FW: COLA Rate Increase Effective 1/1/07

Brothers,

 

Per the 2003 BLET and 2002 UTU National Agreements, we have a Cost Of Living Adjustment (COLA) coming January 1, 2007.  I am confirming the amount with the ND but have been provided the below message from UP Timekeeping regarding the increase.  An increase of $0.15 per hour equates to $1.20 per 8 hour basic day.  As noted below, since we are still tied to TCS, the increases in our trip rates will not show up on our payroll information until the last half of December has been closed.  At that time adjustments to the rate will be made and should reflect on your computer printouts.  All other assignments should show the increase effective Jan 1, 2007.  Also be aware, that the increase will not apply to those payments incorporated into the trip rates frozen by the 1986 BLET National Agreement.

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office.

 

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Prosperous New Year, I remain.

Fraternally,

Gil Gore 

 

From: CLIFFJOHNSON@UP.COM [mailto:CLIFFJOHNSON@UP.COM]
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2006 9:00 AM
To: All UP General Chairmen
Subject: COLA Rate Increase Effective 1/1/07

 

The National Agreements provide for a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) of 15 cents per hour to all UTU, UTU-E, and BLET covered positions effective January 1, 2007.  All relevant rate schedules in TCS and CMTS have been updated and will automatically go into effect for crews called on duty after midnight January 1.  

For employees who are still being called and paid in the TCS system, "trip rated" increases will not be completed until after the close of the last half December payroll.  The same applies for individual fixed amount classes of time that are subject to increases, which are few. The design of the TCS system does not allow us to make these increases prior to closing the December payroll.  Once the last half of December closes, we will complete the rate increase process for those fixed classes of time subject to increase, and the trip rates then begin an automated repayment process for all affected trips. We ask individual employees not to call the Timekeeping Customer Service Center before January 12, 2007 regarding pay shortages due to the January 1 rate increases in the "trip" rated areas or fixed classes of times that are subject to the wage increase.

For those employees being called/paid in the CMTS system, all applicable increases, including trip rates, guarantees, and fixed classes of time will be effective on January 1 as scheduled.  Likewise, any employee being called/paid in TCS who does not work a trip rate job (yards, locals, switchers, etc.) will see the applicable rate increase in effect as scheduled.  

Please forward this communique onto your local chairmen with a request that it be posted or distributed to the rank and file members in order to avoid any confusion regarding the timing of the rate increase process.  In order for our customer service center to be able to handle their day to day inquires, it is essential they not be bombarded with questions regarding the rate increases in TCS that may not be completed until several days after January 1.  If you see any discrepancies with CMTS rates immediately after 1/1/07, do not hesitate to contact myself, Tim Holmes, or Greg Cox.

If you have any questions about the process please do not hesitate to call me and thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Cliff Johnson
Sr. Director - Timekeeping Operations
1400 Douglas Street - STOP PNG07
Omaha, NE 68179-0710

FW: Houston Hub Trip Rate Settlement - 2nd trip rate

From: Gil Gore [mailto:gilgore@bletsr.org]
Sent: Friday, December 15, 2006 3:39 PM
To: Clifton Meguess; Dan Underwood (dhu139@houston.rr.com); Gerald Boudreaux (gerardjb@bellsouth.net); Jim E. Rosas (jerosasble@juno.com); Larry Kaleck (Lmkaleck711@aol.com); Les Jeanlouis (L R Jeanlouis); Ray Basco; Raymond H. Prejean (bigfootdq@yahoo.com); Richard B Alston; Roland Gutierrez (rolando410@cmaaccess.com); Tyler Gray (trgray775@yahoo.com); Wade Stevener (wadeandrockie@sbcglobal.net)
Subject: Houston Hub Trip Rate Settlement - 2nd trip rate

Brothers,

Attached you will find a copy of a letter of understanding (Click Here to View in PDF) that has been proposed to settle the 2^nd trip rate when used in turnaround/hours of service relief in the Houston Hub.  I am requesting your ratification of this interpretation.

As you are aware, the dispute developed surrounding the language in the 2003 BLET National Agreement Article V – Pay System Simplification.  Unfortunately, there were some circumstances where crews were deadhead combined with service and paid actual miles for the working and deadhead portion of the trip.  Per the 2003 BLET Agreement, mileage that was paid as one trip would be incorporated into the trip rate as one start.  We have come to a compromise on the issue with the attached letter of understanding which provides for some pools that had evidence of being deadheaded separate and apart from service to be paid two trip rates.  Other pools will be paid two trip rates when the turnaround/hours of service work reaches the threshold of 50 miles or more combining both the deadhead and working portion of the turnaround trip.  I believe this is a good compromise settlement because it allows the miles already made deadheading in combined service to remain in the trip rate and ensures that all pools will be entitled to the 2^nd trip rate either automatically or under the 50 mile criteria.  This 50 mile threshold will cover more than 90% of the cases when crews are used in turnaround/hours of service relief.  Had we gone directly to the disputes committee, several pools would have been shut completely out of the 2^nd trip rate altogether due to the payment of combined miles for deadhead service during the test period.  This is a hub wide settlement.  Failing ratification of this proposal, we will have to take each pool to the disputes committee and I can assure you that the data will result in some pools being shut out of the 2^nd trip rate completely.

With the above in mind, I recommend the ratification of this letter of understanding to settle this dispute.    

Additionally, I have negotiated an understanding to pay all outstanding claims for this type of service if they meet the criteria established in the letter of understanding that have occurred since June 1 of 2006 when this dispute arose.  I have attached a copy of my message to all Local Chairman dated 08-09-06 (Click Here to View in PDF) suggesting that members use the attached work sheet to record trips that involved work and deadhead out of the away from home terminal.  If you or your members will forward those sheets to our office immediately, I will provide the same to the carrier to settle any shortages that have occurred since June 1, 2006.  If you have saved the detailed KMB’s for these pools as suggested, that should help identify the crews who possibly were shorted.  The settlement included a window of opportunity to present any shortages for payment.  The cut off date for providing this information will be December 31, 2006.  Shortage information provided beyond that time limit will not be considered.

I also need the ballots returned by December 31, 2006.  Please remember that we have a conference call line available that will take up to 100 callers.  If you would like to schedule a conference call for your Division to handle this ratification, please call the office and schedule the time with Carol to use the line.  We can provide e-mail instructions on how to use the line if necessary.

I will post this information on our website at http://bletsrnews.blogspot.com/ and on our e-mail blogg at http://bletsre-mail.blogspot.com/.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Fraternally,

Gil Gore

FRA: Train crew work schedules contribute to accidents

FRA: Train crew work schedules contribute to accidents CLEVELAND, November 29 -- The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today released a study which provides a strong scientific rationale for evaluating railroad employee work schedules to address worker fatigue. According to the FRA, human factor errors were responsible for nearly 40 percent of all train accidents over the past five years. An FRA evaluation of the research findings confirms that fatigue plays a role in approximately one out of four of those accidents. The goal of the research was to determine if a fatigue model can accurately and reliably predict an increased risk of human error that could contribute to the occurrence of a train accident. A mathematical model for detecting the point at which the risk of fatigue becomes hazardous could be part of a railroad’s fatigue management plan. FRA expects this information will aid the railroad industry in improving crew scheduling practices in order to reduce that risk. A similar approach is currently utilized by the Department of Defense. Under the study, researchers analyzed the 30-day work schedule histories of locomotive crews preceding approximately 1,400 train accidents and found a strong statistical correlation between the crew’s estimated level of alertness and the likelihood that they would be involved in an accident caused by human factors. In fact, the relationship is so strong that the level of fatigue associated with some work schedules was found to be equivalent to being awake for 21 hours following an 8-hour sleep period the previous night. At this level, train accidents consistent with fatigue, such as failing to stop for red signals, were more likely to occur. “We applaud FRA’s work in validating Dr. Hursh’s model for use in the railroad industry,” BLET National President Don M. Hahs said. “The fact remains, however, that the vast majority of fatigue concerns could be addressed, if not eliminated, by taking several simple steps, including: improving ‘train line-up’ information for crews waiting to be called for work; 8 hour call for duty; defined calling windows to prevent work tour cycling; and ending abusive limbo time. “All of these practices could be implemented today, if the carriers were as concerned about the health and safety of their crews as they are interested in multi-billion dollar profits.” For a PDF of the report, go to: http://www.ble-t.org/pr/pdf/dot_fra_ord_0621.pdf Wednesday, November 29, 2006 bentley@ble.org http://www.ble.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=4393 Related Articles: FRA Website : http://www.fra.dot.gov/us/content/1737 UTU Website: http://www.utu.org/worksite/detail_news.cfm?ArticleID=31985 © 2006 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen http://www.ble.org