Rail Industry News

By an 85 percent majority, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen yesterday ratified a new five-year collective bargaining agreement with CSX Transportation.

A new federal law that became effective January 1, 2009 requires that group health insurance plans, certain claims processing third-party administrators, and certain employer self-funded/self-administered plans report specific information about Medicare beneficiaries who have other group coverage. This law requires the reporting of Social Security Numbers (SSNs) for covered dependents of employees to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

BLET National President Ed Rodzwicz issued the following statement to mark the Labor Day holiday.

On July 7, 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a revised “Fact and Myths about Generic Drugs” information sheet to their website.

Statements by BLET National President Ed Rodzwicz and Vice President & National Legislative Representative John Tolman.

Don Little, Legislative Representative of BLET Division 294 (Bensenville, Ill.) and former Mississippi State Legislative Board Chairman, died from a massive heart attack on Monday, August 24.

Representatives from the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Md., are putting on in-depth hazardous materials training workshops for BLET members and their spouses at the union’s upcoming Southwestern Convention Meeting in Kansas City.

The BLET’s National Legislative Office is making available a two-page synopsis explaining what every operating employee needs to know regarding Federal drug and alcohol testing.

All BLET members are hereby reminded that nominations for the triennial election of local Division officers must be held at your first regular meeting in September.

A picnic for current BNSF and retired ATSF operating employees is planned for Emporia, Kan., on Saturday, September 19.