United Transportation Union

New CSXT Con Codes Available

New CSXT Con Codes, effective February 14, 2012, are now available on this website. A list of the new con codes include the following:

AC - Additional Axle Count
CB - Conductor Anniversary Bonus
TT - Temporary Transfer Incentive Pay

Members wishing to access the document may click on the "Rate of Pay" tab in the "Contents" folder on the left side of this website's home page, or may click here.

New Pay Rate Sheets Available

General Committee pay rate sheets reflecting the 4.5% rate increase flowing from Article I, Section 2 of the September 16, 2011 UTU National Agreement are now available on this website. Employees wishing to access same may click on the "Rates of Pay" tab in the "Contents" folder on the left side of this website's home page... or may follow the link here.

New General Committee Officers Effective Jan 1

As the membership is by now, no doubt, aware UTU GO-049 General Chairperson John E. Lesniewski was elected International Vice President and will assume the duties of that office on January 1, 2012 pursuant to the provisions of Article 9 of the UTU Constitution. Cognizant of this fact General Chairperson Lesniewski endeavored to proactively hold elections to fill his vacant General Chairperson position effective January 1, 2012; as well as any vacancies resulting therefrom. The results of those elections are as follows:

General Chairperson Steven C. Mavity
1st Vice General Chairperson Jeremy R. Ferguson
2nd Vice General Chairperson Jamie C. Modesitt
Secretary Erik R. Belew

General Chairperson Lesniewski Marking Off

AN OPEN MESSAGE TO THE MEMBERSHIP FROM GENERAL CHAIRPERSON JOHN E LESNIEWSKI:

Dear Brothers, Sisters and Friends:

As you are aware I was elected International Vice President on August 9, 2011 at the UTU 11^th Quadrennial Convention in Hollywood, Florida. Pursuant to the provisions of Article 9 of the UTU Constitution I will assume the duties of that office, and thereby relinquish my current office as General Chairperson of GO-049, effective January 1, 2012. Consequently this will be my last week in the General Committee office. Beginning Friday afternoon, and for the rest of the year, I will be using my remaining vacation time to spend the holidays with family before assuming office as a VP.

It is truly with mixed emotions that I move on to this next chapter of my UTU career and my life. I have served as a Local Chairperson (Local 1534) since January 1, 1983. Since April 5, 1995 I have served our members and this General Committee in one capacity or another; serving as its General Chairperson since July 1, 2004. I truly enjoy representing our members, and treasure the many friends and acquaintances I have gathered along the way. While I will be moving on, you are being left in capable hands and I will not be far away. I have every confidence in General Chairperson elect Steven Mavity, 1^st Vice General Chairperson elect Jeremy Ferguson, 2^nd Vice General Chairperson elect Jamie Modesitt and our new Secretary GCA to be determined Thursday. If I didn’t have that confidence, I wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving.

As I depart I wish to thank everyone for the kindness and support they have shown me over my time here at the B&O General Committee. My memories of the B&O General Committee, it officers and staff, Local Chairmen and our members will always hold a fond place in my heart never to be forgotten. Best of luck to all of you; and please have a pleasant, safe and happy holiday season.

Fraternally and Sincerely,

John E. Lesniewski, General Chairperson
United Transportation Union, B&O System

2011 Productivity Share Value Announced

The General Committee has announced the 2011 Productivity Fund Share value for Crew Consist protected employees who qualify for these payments.

The B&O Eastern and Western Productivity Fund (No. 6603) for crew consist protected employees retaining their fund will be valued at $70.46 per share this year. This amount represents an increase of $17.52 per share (+ 33.09%) over last year’s value of $52.94 per share.

Former CR Northern District Productivity Fund 7001 for crew consist protected employees will be valued at $125.84 per share this year. This amount represents an increase of $36.08 per share (+ 40.2%) over last year’s value of $89.76 per share.

Former CR Northern District Productivity Fund 7008 for crew consist protected employees will be valued at $173.33 per share this year. This amount represents an increase of $40.10 per share (+ 30.1%) over last year’s value of $133.23 per share.

Checks will be dated and received December 2, 2011, with employees who have direct deposit credited on that day also.

Strike Threat Over (for now)

(What follows is an article reproduced from the UTU International's website published at approximately 5:30 PM on October 6, 2011.)

WASHINGTON -- A five-member Presidential Emergency Board was been appointed by President Obama Oct. 6 to investigate and make non-binding recommendations in a dispute between 11 rail labor unions and the National Carriers’ Conference Committee, which represents BNSF, CSX, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, Soo Line, Union Pacific and numerous smaller railroads.

News of creation of the PEB was first reported by Bloomberg transportation writer Lisa Caruso at 4 p.m. Oct. 6.

Neither the carriers nor any of the 11 unions may engage in self-help at least until Dec. 7 as a result of the PEB’s creation.

The UTU is not affected by creation of the PEB as it reached – and ratified – a new five-year agreement with the NCCC covering conductors, yardmen, brakemen, engineers (where UTU represents engineers), firemen/hostlers and yardmasters this past summer.

The other unions, unable to reach a voluntary settlement with the NCCC since talks began in January 2008, were released from mediation Sept. 6 by the National Mediation Board, which resulted – under provisions of the Railway Labor Act – in a 30-day cooling off period while President Obama considered appointing a PEB.

Creation of the PEB now begins a second 30-day cooling off period while the PEB commences its fact-finding investigation and makes non-binding recommendations no later than Nov. 6.

At that point, a third and final 30-day cooling off period will commence -- and end Dec. 6 -- while the two sides consider the PEB recommendations and seek a voluntary settlement based on those recommendations.

If no settlement occurs, the Railway Labor Act has run its course and the parties are free to engage in self-help – a work stoppage by labor, a lockout by one or more of the carriers, or unilateral promulgation of carrier Section 6 notices.

At that point, Congress typically enters the fray and issues a back-to-work order, effectively imposing a third-party settlement on the involved carriers and their unions.

What If There's A Strike?

The UTU still fully anticipates that a Presidential Emergency Board will be appointed by President Obama today to avert a strike on or after October 7, 2011 by the other rail labor unions that have not reached agreement on their national contract. If a Presidential Emergency Board is not created, and a strike does occur, members are to be governed by the instructions previously published by the International, reading:

"IF a PEB is NOT appointed this week, and IF another rail union goes on strike, UTU members may honor picket lines. In accordance with Article 92, lines 108-114 of the UTU Constitution which states 'When a strike of any other nationally recognized labor organization is in effect and danger to the safety of our members exists in or about the area affected by the strike, and/or if there exists any substantial present or potential threat of danger to the members enroute to or from their work, and/or to the members’ families, it is the policy of the United Transportation Union to support its members in declining to enter the territory affected.'"

In addition, however, the General Committee has been asked the specific question of what our UTU members should do in the event they are called by CMC to work while the other Organizations are on strike and have set up picket lines. Our response to that question is:

We (the UTU) are not on strike, and it is illegal for us to form a “secondary strike” in support of those unions that are on strike. Therefore our member does not have cause to walk off the job or refrain from accepting a call and reporting to work until/unless his safety is in jeopardy when he encounters a picket line. The UTU member should accept the call for service. Should he encounter pickets, he should stop and assess the situation. He should call CMC and let them know that pickets are at the location. If he fears for his safety, he should so advise CMC, and that because of that fear he will not cross the picket line.

Quite frankly, so long as it is a legal strike under the Railway Labor Act (because the President declined to create a Presidential Emergency Board as we anticipate), it has not been characteristic of this Carrier to even place our members in that situation. When there is a legal strike, the Carrier really doesn’t want us on the property. This is probably for two reasons: 1) fear of sabotage and 2) they don’t want a hostile work environment after the strike is over. In 1982 when the BLE went out on strike this Carrier did not even ask the UTU members to report. They fully realized that the strike would not last for long and they didn’t want to create animosity that would endure forever over a short term strike. After all, they have to make it all work again after the strike is over.

NMA Side Letter 20 Payout 1 of 2 to Affected Northern District Trainmen

Below Northern District UTU Trainmen will find an “Open Letter To All Northern District Trainmen”, along with two “attachment” EXCEL spreadsheets detailing the initial payout of the $225,000.00 claim settlement outlined in Side Letter Number 20 of the Northern Mid-Atlantic District Coordination Agreement. The letter is self-explanatory as to how this settlement is being distributed, and the process for a member to submit documentation of any claim that may not have appeared (or been addressed) within the initial payout. As you will determine, the initial payout will appear as a separate check to the Claimants issued October 7, 2011.

The "Open Letter To All Northern District Trainmen" can be viewed here.

The Claimant totals can be viewed as an EXCEL spreadsheet here, or as a .pdf file here.

The claim details can be viewed as an EXCEL spreadsheet here, or as a .pdf file here.

General Wage Increases and Retroactive Pay

Questions have poured into this office regarding when CSXT will begin to pay the 4.5% in General Wage Increases already owed flowing from the recently ratified UTU National Agreement; and when our members can expect to receive their retroactive pay.

The official date of the UTU National Agreement is September 16, 2011. Retroactive pay is required to be received no later than 60 days from that date, by November 15, 2011, in accordance with Side Letter #1 of the Agreement.

The $3,000.00 “bonus” check trainmen receive if they were under a Service Scale rate at any time between May 1, 2011 and September 15, 2011 (inclusive) pursuant to Article VI, Section 1 (c) of the Agreement is due within 90 days, or by December 15, 2011.

CSXT payroll has advised the General Committee office they intend to implement the new rates reflecting the July 1, 2010 (2.0%) and July 1, 2011 (2.5%) General Wage Increases effective October 1, 2011. Retroactive pay will be calculated for all time in train service between July 1^st, 2010 and September 30^th, 2011 and paid on or before the sixty (60) day requirement in Side Letter #1 as indicated above on or before November 15, 2011.

General Committee Office To Move September 28th

Honoring our fiduciary obligation to be responsible with our members’ dues money the B&O/B&P General Committee Executive Board has decided to move our office from its current location approximately 11 blocks south to a new office complex. Our new mailing address, effective September 28, 2011, will be:

San Jose Office Center
12443 San Jose Blvd. – Ste. 701
Jacksonville, FL 32223

The physical move will take place next week over the dates of Wednesday September 28 through Friday, September 30, 2011. While we will make every effort to make this a seamless transition, it is probable members will experience some delay in response time trying to contact the General Committee office especially on these dates while we physically change over our telephone and computer systems to the new location. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

At this time it is anticipated there will be no change in our telephone numbers, fax or email addresses. All U. S. Mail expected to arrive on or after Wednesday, September 28, 2011 should be addressed to our new location listed above.

By way of an explanation, as the term of our current lease neared expiration the General Committee attempted to negotiate with our existing landlord to secure a reasonable rate reduction for the next lease contract recognizing today’s depressed office space market. Our landlord refused to recognize that depressed market, at least to our satisfaction, so we immediately endeavored to seek alternate office space. Our new facility, at the above listed location, offers more space at a significant savings to the General Committee fund.