Important Changes to the BLET Short-Term Disability Program
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, January 1 — Effective January 1, 2019, Sun Life Financial will be replacing MetLife as the insurance carrier for The BLET’ Short-Term Disability Program (“STD Program”). Sun Life Financial (located at One Sun Life Executive Park, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481) is one of America’s leaders in group insurance plans and holds an A+…
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DeFazio to chair House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
(Source: Progressive Railroading 01/07/2019) U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) last week was elected chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for the 116th Congress. DeFazio had been the committee’s ranking member since January 2015 and a committee member since he first came to Congress in 1987. With the Democrats taking control of the House in the…
Read MoreCanada is producing more oil than it can handle
(Source: www.rt.com, January 2, 2019) Western Canada is producing 365,000 bpd more crude oil that current pipeline capacity can handle, a new report from the National Energy Board has revealed. According to the authority, as of September, Western Canada produced a daily average of 4.30 million barrels of crude, while pipeline capacity stood at 3.95…
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Sound Transit’s board OKs 2019 budget
(Source: Progressive Railroading 12/26/2018) Sound Transit‘s board last week approved a $2.9 billion 2019 budget that includes $2.4 billion for capital projects and $345.4 million for transit operations. The capital project funds target continued progress toward opening light-rail service to Northgate in 2021, launching Hilltop Tacoma Link in 2022 and starting East Link light-rail service…
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AAR: U.S. intermodal traffic set record in 2018
(Source: Progressive Railroading 01/04/2019) U.S. railroads moved more intermodal volume than carloads in 2018, with carloads up 1.8 percent to 13,640,641 units and intermodal volume up 5.5 percent to 14,472,849 units compared with 2017’s figures, according to Association of American Railroads(AAR) data. Combined, U.S. railroads reported 28,113,490 carloads and intermodal units, a 3.7 percent year-over-year increase.…
Read MoreBLET Advisory Board installed
CLEVELAND, January 2 — On January 1, 2019, a new Advisory Board began its four-year term of office for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET). National President Dennis R. Pierce convened the Advisory Board on January 1 while retired National Vice President Gil Gore administered the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Oath of Office…
Read MoreBLET to hold ST training class for LM-2 filers
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, December 20 — The BLET Education and Training Department will conduct a training class for all Secretary-Treasurers who file LM-2 reports for their General Committee of Adjustment (GCA), Division or State Legislative Board (SLB). The training will take place in San Antonio, Texas, from February 26-28, 2019. Each year, labor organizations must file…
Read MoreJames R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund begins accepting applications from sons and daughters of Teamsters for 2019
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, December 20 — The 2019 application process for the James R. Hoffa Memorial Scholarship Fund (JRHMSF) is now open. The deadline to apply is March 31, 2019. The application process is completely online again this year. All applications must be completed through the online portal found on the Fund’s website: http://www.jrhmsf.org. This JRHMSF website…
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Sound Transit advances two light-rail extensions
(Source: Progressive Railroading 12/21/2018) The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has executed a $1.17 billion full funding grant agreement (FFGA) for Sound Transit‘s Lynnwood Link light-rail extension, the agency announced yesterday. In addition, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau on Dec. 19 executed a $658 million low-interest loan for the project. Under the FFGA, the FTA commits to provide up to…
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Genesee & Wyoming subsidiary lands UK aggregate hauling contract
(Source: Progressive Railroading 12/20/2018) Genesee & Wyoming Inc. subsidiary Freightliner Heavy Haul Ltd has signed a long-term bulk rail haulage contract with a joint venture representing the United Kingdom’s largest aggregate and cement producers. The new contract with Mendip Rail Ltd — a joint venture between Hanson Aggregates and Aggregate Industries — will begin in November…
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U.S. railroads log carload, intermodal gains in Week 50
(Source: Progressive Railroading 12/20/2018) U.S. railroads reported a 3.9 percent increase in carloads and intermodal units for the week ending Dec. 15 compared with traffic levels reported for same week in 2017, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data. U.S. railroads transported 267,534 carloads, up 1.4 percent, and 301,407 intermodal containers and trailers, up 6.2 percent…
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AAR: U.S. railroads post slight traffic gain in Week 49
(Source: Progressive Railroading 12/13/2018) U.S. rail traffic grew 3.1 percent to 570,225 carloads and intermodal units during December’s first week compared with traffic levels the same week a year ago, according to the Association of American Railroads (AAR). Total carloads for the week were steady at 267,000 units, up only 0.3 percent, while intermodal volume jumped 5.7…
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Trump to nominate Bragg, Jayne to Railroad Retirement Board
(Source: Progressive Railroading 12/07/2018) President Donald Trump announced he intends to nominate Johnathan Bragg and Thomas Jayne to the Railroad Retirement Board. Trump will nominate Bragg to serve as the board’s employee representative for the remainder of a five-year term expiring Aug. 28, 2019, and an additional five-year term expiring Aug. 28. 2024, according to a…
Read MoreRailroad Retirement and unemployment insurance taxes in 2019
(Source: Railroad Retirement Board press release, December 6, 2018) CHICAGO — The amounts of compensation subject to railroad retirement tier I and tier II payroll taxes will increase in 2019, while the tax rates on employers and employees will stay the same. In addition, unemployment insurance contribution rates paid by railroad employers will continue to include…
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STB: Nothing’s the something it does best
(Source: Railway Age 12/10/2018) Written by Frank N. Wilner, Capitol Hill Contributing Editor Watching Washington, December 2018 Railway Age: New leadership arrives at railroad-focused congressional committees in January, and unless Surface Transportation Board (STB) Chairman Ann Begeman ingests breakfast Wheaties and gains courage to produce decisions, Congress may prescribe more than a potent laxative. The motivation will be…
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BUILD grants on way for rail work in five states
(Source: Progressive Railroading 12/07/2018) Politicians, government agencies and organizations made dozens of announcements yesterday about 2018 Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program grants that will be awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation(USDOT) for various projects, including several that involve freight and passenger rail. The USDOT created the BUILD program earlier this year to replace the…
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Having the willpower to avoid the cookie aisle at the grocery store on a “normal” day is tough. Avoiding the aisle, end caps and special displays during the holiday season, well that requires super human strength. If you’ve ever been tempted to skip a glass and drink straight from a bowl of eggnog at your company holiday party, fear not. I have some suggestions you can follow to help avoid the dreaded Festive 15 lbs!
Do not let the title of this article fool you. I do not mean eating your way through the menu at McDonald’s or polishing off an entire pumpkin pie at an upcoming holiday dinner (but if wishing made it so). I’m talking about foods that help boost your mood.
Health care and health insurance is confusing and constantly changing. It seems cliche to say that, but it’s true. Which is exactly why you need to understand your health plan in order to maximize the benefits. We’ve got some tips on how to do just that.
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), only 17 percent of adults in the U.S. are in “optimal mental health.” In fact, it is estimated that one in five people deal with some kind of mental health issue—anxiety, depression, PTSD, etc—that impacts our daily life.
No one can argue that social media—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc—has changed the way we interact. And now enter the iGen (short for iGeneration), the post-millennials who will be born never knowing a world without an iPhone or Facebook. (Note: I still remember my first phone, affectionately called ‘The Brick’ which I carried to and from my car like a purse.)
What does a box of cereal, a bag of pretzels and a jar of salsa have in common? The answer is a nutrition facts label. Most all food and/or food packaging requires a nutrition facts label, although there are exceptions for things like fresh fruits, vegetables and fish or edible products that have little to zero nutritional value (food coloring or tea, as an example). While most people look at the nutrition facts label, the real question is, do they understand it?
Type 2 Diabetes is a serious disease and is a growing health crisis in the U.S. But in most cases, Type 2 Diabetes is preventable—or reversible. By taking simple, common sense steps, you can manage your disease and prevent more serious complications.
Ever wonder what all the information means on your health insurance card? What phone number do you call? Why is there a BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) logo? Who is OptumRx? We’ve got a complete explanation of what it all means.
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness month so all month long, we’ll be providing you with resources and information on screening, treatment, risk factors and symptoms.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen - UP Western Region GCA represents locomotive engineers working in the Western Region of the Union Pacific Railroad, which encompasses Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and portions of Nevada. We also represent members on the Portland & Western Railroad as well as the Portland Terminal Railroad.
Disclaimer: This website is not affiliated with Union Pacific Railroad, and the information contained within these web pages may not reflect the views or opinions of the Union Pacific Railroad.