General Information

(Source: Defense One, November 26, 2018)  WASHINGTON, D.C. — America shouldn’t be buying Chinese railcars, ceding control of its rail industry, or injecting spyware-laden rolling stock into its transportation network. A myriad of problems has led to a “surprising level of foreign dependence on competitor nations,” according to the White House’s long-awaited report on the…

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, November 26 — The final open enrollment of 2018 for the BLET’s Short-Term Disability On-The-Job (Part B) insurance ends on November 30, 2018. Those who enroll will have their coverage take effect on December 1, 2018. This is your last opportunity in 2018 to enroll in the On-The-Job (Part B). There are no…

(Source: Federal Railroad Administration press release, November 20, 2018)  WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a final rule establishing modern, performance-based safety standards for railroad passenger equipment. The rule reinforces FRA’s commitment to safety while representing one of the most significant enhancements to the nation’s passenger rail design…

(Source: Bloomberg, November 21, 2018)  NEW YORK — While the U.S. oil industry has hit a speed bump with the recent $20 drop in oil prices in New York, producers in Canada are in a full-blown crisis. Heavy Canadian crude has been on a downward spiral since mid-May, with prices plummeting by more than 60…

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, November 16 — The lifetime maximum benefit for the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Benefit Plan (also known as ERMA or GA-46000) will increase from $162,500 to $166,400 on January 1, 2019. At the end of 2001, Labor and Management agreed on various procedures to administer the annual changes in the…