Ballots Coming on or About October 6, 2006

On or about October 6, 2006, ballots for the election of International officers will be sent to all IBT members. Offices being elected include, General President, General Secretary-Treasurer, seven at large Vice Presidents, three International Trustees and eleven Regional Vice Presidents. If you do not receive a ballot by October 19^th then you should contact 888-428-2006 immediately. Please review the notice provided by the Election Supervisor below:

Notice of Election Supervisor click HERE

You also have access to a complete copy of the transcript of the Presidential Debate between Tom Leedham and General Secretary-Treasurer Keegle at the below link along with links to an online video of the entire proceeding.

Complete Copy of Debate Transcript click HERE

To view a video of the debate via high bandwith click HERE

To view a video of the debate via low bandwith click HERE

NOTICE OF IBT ELECTION

NOTICE OF ELECTION

International Brotherhood of Teamsters

The election of International officers is being conducted by mail ballot by the IBT Election Supervisor.  The positions to be elected are General President, General Secretary-Treasurer, seven At-Large Vice-Presidents, three International Trustees and eleven Regional Vice-Presidents, five to be elected by members from the Central Region, two to be elected by members from the South Region and four to be

elected by members from the Eastern Region. (Three candidates for Regional Vice-President from the West Region and three candidates for Vice-President from Teamsters Canada, including the President of Teamsters Canada, were declared elected at the IBT’s 27th International Convention.

On or about October 6, 2006, Election Supervisor Richard W. Mark will mail a ballot to all IBT members. The Election Supervisor will perform all functions relating to the mailing and counting of ballots. If you do not receive a ballot by October 19, 2006, if your address has changed recently if you need a duplicate ballot, or if you have any questions about this election, call 1-888-428-2006 (in the Washington D.C. area, 1-202-429-0403) immediately.

TO BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE, a member must have his or her dues paid through October, 2006. Members may become eligible by paying any unpaid dues and initiation fees at their local union by the close of business on November 10, 2006. Members whose dues are withheld by their employer under a check off provision in their collective bargaining agreement will not be declared ineligible to vote due to the employer’s failure to make timely payment of those dues to the local union. For a full statement of the rules governing voting eligibility, please see Article V of the Rules for the 2005-2006 IBT International Union Delegate and Officer Election.

TO VOTE, fill in the oval to the left of the candidate(s) or slate(s) of your choice. 

• A vote for a slate takes precedence over a vote for an individual candidate

• You can vote for individual candidates, whether or not they are on a slate, so long as the total number of votes cast (including a vote for a partial slate) is not greater than the total number of candidates to be elected to that office.

• After marking your ballot, insert the ballot into the “Secret Ballot Envelope.” Use of this envelope ensures voter secrecy. Place the Secret Ballot Envelope in the return envelope and seal and mail the return envelope. Your address information on the return envelope is required to identify you as an eligible voter. Do not obscure, change, cover or remove this information. Your vote will remain secret because the Secret Ballot Envelope containing your ballot will be separated from the return envelope and mixed with other Secret Ballot Envelopes before it is opened and your ballot is removed.

The Election Supervisor must receive your ballot by 9 a.m. EST on November 14, 2006. Only those ballots received by this date and time will be counted. The ballot count will begin after 10 a.m. EST on that day, at the IBT International Election Count Site in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.

DO NOT GIVE YOUR BALLOT TO ANYONE TO MARK OR MAIL ON YOUR BEHALF. No person or entity shall limit or interfere with the right of each IBT member to independently determine how to cast his or her vote and to cast and mail the ballot himself or herself. The Election Supervisor shall not hesitate to impose the most severe sanctions for violation of the prohibition against solicitation of a member's ballot by any other Union member, officer, business agent, steward or other person, including, but not limited to, recommending appropriate disciplinary proceedings against members involved, referring the matter to the Independent Review Board or the Government for appropriate action under law (including the Consent Order) and, when appropriate, disqualifying the candidate on whose behalf ballots were solicited. In addition, violation of this prohibition may subject the violator to criminal prosecution under all applicable provisions of the United States Code, including, but not limited to, 18 U.S.C. Sections 241, 1503 and 1509.

Onlline Election Reporting Now Available to STs

Online election reporting now available to STs

CLEVELAND, September 14 — As BLET Divisions nationwide prepare for their Triennial Election of officers, the BLET National Division has made online reporting of nomination results available to Division Secretary-Treasurers.

At their September meetings, Divisions will hold nominations for the various local offices (including president, vice president, secretary-treasurer, and local chairman, among others).

Division Secretary-Treasurers can report the nominating results on the BLET website in the same area where they file their monthly reports (www.ble-t.org/streport). A new link has been added in the ST Report section for “report nominations” under the Triennial Elections area.

Secretary-Treasurers with technical questions regarding the website should direct them to Walt Schmidt, Director of Online Services, at Webmaster@ble-t.org.

Questions regarding a candidate’s eligibility for office should be directed to Dennis Simmerman, Assistant to the President, at Simmerman@ble-t.org or (216) 241-2630, ext. 255.

Thursday, September 14, 2006
bentley@ble.org

http://www.ble.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=4355

© 2006 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
http://www.ble.org

 

BLET, UTU meet jointly with NCCC

CLEVELAND, September 8 — The national negotiating teams from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the United Transportation Union met jointly on September 6 in Kansas City with the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC), which represents most of the major railroads and many smaller ones.

“Our strong show of solidarity has let the carriers know that we are serious about negotiating a top notch agreement for our membership,” BLET National President Don Hahs said.

First Vice President Ed Rodzwicz and UTU President Paul Thompson joined President Hahs at the meeting. Members of the BLET’s National Negotiating Committee and members of the UTU’s negotiating team were also in attendance.

“This is a time of record profits and record traffic volume for the carriers,” Hahs said. “Those profits are due largely in part to our highly skilled and dedicated members, who deserve a larger piece of the pie.”

The BLET and UTU have scheduled a second joint negotiating session with the carriers for October.

It has been nearly two years since the sides exchanged Railway Labor Act Section 6 notices, which are demands for changes in wages, rules and working conditions. Under the Railway Labor Act, contracts do not expire, but continue in force until changes are agreed upon and ratified by the membership. Section 6 refers to the section of the law providing for the sides to exchange demands for contract changes. Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are paid semi-annually during the period of contract talks.

The BLET continues to negotiate as part of the Rail Labor Bargaining Coalition (RLBC), a coalition of seven unions representing nearly 85,000 rail workers.

Members of the BLET negotiating committee include President Hahs, Vice Presidents Dale McPherson and Steve Speagle, and General Chairmen Tom Roberts, Dennis Pierce and Tony Smith. Also representing BLET at the meeting was Dennis Simmerman, Assistant to the President.

Friday, September 08, 2006
bentley@ble.org

http://www.ble.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=4353

© 2006 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
http://www.ble.org

 

Final Rule Use of Locomotive Horns at Grade Crossings

Disclaimer: This summary of changes in the amended final rule is for informational purposes only. Entities subject to the rule should refer to the rule text as published in the Federal Register on August 17, 2006. Should any portion of this summary conflict with the rule, the language of the rule shall govern.

Summary of Major Changes in the Amended Train Horn Final Rule

Locomotive Horn Sounding

• The compliance date of the time-based locomotive horn sounding requirements has been extended to December 15, 2006. (Please refer to section 222.21(b) for more information.)

• The locomotive horn must be sounded in a time-based manner at private and pedestrian crossings, if State law requires locomotive horn sounding at these crossings. (Please refer to sections 222.25 and 222.27 for more information.)

• A “good faith” exception has been added to the 20-second maximum locomotive horn sounding requirement for locomotive engineers who are unable to precisely estimate their time of arrival at an upcoming grade crossing. (Please refer to section 222.21(b) for more information.)

• An exception to the 15-second minimum locomotive horn sounding requirement has been added to the final rule for trains that resume movement after having been stopped in close proximity to a public highway-rail grade crossing. (Please refer to section 222.21(d) for more information.)

Locomotive Audible Warning Devices

• Locomotive audible warning devices (other than the locomotive horn) must be sounded in a time-based manner at public, private and pedestrian crossings, if State law requires the sounding of locomotive audible warning devices at these crossings. (Please refer to sections 222.21(e), 222.25, and 222.27 for more information.)

Quiet Zone Notification Requirements

• The public authority must provide a Notice of Intent before submitting an application for FRA approval of a quiet zone. (Please refer to section 222.39(b) for more information.)

• Pre-Rule Quiet Zones and Pre-Rule Partial Quiet Zones: The public authority must submit a Notice of Intent by February 24, 2008 and a detailed plan for quiet zone improvements by June 24, 2008, in order to prevent the resumption of locomotive horn sounding on June 24, 2008. (Please refer to section 222.41(c) for more information.)

Locomotive Horn Sound Level Requirements

• Locomotives used in rapid transit operations on the general railroad system are exempt from the locomotive horn sound level and testing requirements contained in section 229.129. (Please refer to section 229.129(d) for more information.)

• The compliance deadline for sound level testing of new locomotives has been extended to September 18, 2006. (Please refer to section 229.129(b) for more information.)

• The test site parameters for locomotive horn sound level testing have been revised. (Please refer to section 229.129(c)(5) for more information.)

• The requirement to record air flow measurements taken during locomotive horn sound level testing has been removed. (Please refer to section 229.129(c)(10) for more information.)

• The final rule has been revised to address sound level testing of replacement locomotive horns. (Please refer to section 229.129(b)(4) for more information.)

Links to actual documents provided below for your ready reference:

(5358 Tolman – All Concerned 08-29-06.pdf)

(CFR 222-21-25-27.pdf)

(Summary Changes 222 – 229.pdf)

(CFR 222 – 229 Final Rule Horn 08-17-06.pdf)

"The Nation's Railroads - They use us, then Abuse Us"

CLEVELAND, September 1 — Rail Labor is standing strong and united in the face of railroad greed and rail employer abuses. The carriers use us, then abuse us. We will not tolerate it; we will fight it.

A united Rail Labor demands that the carriers abandon their scorched earth policy of labor relations and negotiate fair and equitable contracts with all the union's representing railroad employees whose hard work and dedication have generated record profits for the carriers. Rail Labor demands fairness and respect. Nothing more; nothing less.

Below is a listing of issues where rail labor has assisted the railroads over the past four decades. The carriers could not, on their own, have accomplished the passage of these legislative acts, which have returned billions of dollars to the rail industry. But rail labor, by aligning with the carriers, aided the carriers to pass legislation favorable to the rail industry during an era when the railroads were struggling financially.

And the carriers have shown their gratitude by seeking givebacks and job cuts.

As a symbol of Rail Labor’s solidarity and anger, the Rail Unions are launching the first salvo in an ongoing campaign to visibly demonstrate our members’ anger at the carriers’ greed and unfairness.

Each BLET division will soon be receiving a supply of bumper stickers proclaiming: “The Nation’s Railroads — They Use Us, Then Abuse Us”. The bumper stickers carry the logos of all rail unions.

This campaign is the first of several coordinated mobilizations intended to demonstrate our solidarity and joint resolve to obtain fair and equitable contracts. We will continue to ratchet up our efforts in the days and months ahead until we achieve a just resolution of our contract demands.

Please join with all of Rail Labor in this membership mobilization effort by proudly displaying a bumper sticker on your personal vehicle. Every rail union is doing the same. Standing together, we shall prevail.

THEY USE US - THEN ABUSE US! (Click Here to view Bumper Sticker)

How Rail Labor has aided railroads over the years

Rail labor support of railroads on Capitol Hill has generated for freight railroads literally tens of billions of dollars in cash infusions, cumulative cash savings, loans and loan guarantees. Here is a listing of some of the major beneficial rail legislation passed by Congress with rail labor’s support. Without rail labor support, virtually all of these bills likely would not have become law.

· Rail labor supported passage of the Transportation Act of 1958, which provided $500 million in loan guarantees, railroad capital expenditures and maintenance. The Interstate Commerce Commission said in its 1963 annual report that without those loan guarantees, eastern railroads would not have survived.

· Rail labor supported passage of the Emergency Rail Services Act of 1970, which authorized federal loan guarantees of up to $200 million for bankrupt railroads to use for “essential” operations.

· Rail labor provided crucial support in Congress for creation of Amtrak in 1971, through passage of the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970. This legislation allowed freight railroads to get out of the money-losing railroad passenger business. The Interstate Commerce Commission had estimated railroads had lost $1 billion operating passenger trains between 1967 and 1970.

· Rail labor supported passage of the Regional Rail Reorganization (3-R) Act of 1973, which authorized $1 billion in federal loan guarantees, $559 million in direct grants, and $85 million in operating subsidies for bankrupt railroads.

· Rail labor provided support for passage of the Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform (4-R) Act of 1976, which authorized $2.1 billion in federal loans to Conrail; $1.6 billion in federal loans and loan guarantees to other financially weak railroads for plant and equipment purchases and track rehabilitation; and $360 million in branch line subsidies. The 4-R Act opened the door to greater rail ratemaking freedom and, for the first time, imposed a time limitation on how long regulators had to approve railroad mergers. The 4-R Act also prohibited discriminatory state and local tax treatment of railroad property, and accelerated the process for railroads to abandon money-losing branch lines.

· Rail labor support was crucial to the passage of the Staggers Rail Act in 1980, which largely deregulated railroads. While this legislation was very harmful to Rail Labor, it was necessary to financially save the industry. The Staggers Act also expedited abandonment and merger proceedings. The productivity improvements flowing from job savings helped to restore railroad profitability. The Staggers Act also opened the door for railroads to transfer branch lines to short-line enterprises. Rail labor suffered substantially, but accepted those wounds to assist in the private-sector survival of freight railroads. Railroad bottom lines improved by literally billions of dollars as a result.

· Rail labor supported passage of the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981, which the Association of American Railroads said provided the rail industry with a one-time cash infusion of $2.5 billion.

· To assure the continuation of Conrail in 1981, Railway Labor Executives Association President Fred Kroll coordinated with various rail unions to provide massive givebacks that totaled some $200 million annually for three years, or a total of more than half a billion dollars in givebacks. Conrail President Stan Crane said in a speech May 4, 1988, “From that moment on, labor no longer was our adversary, but our partner. As a result of that understanding, I believe we have the best relationship with labor in the industry.”

· Rail labor supported passage of Railroad Retirement Solvency Act of 1983, which raised to 62 the age at which 30-year railroad veterans could retire with full benefits. That law also increased Tier II contributions for employees by 2.25 percentage points, imposed income taxes on Tier II benefits, and deferred a scheduled Tier II COLA for retirees.

· During the 1980s, rail labor worked with railroads to defeat proposed legislation to permit construction of coal-slurry pipelines.

· During the 1990s, rail labor supported railroads in their opposition to captive-shippers who were seeking re-regulation legislation that would have capped rail rates, limited rail rate-making freedom and opened privately owned rail routes to use by other rail carriers.

· In the wake of rail-service meltdowns following the Union Pacific-Southern Pacific merger and the Conrail carve-up, rail labor supported the railroads requests before regulatory agencies and Congress for more time and patience in solving the problem without greater federal interference. That assistance extended to support for temporarily lifting certain immigration restrictions to allow Canadian rail workers to take employment on U.S. railroads.

· The Railroad Retirement Reform legislation in 2002 was a joint labor-management effort that allowed carriers to save some $400 million annually according to Railway Age magazine.

· Rail labor brought Democrats on board legislation in 2004 to repeal the 4.3 cents per gallon diesel-fuel tax imposed on railroads, which provided the rail industry with $180 million annually in fuel-tax savings. That tax bill also provided Class II and III railroads, which feed business to Class I railroads, a track-maintenance tax credit of up to $3,500 per mile of track.

· In 2005, rail labor supported the rail industry when the District of Columbia and dozens of other communities sought to divert hazmat shipments to less efficient and more costly routes. Rail labor testified before Congress in support of the railroads’ position.

· In each session of Congress over the years, rail labor has supported the railroads’ effort to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funds to pay for improvement of highway-rail grade-crossings.

· Each time motor carriers sought legislation to liberalize the length and weight of trucks on federally funded highways, rail labor has helped the rail industry defeat that legislation.


RAIL LABOR HAS ALWAYS BEEN THERE WHEN THE RAILROADS NEEDED US.

RAILROADS ARE NEVER THERE WHEN RAIL LABOR NEEDS THEM.

THEY USE US - THEN ABUSE US!


(The above information is available for download as a PDF by clicking here.)

Friday, September 01, 2006
bentley@ble.org