Author Archives: giffordk@TCUnion.org

Artist's rendition of new Long Island Railroad terminal at Grand Central Station - part of the East Side Access project.

TCU Exposes Cuomo’s Costly Anti-Worker Measures at MTA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEW YORK, March 3, 2021 – At a time when the Cuomo administration is stealing millions from the MTA and refusing to honor negotiated contracts, the governor is also creating an environment that wastes money while outsourcing union jobs. Cuomo’s creation of the “Transformation Team” was really an attempt by him to

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FRA Issues Emergency Order Requiring Face Mask Use in Railroad Operations

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued an Emergency order implementing a mask requirement for all freight and passenger railroad employees in all crafts. This comes after the recent Center of Disease Control guidelines. According to the FRA, field observations from safety inspectors regarding mask use on railroad property indicate “that the critical practice of

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TTD Release – Greg Regan and Shari Semelsberger Elected as President and Secretary-Treasurer

Executive Committee unveils award to honor former president Larry Willis Greg Regan and Shari Semelsberger were unanimously elected today as President and Secretary-Treasurer, respectively, of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), by the organization’s Executive Committee, of which TCU is a member. Regan started at TTD as a legislative representative in 2011, was elected secretary-treasurer

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2020 Grievance Handling Report: 1.1 Million Dollars Collected for TCU Members

TCU/IAM members received over 1 million dollars in 2020 as a direct result of grievance settlements on the property and/or arbitration awards. In addition 45 members were returned to work after having been improperly terminated or dismissed from service. “Filing grievances to protect our members and our work is the primary responsibility of every TCU/IAM

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TCU Members Highlighted in Video released in Conjunction with T&I Hearing on Protecting Transportation Workers and Passengers from COVID

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a hearing February 4th on: “Protecting Transportation Workers and Passengers from COVID: Gaps in Safety, Lessons Learned, and Next Steps.” The Transportation Trades Department AFL-CIO (TTD) is releasing videos highlighting transportation workers on the frontlines of the COVID pandemic, emphasizing the protection needs of workers going forward.

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All TCU Members – Request Absentee Ballot for the 2021 IAM Grand Lodge Officer Election – Deadline has been Extended

There will be an IAM Grand Lodge Officer Election for General Secretary-Treasurer on Saturday, April 24, 2021. It is critical that members are aware of their right to request an absentee ballot and the process for doing so. Note that it IS permissible for members to request and vote by absentee ballot if they have

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TCU and TTD Joint Letter Gets Results – CDC Issues New Mask Mandate For U.S. Travelers on Airlines, Trains and all Public Transportation

Beginning Monday February 1st, travelers and commuters will be required to wear face masks on nearly all forms of public transportation as part of a new order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). TCU joined with the TTD affiliate unions requesting a mask mandate on all Department of Transportation regulated (DOT) modes.

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RRB Release – The Importance of a Current Connection for Railroad Retirement Benefits

Under the Railroad Retirement Act, a “current connection with the railroad industry” is one of the eligibility requirements for both the occupational disability and supplemental annuities payable by the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB). It is also a factor in determining whether the RRB or the Social Security Administration pays monthly benefits to survivors of a

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