Reroute Miles Livonia - Houston

Brothers,

 

I just got off the phone with Gary Taggart regarding the reroute miles on the long pool B372 RE47 running between Livonia – Lafayette – Alexandria and Houston via the BNSF due to the bridge being out.  Carrier has agreed to pay the additional 50 miles for the long pool because the total miles exceeds the mileage built into the trip rate.  This would only be payable when you work from Lavonia – Lafayette – Alexandria back to Houston.  If a crew deadheads the additional miles will not be payable. 

 

Those payments should begin effective today.  Any crews that made trips over this territory prior to June 27, 2007 should fax a list of those trips and trains worked to our office so we can present a list to Labor Relations for payment.  Fax 504-371-4756.

 

Please distribute this to all of our membership so they can be properly compensated for this service.

 

If you have any questions, please give me a call.

Fraternally,

Gil Gore   

 

BLET - CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION
This message is covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521, and is legally privileged.  The content of this message is for informational purposes only; provided to the membership of the BLET and should not be construed as any official position on the application of any contract language discussed in this communication and should not be used or referenced by anyone in future proceedings.  Any use of this information by anyone other than intended recipients is prohibited.

 

Effective Date of New Rates BLET 2007 National Agreement

From: CLIFFJOHNSON@UP.COM [mailto:CLIFFJOHNSON@UP.COM]
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 9:09 AM
To: Gil Gore
Cc: 'BDMac'; 'Mike Young'; 'D. W. Hannah'; 'C. R. Rightnowar'; larrybumpurs@utugo577.com; PGKENNY@up.com; Tim Donnigan; tjutu27@hotmail.com; TAZABAWA@up.com; ROROSCO@up.com; TERRYOLIN@UP.COM
Subject: Re: Rates on new BLET National Agreement

Gil,
In TCS, the new rates (other than trip rates) will go into effect immediately for all jobs called 7/1/07 or later.  We are making the final updates today and tomorrow so they can be viewed via the RJ R function anytime after Saturday.  The TCS trip rates have been computed but we cannot put them into the TCS system until after we close out the last half of June.  Once we close June (on July 5th), we will immediately start putting in the new trip rates with this process being completed by Saturday the 7th.  Employees will start being paid the new trip rates as soon as we load them, some as early as the 6th.  Because TCS is a very old, outdated system, the loading process is manual, cumbersome and time consuming.  Once we get the new trip rates loaded in TCS, we will run a repay program to go back to reprocess all trip rated timeslips from 7/1/07 to the date the final load was completed.   This is the process we run for each increase.  
For those territories that are fortunate enough to be cutover to CMTS, the new rates, including trip rates, will go into effect immediately on 7/1/07. The regular, non-trip rates, have already been entered and we are completing the trip rates today.  All will be available for viewing starting tomorrow.
The report of trip rates and offsets that we maintain on the timekeeping web page which is available to all employees, should be on-line by the end of next week.  
With regard to the back pay, this is a very complex and time consuming process and we want to make sure we get it right.  It is our goal to make the payments by the 60 day time line referenced in the agreement , if at all possible.  That would put us near the end of August.  We have meetings scheduled with Labor Relations at various stages along the way to keep them updated on our progress.  If there is some unforeseen delay, it will be communicated to you by their office.
Thanks,
Cliff Johnson
Sr. Director - Timekeeping Operations
1400 Douglas Street - STOP PNG07
Omaha, NE 68179-0710

Phone: 402-591-2003  Fax: 402-591-2122
Email: cliffjohnson@up.com
Gil Gore" <thegores1@cox.net>

06/28/2007 08:10 AM
Cliff,
Can you shed some light on when UP expects to have the new rates in effect established under the 2007 BLET National Agreement?  It is my understanding that the effective date of the agreement is July 1, 2007.  Is the UP computer system going to begin paying those rates effective July 1, 2007 or at a later date?
Additionally, does the timekeeping dept have any projected information or timeline regarding the payment date and method of payment regarding the back time contained in the agreement?
Thanking you in advance for your effort to gather this information, I remain.
Sincerely,
Gil Gore

 

BALLOT ON TENTATIVE NATIONAL CONTRACT IN THE MAIL AND AVAILABLE ONLINE AT BLE-T WEBSITE

Tentative national contract in the mail, available online

CLEVELAND, May 17 — A complete copy of the BLET national contract, a synopsis of the agreement, and a back pay estimator are now available on the BLET website. Per the BLET bylaws, a synopsis of the agreement and a ballot were mailed to all active BLET members today. The ballots are due by June 15, and results will be announced shortly thereafter. The tentative agreement includes general wage increases totaling 17 percent (18.2 percent compounded over the life of the agreement), which will remain effective until December 31, 2009. For BNSF members, the BNSF tentative agreement will be enclosed with the National proposal. Those members will have two ballots — a blue ballot for the National and a green ballot for the BNSF vote. Both ballots can be returned in the same postage paid envelope. The tentative agreement provides members with retroactive pay. To help the members calculate what their back pay might be based on past earnings, the National Division has posted a “pay estimator” on its website. It should be noted, however, that not all compensation is subject to general wage increases, therefore, the dollar amounts that are generated from the back pay estimator may be different from actual back pay amounts. The BLET reached the agreement through the auspices of the Rail Labor Bargaining Coalition (RLBC), which represents seven rail labor unions whose contracts cover nearly 85,000 rail workers (or 65 percent of the carriers’ employees). In addition to the BLET, the unions participating in the RLBC are the American Train Dispatchers Association, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division, Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, National Conference of Firemen and Oilers/SEIU, and the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association. Members who do not receive a National ballot may call the office of National Secretary-Treasurer Bill Walpert at (216) 241-2630, ext. 227, or e-mail: ballotrequest@ble-t.org. Those who do not receive a BNSF ballot can also call NST Walpert’s office, but should e-mail: ballotrequest-bnsf@ble-t.org. Copies of the BNSF agreement are available on the BNSF-MRL General Committee’s website: http://www.blet-bnsfmrl.org. To download the National agreement and synopsis, or to use the back pay estimator, please visit the BLET website at: http://www.ble-t.org/2007contract

2007 Tentative National Contract

Per the BLET bylaws, a synopsis of the agreement and a ballot were mailed to all active BLET members on May 17. The ballots are due by June 15, and results will be announced shortly thereafter. The tentative agreement includes general wage increases totaling 17 percent (18.2 percent compounded over the life of the agreement), which will remain effective until December 31, 2009. For BNSF members, the BNSF tentative agreement will be enclosed with the National proposal. Those members will have two ballots — a blue ballot for the National and a green ballot for the BNSF vote. Both ballots can be returned in the same postage paid envelope. The tentative agreement provides members with retroactive pay. To help the members calculate what their back pay might be based on past earnings, the National Division has posted a “pay estimator” on its website. It should be noted, however, that not all compensation is subject to general wage increases, therefore, the dollar amounts that are generated from the back pay estimator may be different from actual back pay amounts. The BLET reached the agreement through the auspices of the Rail Labor Bargaining Coalition (RLBC), which represents seven rail labor unions whose contracts cover nearly 85,000 rail workers (or 65 percent of the carriers’ employees). In addition to the BLET, the unions participating in the RLBC are the American Train Dispatchers Association, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division, Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, National Conference of Firemen and Oilers/SEIU, and the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association. Members who do not receive a National ballot may call the office of National Secretary-Treasurer Bill Walpert at (216) 241-2630, ext. 227, or e-mail: ballotrequest@ble-t.org. Those who do not receive a BNSF ballot can also call NST Walpert's office, but should e-mail: ballotrequest-bnsf@ble-t.org. Copies of the BNSF agreement are available on the BNSF-MRL General Committee’s website: http://www.blet-bnsfmrl.org. NATIONAL CONTRACT SYNOPSIS OF AGREEMENT BACK PAY ESTIMATOR (Pops up in new window) 2007 National Contract News Thursday, May 17, 2007 bentley@ble.org http://www.ble.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=4474 © 1997-2007 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen http://www.ble.org

FW: Urge Congress to put a stop to limbo time

 

Urge Congress to put a stop to limbo time CLEVELAND, April 3 -- When they return from their Easter recess later this month, members of Congress will consider rail safety legislation. The BLET and its allies in Rail Labor are urging Congress to include a provision to eliminate limbo time in the bill. Limbo time is one factor that aggravates fatigue. The industry’s manipulation of the Hours of Service Act by leaving crews stranded for unconscionable lengths of time began with the Supreme Court’s 1996 “limbo time” decision. In order to eliminate limbo time, your member of Congress must demand an end to limbo time be included in rail safety legislation. For the next two weeks, your member of Congress will be in your home district for the Easter recess. The BLET is asking all members and their families to contact their members of Congress during these two weeks to urge them to include the limbo time provision in the bill. “For the past year and a half, we have been collecting data from BLET field officers concerning excessively long work tours,” BLET National President Don Hahs said. “The data provided to us has been gathered from railroad records, and is stunning.” During the Easter recess, members will likely be in their home districts. Now is the time to visit, call, email or write your Member of Congress to tell them that you want limbo time eliminated as part of any rail safety bill. BLET members can give their Representatives first hand knowledge about the problem of limbo time. BLET members can find their Representative by going to: http://www.bletdc.org/action/congress/ It is these first hand accounts provided by BLET members that can be most effective in persuading Congress to act on limbo time, Vice President Tolman said. “Members of Congress are elected by the people,” Vice President Tolman said. “They respond to their constituents’ stories. BLET members are the best advocates for their position.” Tuesday, April 03, 2007 bentley@ble.org http://www.ble.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=4448 © 2006 Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen http://www.ble.org

 

FW: BLET Health and Welfare Summary Plan Description

From: Gil Gore [mailto:thegores1@cox.net]
Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2007 9:33 AM
To: All BLET Southern Region Local Chairmen
Subject: BLET H&W SPD

Brothers,

Attached in PDF format is our Summary Plan Description (SPD) for the BLET Health and Welfare Benefits for 2007.  Please distribute this to our membership and I will post the same to our website for future reference and use.

To view a PDF copy of this file click HERE

Fraternally,

Gil Gore

TRIP RATES FOR BLET UP SOUTHERN REGION EFFECTIVE 01-01-07

ORIG	POOL	DEST	TRIP	FLIP	OT OFFSET
AX340	RE46	AX171	$262.70	$542.50	0:00
AX340	RE35	AX494	$239.35	$480.64	0:00
AX340	RE42	B372	$316.95	$649.34	0:00
AX340	RE34	CC150	$263.35	$524.72	0:00
AX340	RE33	SO387	$254.24	$507.47	0:00
AX340	RE33	TO384	$254.24	$507.47	0:00
B119	RE04	B000	$187.28	$333.81	0:00
B219	RE07	AX171	$263.77	$554.16	0:00
B219	RE07	B119	$185.86	$284.42	0:00
B372	RE03	AX171	$189.64	$352.96	0:00
B372	RE15	B219	$237.33	$482.41	0:00
B372	RE28	B372	$207.09	N/A	0:08
B372	RE06	BH000	$209.92	N/A	0:00
B372	RE47	C625	$292.88	$662.72	0:00
B372	RE47	LS609	$306.34	$610.73	0:00
B372	RE47	TB114	$454.86	$842.90	0:15
B372	RE23	TP090	$403.24	$834.08	0:14
B372	RE23	TS316	$403.24	$834.08	0:14
B461	RE21	B372	$199.86	$246.19	0:00
B461	RE22	C625	$204.83	$446.77	0:00
B461	RE22	LS609	$191.62	$376.47	0:00
B461	RE22	TB114	$275.84	$565.80	0:06
BA110	RE76	B372	$197.75	$297.83	0:00
C806	RE54	LS609	$282.29	$547.97	0:13
C806	RE54	TB114	$194.66	$297.14	0:00
HM436	RE45	H186	$273.18	$593.03	0:00
HM436	RE45	HM379	$273.18	N/A	0:00
L158	RE16	L324	$272.95	$517.62	0:00
L324	RE13	MK468	$231.00	N/A	0:00
L324	RE12	MK566	$266.58	$531.67	0:00
MO486	RE40	H186	$270.67	$555.19	0:00
SO387	RE21	SO605	$304.99	$654.99	0:00
TP090	RE01	AX171	$287.38	$565.24	0:00
TP090	RE11	TP215	$199.64	$402.47	0:00
TP090	RE13	TP250	$254.42	$496.14	0:00
TP202	RE81	TP448	$348.49	$734.77	0:00
TP215	RE85	AX171	$198.33	$450.72	0:00
TP215	RE81	TP448	$342.21	$684.77	0:00
TP250	RE65	AX171	$249.79	$520.96	0:00
TP250	RE65	AX226	$299.26	$558.81	0:00
TP250	RE66	BA084	$385.10	$790.02	0:00
TP250	RE65	BA110	$311.25	$653.72	0:00
TP250	RE46	HM436	$259.56	$538.71	0:00
TP250	RE45	MK566	$280.79	$579.48	0:00
TP250	RE47	RR220	$282.63	$652.93	0:00
TP250	RE50	TP250	$201.56	N/A	0:00
TP448	RE51	TP570	$188.28	$354.27	0:00
TP448	RE50	TP647	$278.99	N/A	0:00
TS316	RE86	TB114	$292.48	$600.44	0:06
TS316	RE84	TP090	$219.10	N/A	0:19