CLEVELAND, January 10 — The BLET’s Education and Training Department will conduct four Secretary-Treasurer Compliance Workshops this year prior to the March 31 deadline for filing Department of Labor reports.
The workshops will take place in Kansas City, San Francisco, Denver and Chicago.
During the three-day sessions, members will learn proper record keeping techniques, computer applications, and minute-taking. They will also learn methods for filing various Department of Labor and Railroad Retirement reports, as well as Federal tax returns. A representative from the Department of Labor will be on hand to answer Secretary-Treasurer questions and have tips regarding the preparation of LM reports.
As most ST’s already know, there are many changes to the filing of the reports this year, and all these changes will be gone over in class.
A major change came when the BLET National Division implemented a new dues reporting and collection internet-based system on January 1, 2005. There will be an online demonstration and conference call to the Cleveland office on this new system to help everyone in class become familiar with the new system.
Presenters will include Bill Walpert, BLET National Secretary-Treasurer; Dr. Elaine Reese, Director of Compliance; Ken Kroeger, BLET Special Rep & Coordinator of the Education & Training Department; and Bob Broka, Director of Records.
The BLET National Division pays the costs of books, equipment and tuition, while Secretary-Treasurers who attend are responsible for their transportation costs as well as their room and board.
Upon successful completion of the course, attendees will qualify for an $86 per day stipend from the North American Railway Foundation. The stipends will be paid directly to the Secretary-Treasurer of the respective divisions.
Secretary-Treasurers will register for the 2005 workshops online through the BLE website at: https://www.ble-t.org/st .
The workshops will take place from February 6-9 at the Holiday Inn on the Plaza in Kansas City, Mo.; February 20-23 at the Gateway Hotel San Francisco, Calif.; March 6-9 at the Four Points Denver Cherry Creek, Denver Colo.; and March 13-16 at the Holiday Inn City Centre in Chicago, Ill.
Members are responsible for making their reservations at the meetings in Kansas City, San Francisco, Denver and Chicago. Members must ask for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen group rate when calling in order to secure a discounted room rate. Reservations can be made by calling:
— Kansas City, MO, Feb. 6-9 — At Holiday Inn on the Plaza, One East 45th St., Kansas City, Mo., 64111, (816) 753-7400.
— San Francisco, CA, Feb. 20-23 — At Sheraton Gateway Hotel, San Francisco International Airport (650) 340-8500.
— Denver, CO, March 6-9 — At Four Points by Sheraton Denver Cherry Creek, (303) 757-3341.
— Chicago, IL, March 13-16 — At Chicago City Center Holiday Inn Hotel, (312) 787-6100.
Registration for the 2005 workshops is on a first come, first served basis with class size limited to the first 25 who register through the BLET website. For more information, please contact Ken Kroeger of the BLE Education & Training Dept. at (216) 272-0986 or kroeger@ble.org.