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
The National Transportation Safety Board determined on Jan. 25 that an airbrake failure caused the fatal, Oct. 4, 2018, collision between two Union Pacific trains in Granite Canyon, Wyo. The collision occurred when the air brakes on an eastbound UP freight train failed while descending a hill. The NTSB determined an air-flow restriction in the brake
The Rail Unions comprising the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition (CBC), negotiating together in the current round of National Negotiations, have issued the following statement: The CBC and the nation’s Rail Carriers first met concerning the November 1, 2019 Section 6 Notices in January 2020. Although the COVID 19 Pandemic has made meetings for groups of this
TCU Carmen Division Lodge 6013 Members Kirk Sorensen and Matt Schneeberg were recognized by Canadian National Railroad (CN) for their quick actions in helping a 11 year old girl, they found on a train, to safety. “We were conducting an inspection of a train last November in Stevens Point, WI watching carefully as it went
Today, we honor the life and memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King said: “The labor movement was the principal force that transformed misery and despair into hope and progress.” TCU is forever grateful for his tireless work and contribution to the Labor Movement. His teachings and legacy inspires us, this and every day, to
Earlier this week TCU President Maratea requested that Amtrak work with law enforcement to enact safety measures that ensures the safety of railroad workers and the traveling public that will be traveling leading up the the inauguration in Washington D.C., especially in the wake of the recent violence at the Capitol. President Maratea stated, “I
TCU/IAM applauds the appointment of Marty Walsh as Secretary of Labor, in a statement from TCU President Artie Maratea: “With this appointment, President Elect Biden is sending a strong message that working families will once again have a seat at the table. Truly, the sky is the limit for what we can accomplish together with
TCU National President Artie Maratea issued the following statement on the events at the U.S. Capitol: Wednesday’s assault on our Democracy was truly a sad day in the history of the United States. Make no mistake: this was due to four years of lies by President Trump – lies to the people of the United
Below is a summary of the relevant provisions to TCU members in the recently enacted Covid Relief and FY2021 Appropriations bill (H.R. 133): Stimulus Checks The bill provides for one-time $600 checks for individuals ($1200 for married joint-filers), as well as $600 per dependent child. Similar to the CARES Act, the checks begin to
On January 15, 2020, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued an extensive Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled “Brake System Safety Standards.” The NPRM proposed sweeping changes to brake inspections standards, and incorporated into the regulations, a large number of waivers it has issued to railroads and railroad associations. Among these changes, are modifications to
