* Please bid for all your weeks allowed and in order of preference. Whatever is most important to you. You  should bid for that first. You will either receive it or be assigned a week as close to it as possible.

* Omaha vacations will be bid as always. The month prior to the month you want to go on vacation i.e. May 1st for a week in June.

* Please bid for all single weeks you would like now.

* Both CNW  and Omaha vacations are allowed up to 3 weeks to be used as single vacation days.

* CMS gives ZERO latitude to move anyone, so please bid wisely.

* Anyone not bidding on vacation will be arbitrarily assigned their weeks.

* You can bid through the CMTS Portal or submit your bid in writing addressed to Mike Thomas and place it in the BLET 333 mailbox.

CLEVELAND, November 18 — The BLET is pleased to announce a number of changes to the BLET Short-Term Disability Insurance Plan effective January 1, 2009.       These changes will impact you if you are an eligible employee working on a railroad that participated in the Wage Rules portion of the National Agreement dated December 16, 2003.

Two parts to the Plan are being offered as outlined below:

Part A – Non-Occupational Disabilities

Effective January 1, 2009, the current plan covering both occupational and non-occupational disabilities will be modified:

• Part A will pay $402 per week for non-occupational disabilities only. This is an increase from $362 per week.
• Occupational disabilities will not be covered.
• Each eligible member will also be insured for $50,000 of Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage.

NOTE:
• This plan change will not impact members with current claims. Those members who have a date of disability prior to January 1, 2009 will continue to qualify for the $362 per week benefit for occupational or non-occupational as determined by the Plan.
• Claims for occupational disabilities prior to January 1, 2009 will continue to be administered as they are today, making them subject to repayment upon receipt of a FELA settlement (repayment after a personal injury settlement).

Part B – Occupational Disabilities

Effective January 1, 2009:
• Part B will be voluntary.
• The cost will be $23 per month and will be payroll deducted with your monthly union dues.
• The weekly benefit for occupational disabilities will be $402 per week.
• Each eligible member will also be insured for $50,000 of AD&D coverage.
• The benefit will not be subject to repayment upon receipt of a FELA settlement (no repayment after a personal injury settlement).
• The benefit will not be considered taxable income.

NOTE:
• Eligibility for Part B will be driven by your eligibility for Part A. You will have two options if you become ineligible for Part A: Pay $40 directly to the BLET Trust Fund by the 10th of the month for Part A and continue your payroll deduction of $23 for Part B or drop out of Part B. If you choose to drop out of Part B, you may discontinue the $23 payroll deduction. However, you may not resume coverage for Part B until a subsequent annual enrollment period.
• Participation in this additional occupational coverage is not required. If you wish NOT to participate, you must notify us in writing by completing and returning the attached form prior to December 1, 2008. Your completed form should be sent to the Secretary-Treasurer of your Local Division. If you are a BLET member and do nothing, you will be automatically enrolled in Part B effective January 1, 2009.
• Members opting out of Part B coverage effective January 1, 2009, will not be eligible to enroll for the coverage until the next annual enrollment period.
• UTU members may purchase Part B coverage by making an annual payment of $276 to the BLET Trust Fund.

If you have any questions, please contact the undersigned.

Fraternally yours,

Jim Bradford
BLET Short-term Disability Administrator
(216) 241-2630, ext. 205 or email Bradford@ble-t.org

OPT OUT FORM
PART B – BLET SHORT TERM DISABILITY INSURANCE PLAN
 

Payments Pursuant to Court Decree or Court-Approved Property Settlement
 

  FRA (Conklin) Presentation on Engineer Certification

FRA (Strang) Presentation on Engineer Certification

 Currently, employees who test negative under the UP Drug and Alcohol Policy are mailed individual letters advising them of their test result. Effective June 1, 2008 these letters will be discontinued and employees who test negative will be able to go online to review and print their negative results.

UP Drug and Alcohol Testing

Train or Yard crew: Train or yard crew members are permitted to work on, under, or between any Train or Yard crew: Train or yard crew members are permitted to work on, under, or between any railroad rolling equipment they are called to operate, without establishing blue signal protection.

Note: The train and yard crew exclusion only applies to the equipment they are called to operate.

Motive Power and Equipment Compliance Manual

Revised 3/06 5 - 7

They cannot assist another crew, unless blue signal protection is established (if the task warrants blue signal protection) or the entire crew (including the locomotive) is involved assisting another crew, provided that both crews are in communication with each other and are aware of the movements to be made.

Can a train crew member perform a mechanical repair (change a brake shoe) without establishing Blue Signal Protection?

Yes, if the repairs are performed on the equipment he/she is called to operate and he/she is not working as a Utility Employee.

Can members of one crew assist another crew, such as making a coupling at a road crossing, replacing or changing EOT batteries, or changing a brake hose without establishing blue signal protection?

NO - It would have to involve the entire crew, to include using the locomotive, to handle the equipment and assist the other crew. If only a few crewmembers assist the other crew, then blue signal protection must
be established.

Utility Employee (UE) is not restricted to any particular craft or job title. The UE may be any railroad employee, provided that all of the prerequisites contained in § 218.22(a) are met.

Worker means railroad employees assigned to inspect, test, repair, or service railroad rolling equipment and their components, including brake systems. Train and yard crews are excluded, except when assigned to perform such work on railroad rolling equipment that is not part of the train or yard movement they have been called to operate. The train and yard crew member exclusion is based on the rationale that the crew working together as an operating crew, with their assigned locomotive engineer at the controls of the locomotive, would have complete control over the movement of any rolling equipment on which they are working.

Railroad security forces or clerical personnel who board railroad cars for the purpose of checking lading for pilferage or vandalism, or store house employees loading or unloading cars (even when using a forklift) are not considered to be workers as defined in this part because they are not assigned to inspect, test, repair, or service the railroad rolling equipment. Therefore, blue signal protection is not required under the regulation. Fueling and sanding locomotives does not require blue signal protection, provided the tasks do not require the individual to go on, under, or between the locomotive.

The law only applies to “railroad workers”. The term “railroad worker” means an employee who is employed and paid directly by the railroad. Non-railroad employees (contractors, suppliers, etc.) are not required to use blue signal protection under Federal regulations.

FRA Blue Flag Protection for Workmen 49 CFR Part 218, is available on our Downloads page.

 

 UTU Pay Rates Effective July 1st, 2008

Amended BLET System Agreement for Peer Trainers

Benefit Rate Increase for Unemployment and Sickness Benefits