Archive for March 2021
Class I employment grew a bit in February
(Source: Progressive Railroading 03/30/2021) U.S. Class Is employed 114,068 people in mid-February, up 0.53% from mid-January but down 10.63% compared with employment during the same period a year ago, according to Surface Transportation Board data. Four of six employment categories registered employment increases in February compared with January’s level. They were: maintenance of way and structures, up…
Read MoreComparison of benefits under Railroad Retirement and Social Security
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, March 30, 2021) CHICAGO — Employers and employees covered by the Railroad Retirement Act pay higher retirement taxes than those covered by the Social Security Act. As a result, railroad retirement benefits are higher than social security benefits, especially for “career” employees (those employees who have 30 or more years…
Read MoreFactbox: What’s in Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan?
(Source: Reuters, March 31, 2021) WASHINGTON, D.C. — The infrastructure plan U.S. President Joe Biden will roll out in Pittsburgh on Wednesday includes $2.3 trillion in investments aimed at everything from fixing 10,000 bridges to tearing lead pipes of out millions of homes in the United States. Full story: Reuters Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Read MoreUpdate from Railroad Retirement Board’s Labor Member regarding American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
(BLET Editor’s Note: The following is a message to Rail Labor from John Bragg, Labor Member of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board.) CHICAGO, March 30 — As you may have heard, Congress recently enacted legislation to provide some financial relief to railroaders. In the legislation entitled the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), Congress…
Read MoreNevada says push for freight rail not an attack on trucking
(Source: Freight Waves, March 17, 2021) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Should Nevada, which has only one warehouse actively using a rail siding, be relying more heavily on freight rail? The answer is yes, according to the state’s draft 2021 rail plan. Full story: Freight Waves Thursday, March 18, 2021
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