CLEVELAND, April 18 — V.M. “Butch” Speakman, Labor Member of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board in Chicago, issued the following letter clarifying a hoax regarding the 60/30 provisions of the Railroad Retirement Act.
The hoax upset many railroaders by claiming that the retirement age would be increased from 60 to 62 this year. Speakman’s explanation of the situation is as follows:
“My office recently learned that a hoax is being perpetrated on the rail community.
“This hoax takes the form of a bogus Federal Register notice stating that the 60/30 provision of the Railroad Retirement Act, which was restored by the Railroad Retirement and Survivors’ Improvement Act of 2001, is to be rescinded in June 2006 due to a strain on the system. The notice further states that the 2001 legislation contained a provision authorizing such action, and that the minimum retirement age will now be 62.
“There is absolutely no truth to this. The 2001 legislation contained no provision authorizing a rescission of the 60/30 provision and the RRB has no statutory power to implement such a change on its own volition.
“At this time we have no information as to the identity of the person or persons responsible for this hoax or the motivation for it. However, the RRB’s Office of Inspector General is looking into the matter.”
Sincerely,
V.M. Speakman, Jr.
Labor Member