LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS AND TRAINMEN FEBRUARY 2008 PUBLISHED BY THENEWS BLET, A DIVISION OF THE RAIL CONFERENCE, INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS What has the BLET done for me lately? Often overlooked, fringe benefits an important part of compensation BLET provides its members It’s a familiar refrain: “What has the BLET done toward the dental plan, and $121.92 per member, per The money values set forth in this study are com- for me lately?” The answer is quite a lot. year for the vision plan. puted on costs actually known as of January 2008, BLET collective bargaining agreements provide “Our medical benefits are among the best in the and the estimated value of fringe benefits accruing our members with some of the highest blue collar country,” BLET President Don Hahs said. “Our mem- to operating employees is based on annual wages of wages in the United States, and also include impor- bers deserve every penny of this fringe benefit.” $75,900 to $102,000, which are the maximum Tier 2 tant work rules that ensure our members’ safety on These fringe benefits also extend to Railroad Re- and Tier 1 Railroad Retirement taxes, respectively. duty. tirement payments. In fact, nearly half of the $31, It should also be noted that the study does not Often overlooked — but just as important — are 282.02 that BLET members receive each year in fringe take in to consideration vacations, holidays and other the fringe benefits provided to BLET members as part benefits goes toward Railroad Retirement payments. time off benefits, which vary by railroad, class of ser- of the Brotherhood’s collective bargaining agree- For each Class 1 railroad worker covered by the vice and seniority. ments. National Contract, rail carriers will contribute $6,324 “I am proud of the contracts negotiated by the In 2008, BLET members on average will receive per year in Railroad Retirement Tier 1 taxes and an BLET,” President Hahs said. “Railroad jobs are good more than $31,000 in fringe benefits, according to the additional $9,183.90 per year in Railroad Retirement jobs — the kind of jobs you can depend on to raise a BLET’s 2008 Fringe Benefit Study. Tier 2 taxes. That’s a total of $15,507.90. (As a side family. The wages and work rules are just as impor- The rail carriers will pay an average of $12,919.32 note, the same railroad workers will each pay $6,324 tant as the fringe benefits. So the next time someone toward membership health care benefits — that’s per year in Tier 1 taxes and $2,960.10 in Tier 2 taxes.) asks, ‘What has the union done for me lately?’, you $12,919.32 per member working under the National “Our Railroad Retirement system is strong and can point them to this study and show what the BLET Contract. healthy, and I hope it’ll be that way for generations is doing every day to provide its hard working mem- This does not include what the carriers’ contrib- to come,” President Hahs said. “As economists pro- bers with decent jobs and decent benefits.” ute toward the retirees’ health care plan, which is an vide a dire forecast for Social Security, it is good to Members may download the 2008 Fringe Benefits additional $1,331.76 per member, per year. It also does know that our members can depend on the reliabil- report from the BLET website at: not include benefits of $548.64 per member, per year ity of Railroad Retirement.” http://www.ble-t.org/FringeBenefits2008.pdf • Teamsters endorse Barack Members at Huron & Eastern short Obama for President line ratify first BLET agreement Teamsters General Presi- local union and joint council dent Jim Hoffa announced on leaders and deliberations by Members of the Broth- sentative on May 11, 2006, crease of 3% per year in- February 20 that the union is the union’s democratically erhood of Locomotive Engi- workers at the Huron & East- stead of 2%. endorsing Sen. Barack Obama elected General Executive neers and Trainmen have ern were non-union “at will” Members also will re- for president. The endorse- Board. ratified their first-ever col- employees. ceive back pay in the form ment is the first step in mobi- “We have been fortunate to lective bargaining agree- Dan Lorenz, Local Chair- of profit sharing payments lizing the union’s 1.4 million have candidates throughout ment with the Huron & East- man of Division 327, said the that were withheld during members and their families to the Democratic primary who ern Railroad, a RailAmerica new contract provides security negotiations. Lorenz said elect Obama. are friends of working families short line headquartered in for members. the negotiating process “Senator Obama under- and the Teamsters Union,” Vassar, Mich. “The big reason we orga- lasted between 18 and 24 stands the challenges working Hoffa said. “We are pleased The four-year agree- nized and wanted to get in a months, and during that people face every day,” Hoffa that all of the Democratic can- ment was ratified on Dec. union was to create a policy, time management withheld said. “He is the candidate in didates have focused on issues 17, 2007, and went into ef- structure and guidelines to profit sharing to use as a the best position to lead our of importance to working fect on January 1. The hold management account- bargaining chip at the nego- movement to restore the people, including wages, agreement covers approxi- able,” Lorenz said. “The new tiating table. Lorenz said American dream for working health care, retirement secu- mately 25 members and pro- contract gives us those protec- members will receive profit people in this country. Senator rity, fair trade and vides general wage in- tions.” sharing payments from six Obama will fight for better outsourcing.” creases of 2% per year (8% The contract contains a previous quarters, which wages, real health care reform, The union’s endorsement over the life of the contract) “work safe” provision that al- will total several thousand stronger retirement security, immediately activates the in addition to bonuses lows members to earn quar- dollars for some members. fair trade and an end to the union’s 50-state election pro- earned through the terly bonuses for avoiding Midway through the ne- outsourcing of good jobs. He gram, with special emphasis company’s profit sharing workplace injuries. Payments gotiating process, Rail understands the importance of on swing states. program. The agreement under the work safe program America was sold. The giving workers a voice at work “Senator Obama will stand provided a 3% wage in- are awarded on an individual transaction threw a monkey and will fight for strong unions with the Teamsters when it crease from December 17 to basis and could be as high as wrench into the negotiating to help rebuild America’s comes to fighting for working December 31, along with the $780 per quarter. process and delayed the fi- middle class.” families,” Hoffa said. “This en- annual 2% wage increase In terms of profit sharing, nal outcome. The endorsement decision dorsement begins a partner- that went into effect on members have the right to opt “This property took follows a meeting in Austin, ship to change America. To- January 1. out of the program if it does not longer than normal for us to Texas, between Hoffa and gether we will reinvent the po- Prior to selecting the meet their expectations. In lieu Obama, and completes a litical process and give a voice BLET as their designated of profit sharing, members See Huron & Eastern, Page 7 months-long process that in- to those who have been ignored collective bargaining repre- would earn a general wage in- cluded scientific polling of Teamster members, surveys of See Obama, Page 7 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen • International Brotherhood of Teamsters Page 2 Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen News · February 2008 LAST RUNS Division 34’s John Claytor championed safety at CSX Brother John T. Claytor, a member Brother Claytor established SENSE of BLET Division 34 (Columbus, Ohio), teams with team captains. “Team mem- ended his long and safety-conscious bers could then feel freer to contact railroad career when he made his Last their team captain with any SENSE is- Run on December 27, 2007. sues,” he said. Brother Claytor’s Last Run came as Brother Claytor has been actively a Locomotive Engineer for CSX Trans- involved in the BLE’s transformation to portation on a trip between Willard, the BLET through his Local Chairman Ohio and Marion, Ohio, operating a responsibilities and as District SENSE MAC 70 engine on mixed manifest train Coordinator. As Local Chairman, No. Q349. He then worked third trick Brother Claytor started a newsletter for on yard job Y301 at Parson Yard in Co- his members to keep them informed of lumbus, Ohio, until his retirement be- important news and changes within the came effective on January 3, 2008. Brotherhood. Claytor hired out in Chillicothe, Upon his retirement, he was Ohio, as an operator-clerk for the Bal- awarded a 40-year service pin from timore & Ohio Railroad in 1967. He CSX and was recognized for his contri- went firing for the Chessie System on butions to safety. He has also received June 6, 1977, and earned promotion to a 30-year honor pin from the BLET. Locomotive Engineer for the Chessie in He served four years in the United September of 1977. Throughout his rail- States Navy. His home port was Jack- road career, he worked out of Newark, sonville, Fla., and he served on the air- Ohio, from 1987 to 1988, and then on craft carrier USS Shangri-la.