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Assistance for Union Plus Program Participants
Impacted by April’s Storms
Union members living in areas
impacted by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding, who
participate in Union
Plus programs may be eligible for financial assistance.
Read
Entire Press Release
National Negotiations Update
National negotiations between the Rail Labor
Bargaining Coalition (RLBC) and the railroads represented by the
NCCC are now well into the second year. Thus far, the several
meetings between the RLBC and the Carriers have been mainly focused
on health insurance benefits, with some discussion on general wage
increases and more paid time off. The RLBC is comprised of six
national rail unions, representing more than 70,000 railroad
employees, including: Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen; Brotherhood
of Maintenance of Way Employes Division-IBT; Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen-IBT; International Brotherhood of
Boilermakers, Blacksmiths, Iron Ship Builders, Forgers, and Helpers;
National Conference of Firemen & Oilers-SEIU; Sheet Metal
Workers' International Association.
Read
Entire Press Release
New RRB Applicants Must Choose Electronic
Payments — Paper Checks also Phased Out for Existing Benefit
Recipients
Beginning May 1, new applicants for federal
benefits, including those paid by the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board
(RRB), are required to receive them as electronic payments. Those
already receiving benefit payments on that date will have until
March 1, 2013, to switch to a form of electronic payment. This stems
from a Department of the Treasury rule that was finalized in late
December 2010.
Read
Entire Press Release
Rail Shipments of Damaged Hazmat Containers More than Doubles
CLEVELAND, March 25 — The number of
damaged or leaking hazardous materials containers shipped by rail
has more than doubled over the past four years, and Rail Labor is
demanding to know why.
Read
Entire Press Release
Support Union
Workers and Get $50
When You Switch to AT&T Wireless
With the attacks on workers in
Wisconsin, Ohio and other states, it's more important than ever to
show your support for union workers and employers that are proud to
be union.
Switch
your cell phone service to AT&T, the only
unionized national wireless company, and get a one-time $50 credit
in addition to the 15% union-member-only monthly discount from Union
Plus.
The $50 Union Plus AT&T
wireless credit is available only to new AT&T customers who sign
up online for a monthly voice plan of $34.99 or more. (Excludes
iPhone, iPad and other tablets. Expires 04/29/11.)
Visit UnionPlus.org/ATT
to go union and start saving today.
The BRS is
Accepting Resumés
The Brotherhood of
Railroad Signalmen Grand Executive Council is accepting resumés for
Grand Lodge Representative.
Grand Lodge Representative.
Location:
Grand Lodge Headquarters in Front Royal, Virginia.
Duties:
President W. Dan Pickett will assign duties, and duties may vary.
Qualifications:
Only active BRS members are eligible for
appointment to this position.
Computer skills,
including experience with MS Office suite is a plus. Union
activism is a fundamental quality. The
successful candidate will be detail oriented and have strong
writing, communications, and organizational skills.
Currently, the role
of this position is primarily involved in the preparation of
submissions for grievance resolution and other labor/employee
related functions.
Interested
candidates should email their resumé to wdp@brs.org
or mail it to the address below:
W. Dan Pickett,
President
Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen
917 Shenandoah Shores Road
Front Royal, Va. 22630
Walt A. Barrows, nominee
for
Member – Railroad Retirement Board
On
February 28, 2011, President Barack Obama announced his intent to
nominate Walter A. Barrows to the key Administration post of Member
- Railroad Retirement Board.
Mr.
Barrows is the Secretary-Treasurer of the Brotherhood of Railroad
Signalmen, a rail union representing approximately 9,500 signalmen
working for railroads across the United States. Mr. Barrows was
elected to the Secretary-Treasurer position in 1999 and won
reelection in 2002, 2006, and 2010. Prior to being elected
Secretary-Treasurer, Mr. Barrows served as General Chairman of the
Norfolk Southern General Committee and Grand Lodge Trustee. He also
serves on the Board of Trustees for the National Railroad Retirement
Investment Trust.
The
White House Press Release, which also includes a nominee for the
Board of Directors of the State Justice Institute, contains a
statement from President Obama. In that statement President Obama
said, "I am honored that these talented individuals have
decided to join this Administration and serve our country. I look
forward to working with them in the months and years to come."
If
confirmed by the Senate, Barrows would replace outgoing Labor Member
V. M. "Butch" Speakman on the three-member board. Speakman
announced in 2010 that he would be retiring.
The
U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois,
administers a federal retirement benefit program and other benefits
for the nation's railroad workers.
February
28, 2011 — White House Press Release
AFL-CIO 2010 March for Babies
The unions of the Federation have
supported the good work of the March of Dimes since 1970 by
participating in the March for Babies events each spring in
communities across the country. In 2010, AFL-CIO affiliate unions,
state feds, and CLCs contributed $1,000,828 for March for Babies.
We encourage union members to participate in
the March for Babies in their communities. You can also visit
the website, www.marchforbabies.org,
for more information on walk sites in your area.
Defend Fair Elections for Aviation
and Rail Workers
A long-standing
injustice was made right in 2010 when the NMB changed union election
rules for airline and rail workers. The NMB now allows a majority of
workers who actually vote to decide the outcome of elections and has
stopped counting those who didn’t participate as a vote against
the union. The attempt in the House of Representatives to repeal the
NMB’s common-sense rule change must be defeated. CLICK
HERE TO TELL THEM NO!
Legislation Reduces Payroll Taxes
and Extends Unemployment
Benefits for Rail Workers
The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance
Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, recently passed
by the Congress and signed into law by President Obama on December
17, 2010, affects current railroad workers
in two key ways. Specifically, the law provides a 1-year reduction
in employee payroll taxes and provides
more extended unemployment benefits for railroad employees.
Click
here for more information.
Supplemental Annuity Information
Railroad retirement beneficiaries are
reminded that receipt of a private railroad pension or a
distribution from an employer-sponsored 401(k) plan may reduce the
amount of a supplemental annuity payable by the Railroad Retirement
Board.
Click
here for more information.
The Railroad
Employees National Early
Retirement Major Medical Benefit (ERMA)
Plan 2011 Lifetime Maximum
At the end of 2001,
Labor and Management agreed on various procedures to administer the
annual changes in the amount of the lifetime maximum benefit under
the ERMA Plan.
- In
conjunction with the formula established in 2001, we have
calculated the new lifetime maximum by utilizing the October
2010 Consumer Price Index data for Hospital and Related Services
and Physician Services. The individual components were weighted
using Plan specific types of service and applied this composite
product to the current lifetime maximum to obtain the
incremental value for the upcoming year. The result is a
lifetime maximum for 2011 of $126,200.
- For
individuals who have reached the lifetime maximum, the
incremental maximum available is applied to eligible expenses submitted
for dates of service on or after the effective date of the
new maximum. For 2011, this amount will be $7,300.
- This
change will apply to all railroads and crafts participating in
ERMA.
Date Extension for Enrolling Eligible Dependents up to Age 26
The deadline for adding
certain dependent children, to age 26, has been extended for employees
covered under the Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare
Plan and the National Railway Carriers and United Transportation
Union Health and Welfare Plan (the Plan).
The special enrollment
period for the completed Dependent Add Form and other required
materials has been
extended and must be postmarked no later than December 31,
2010 (vs. the original date of November 3, 2010)
in order to have the eligible dependents covered by your Plan. THIS
EXTENSION IS FOR ADDING CERTAIN
DEPENDENTS ONLY, NO OTHER CHANGES
WILL BE ACCEPTED.
CLICK
HERE FOR PRESS RELEASE
UnitedHealthcare GA-23111
Open Enrollment
During the months of November
and December 2010, UnitedHealthcare will hold an open enrollment
under GA-23111. During this open enrollment, any individual eligible
for coverage under one of the
GA-23111 Plans can enroll and will be accepted for coverage without
any medical underwriting or
requirement of good health. There are no limitations for
pre-existing conditions. Enrollment in November
and December 2010 will be for coverage effective January 1, 2011.
Only those applicants, who mail their
completed enrollment forms in November or December 2010, will be
considered for open enrollment. The
next opportunity to enroll during an open enrollment period will be
in November/December 2012,
consistent with the Plan’s two-year open enrollment cycle.
IMPORTANT
ANNOUNCEMENT
from UnitedHealthcare — Open Enrollment
IMPORTANT
ANNOUNCEMENT
Healthcare Changes
—
Coming Soon
Starting in the next few weeks, employees
covered under the Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare
Plan and the National Railway Carriers and United Transportation
Union Health and Welfare Plan (the Plan) will receive their annual
Open Enrollment Packets from Railroad Enrollment Services.
It is imperative that every employee open
the packet to read the important Plan changes effective January
1, 2011. Further, it is
also vital that each employee reads the instructions on how to
comply with the Federal Law requiring Social Security Numbers (SSNs)
for covered dependents.
Watch for your
Annual Open Enrollment Materials Mailing from Railroad Enrollment
Services
CLICK
HERE FOR PRESS RELEASE
Benefit
Rate Increase for Railroad Unemployment and Sickness Benefits
CLICK
HERE FOR INFORMATION
IMPORTANT
HEALTHCARE NOTICE
Social
Security Numbers (SSNs) for Covered Dependent(s) Required by Federal
Law. Members Must Supply SSNs by Deadline in Order to Retain
Dependent(s) Healthcare Coverage.
CLICK
HERE FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION
FRA
Letter on Rules Compliance
Click
Here to Read
2010 Railroad Retirement Tax Rates
Notice of Annual Rates (2010).pdf
Retirement
Made Easy
Retirement
is a big step. You’ll be asked to make many important decisions,
including many about your benefits. To help, UnitedHealthcare is
excited to introduce their Retirement
Made Easy Kit for Railroad Employees.
Click
Here for more information
Motor Vehicle Regulations
for Signal Employees
Effective
July 16, 2009 — 49 U.S.C. § 2ll04(e)
Free
Wellness Programs Available!
Reap
the benefits of a healthier lifestyle with the Wellness Programs the
National Railroad Health Plans have made available to you and your
dependents. At no additional cost, you have access to a smoking
cessation program and a healthy weight program.
Free
Wellness Information
UnitedHealthcare
Railroad Retirement
Retirement is a big step. You'll be asked to make many important decisions, including many about your benefits. To
help, UnitedHealthcare is excited to introduce enhanced retirement planning support provided by a new service from
UnitedHealthcare Railroad Retirement Specialists!
Retirement
Information
Supplemental
Sickness Benefit Plans
Frequently Asked Questions
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