FEBRUARY 2012 ISSUE NUMBER 21
Safety Tip of the Month
This month our safety focus will be on handling End-Of-Train devices. This is especially important and critical because in order to do so, one must place themselves in harms way and foul equipment. Remember that 3-Step Protection is required if the equipment you are attaching or detaching an EOT from is attached to an operator-controlled locomotive. You can review the Rule for 3-Step protection in the CSX Safeway. It is under Rule TS-15, Going Under or Fouling Standing Equipment. Engineers, remember to make a brake pipe reduction sufficient to hold the equipment when your Conductor asks for 3-Step. Since the last car of the train will have the brakes apply last, allow sufficient time for the blow to stop at the automatic until you confirm 3-Step with your Conductor. If the equipment is not attached to an operator-controlled locomotive, Rule TS-15 still applies. Conductors, remember to wait a few extra seconds after your get 3-Step to be sure the equipment will not move. After you are sure the equipment is secure, look where you will place your feet before you step in between the rails. Rule GS-20 talks about handling air hoses. Now is a good time to look at that Rule as well since it is relevant to our Safety Tip. The Rule for handling EOT’s is Rule GS-21, take time to look at that one too. Just keep in mind that while everything we do has the potential to be dangerous, whenever we foul tracks and equipment we are most at risk. The best way to mitigate the chances you will become injured is to read, know and obey the Rules and use common sense! If you have any questions about these or any other Rules, ask a supervisor.
A P&LE train heads west at Groveton in the 1970’s
A Message From Your Local Chairman
For those of you who haven't heard, the AAR and FRA have decided to do away with the Harriman Safety Award. After doing the researchthe AARand FRA determined that the award was causing unwarranted discipline and some railroads were even hiding injuriesjust to win the award.
With the award gone,hopefully the railroads will now focus on moving freight and servicing the costumer. After all, the customeris the most important part of the industry.
Remember 100% rules compliance and make safety your #1 objective. If you encounter an unsafe condition fill out a PI-82 andturn it in to the proper authorities and to Ron Main.
Fraternally,
Local Chairman
Bill Conrad
UTU 340 Elections of Officers
Elections for UTU 340 Officers will be held beginning this month. Ron Main and Mike Savage are running for President. Ron Main will be running against Jason Snyder for the Vice-Presidents job. The position of Local Secretary and Local Treasurer currently held by Matt Centofonti and John Gladem respectively are uncontested. Also, the three members of the Board of Trustees will be filled uncontested. They will be Keith Coughenour, Jason Snyder and Lee Hodge.
An election for the position of Local Legislative Representative will also be held. Ed DeMott will be running against Mike Savage for this position.
All UTU 340 members should receive a ballot in the mail in the next several weeks. Please take the time to fill them out and send them back in. This is your opportunity to have a voice on who will be running the Local for the next three years. All ballots must be received at the Connellsville Post Office box by the close of business on March 13, 2012.
This sign used to stand in the Cumberland Terminal. Photo by James House
Legislative Watch by Ed DeMott Alternate Legislative Representative
The following article was taken from the UTU News online on the UTU Website. There is a great deal of information available on this site and everyone should make it a habit to check the site frequently in order to stay better informed. The address is www.utu.org .
“An opinion article recently published by the Financial Times and Fox News, written by conservative financial columnist Liz Peek, takes a nasty and incorrect swipe at Railroad Retirement, saying Railroad Retirement should be eliminated and folded into Social Security. The argument begins with a major falsehood, that Railroad Retirement is costing the American taxpayer. In fact, Railroad Retirement costs the American taxpayer not a single penny.
Not only are all Railroad Retirement benefits paid from payroll taxes of railroads and their workers, but so is the overhead operation of the Railroad Retirement Board. Scrapping Railroad Retirement and folding it into Social Security wouldn't save the federal government or the American taxpayer a single penny. But shutting it down would ravage the retirement security of some 600,000 current railroad retirees and their families, as well as future railroad retirees and their families.
The truth is:
*The Railroad Retirement Tier I benefit is roughly equivalent to Social Security benefits. Railroads and their employees each pay the same 6.2 percent payroll tax as employers and employees covered by Social Security. In what is strictly an accounting transfer, Railroad Retirement payroll taxes are transferred by the Railroad Retirement Board to the Social Security Administration, and then Social Security returns the equivalent Social Security benefits due railroad retirees to the Railroad Retirement Board. It is strictly an accounting transfer.
Although Tier I does provide benefits beyond what is paid by Social Security -- such as early retirement and occupational disability -- those additional Tier I benefits are paid entirely out of the Railroad Retirement Trust Fund -- maintained entirely by railroads and their employees through payroll taxes.
*The Railroad Retirement Tier II benefit, which is equivalent to a defined benefit private pension, is fully funded by additional payroll taxes paid solely by railroads and their employees -- 3.9 percent by employees and 12.1 percent by railroads.
*If the Railroad Retirement Trust Fund faces a shortfall, railroads are on the hook for higher payroll taxes -- not the American taxpayer. That's the law.
Railroad Retirement was created before there was Social Security, and has remained separate from Social Security, but isfunded fully by railroads and their employees.
Although Congress sets the payroll tax rates and benefit levels, it does so in collaboration with railroads and rail labor -- andnot a penny of general tax revenue has been or is used for Railroad Retirement.
The unwarranted, unsubstantiated and unjust attack on Railroad Retirement by right-wing extremists is as phony as claiming that elimination of public-employee collective bargaining rights will solve state financial problems.
The old bridge crossing Jacobs Creek used to be a thru truss design, the current bridge was constructed when the old one was washed out by a flood in 1912. Is this worker utilizing proper fall protection?
Themean-spirited attack on Railroad Retirement is part of a more broad effort to weaken and destroy organized labor.”
I think the fact that we will be able to retire years before our working brothers and sisters that labor in other occupations not covered by Railroad Retirement makes it a little easier to deal with the difficult working conditions here at the Railroad. This is not the first time Railroad Retirement is under attack, in fact there was an active attempt to roll RRR into SSI as recently as the first Bush administration. It is important that you stay informed and educate yourself on what politicians are friends of Labor and those who are not. The greedy, fat-cats know who they can count on to do their bidding, it’s time that working people wake up and start voting for their best interests.
“Q” Tower at Hyndman in the early 80’s. Photo by James House
Railroad Monkeys
A fellow walked into a pet store in Connellsville, Pennsylvania and was looking at the animals on display. While he was there, a Trainmaster from the local railroad yard walked in and said to the shopkeeper, "I'd like a Switchman monkey, please".
The clerk nodded, went to a cage at the side of the store and took out a monkey. He put a collar and leash on the animal and handed it to the Trainmaster, "That'll be $1,000". The Trainmaster paid and left with the monkey.
Surprised, the fellow went to the shopkeeper and said, "That was a very expensive monkey. Most of them are only a few hundred dollars. Why did that one cost so much?"
The shopkeeper answered, "Ah-----that was a Switchman monkey. He can tie handbrakes, make air hose connections, line switches, take orders without complaint, read a list, conduct all required Class 1 airbrake testing, and all with no mistakes. He's well worth the money."
With his interest peaked, the fellow looked around and spotted a Monkey in another cage with a $10,000 price tag. That one's even more expensive! What can it do?"
"Oh, that one is a Conductor monkey. He can instruct at all levels of Safety Job Briefings, instruct crew members of the work to be done, copy mandatory directives, keep an accurate up to date signal awareness form, supervise and oversee rules compliance by the rest of the crew, see that all scheduled setouts and pickups are correctly done with all work reported to Customer Service indicating not only placement of cars but that all required air test are completed, and even properly report safety concerns on PI-82 forms. A very useful monkey indeed," replied the shopkeeper.
The guy looked around a little longer and found a third monkey in a cage. The price tag read $50,000. “Holy Cow! What does this one do?"
"Well, the shopkeeper said, I've never actually seen him do anything but eat, take naps and play, but his papers say he's a “Locomotive Engineer".
Local Chairman Bill Conrad (340-C) 814-937-9114
Local Chairman Lee Hodge (340-A) 724-322-5098
Local Chairman Mike Savage (340-D) 724-366-7346
UNION MEETING February 14 @1900 VFW CONNELLSVILLE
The UTU 340 Monthly newsletter is edited by Ed DeMott. All members are encouraged to contribute. Contact Ed at