June 27, 2024 | Health & Welfare, News
All individuals under the National Railroad Health and Welfare (GA-23000) Plan will have their Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) changed effective January 1, 2025. The Plans will switch from Express Scripts, Inc. to Optum Rx. All covered members, eligible spouses and...
May 30, 2024 | Accident, Health & Welfare, News
In an interview with Ohio’s Dayton Daily News, BLET National Secretary-Treasurer David Estes discussed the psychological trauma that locomotive engineers endure when they are involved in fatal pedestrian or vehicle incidents. It is an all-too-familiar scenario for...
January 5, 2024 | Education and Training, Health & Welfare, Legislation, News, Paid Sick Leave, Railroad Safety, Regional Meetings, Tentative Contract
Happy New Year! As we move forward into 2024, let’s examine the biggest achievements of the BLET’s five major departments in 2023: Protective, Legislative, Education & Training, Organizing, and Public Relations. Please enjoy our Year in Review!...
December 14, 2023 | 2-man Crews, Health & Welfare, News, Paid Sick Leave, PSR
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, HBO’s weekly late-night television program which takes a satirical look at news and current events, devoted all of its most recent broadcast to “freight trains.” Prior to the episode premiering on Sunday, December 10, BLET...
October 27, 2023 | Health & Welfare, News
From now until midnight on October 31, 2023, you can enroll or change your Medical or Health Flexible Spending Account (FSA) benefit selections for the 2024 benefit year. Members must enroll in the Health FSA every year — FSA enrollment is not automatic each year, and...
March 2, 2023 | Health & Welfare, News
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, March 2 — For the first time in recent history, a new comprehensive resource guide outlining benefits under the Railroad National Health & Welfare Plan (GA-23000) is now available. The brochure is being made available through the work of the...
November 29, 2022 | Health & Welfare, News
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, November 29 — 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 $182,700 to $188,000 on January 1, 2023. At the end of 2001, Labor and...
November 19, 2021 | Health & Welfare, News
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, November 19 — 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 $175,700 to $182,700 on January 1, 2022. At the end of 2001, Labor and...
November 5, 2021 | Health & Welfare, News
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce was reelected by acclamation as Chairman of the Cooperating Railway Labor Organizations (CRLO) during October 28’s CRLO business meeting. The CRLO is a group of 12 Rail Labor unions that sit together to oversee the collectively...
October 26, 2021 | Health & Welfare, News, Unions
WASHINGTON, D.C., October 25 — An arbitrator has rejected the railroad industry’s attempt to utilize a never-before-used contract clause imposed by Congress 30 years ago to reduce the healthcare networks available to over 250,000 railroad workers and family members on...