Retirement Act. The leg- date is January 1, 2002, or later. road service after 1995. Benefits pay- new law? islation restores full early retirement able on the basis of this provision are Under prior law, the widow(er)’s eligibility at age 60 for railroad employ- 3. What was the not retroactive and are tier I benefit, before any reductions for ees with 30 or more years of service; railroad retirement not payable for months other benefits, was generally equal to eliminates the maximum provision that maximum provision prior to January 2002, but the amount of the tier I benefit that the had previously capped some employee eliminated by the are payable beginning employee received at the time of his or and spouse railroad retirement ben- new law? January 1, 2002, to those her death; and a widow(er)’s tier II ben- efits; reduces the basic eligibility re- Under prior law, with five years of service efit was generally equal to 50 percent quirement for an employee annuity the total amount of after 1995. Employees of the tier II benefit that was payable from 10 to 5 years of service if per- monthly annuities previously denied ben- to the employee at the time of his or formed after 1995; and provides in- payable under the efits for insufficient ser- her death. creased benefits for some widow(er)s. Railroad Retirement vice would have to file a The new law establishes an “initial The following questions and an- Act to an employee new application for ben- minimum amount” which yields, in ef- swers describe the changes in railroad and spouse was lim- efits. fect, a widow(er)’s tier II benefit equal retirement benefit provisions brought ited to a maximum geared to the Employees with five years of ser- to the tier II benefit the employee would about by this legislation. employee’s average monthly earnings vice after 1995 may qualify for a tier II have received at the time of the award prior to retirement. This maximum pro- benefit based on age and service at age of the widow(er)’s annuity. It does this 1. Why have the early retirement vision was intended to create a “rea- 62. A tier I benefit is also payable by by adding a “guaranty amount,” ini- provisions of the new law been called sonable cap” based on an employee’s the Board, but only if the employee has tially set at 50 percent of the employee’s a restoration of 60/30? earnings immediately prior to retire- an “insured status” under Social Secu- tier II, to the 100 percent tier I and 50 Legislation effective in 1974 pro- ment.

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