News
The newspaper
reports that the accident occurred “about 11:30 a.m. as workers
performed a routine switching operation, dropping off loaded cars
at a customer facility.”
The National
Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Railroad
Administration have launched an investigation, and a member of the
UTU Transportation Safety Team is assisting the NTSB.
According to
Lundy, of
Lundy was the
eighth UTU member killed this year in an on-duty rail accident,
and the fourth UTU member employed by BNSF to be killed this year
in a rail accident.
(The preceding
article is based on information published by the Minneapolis Star
Tribune, with additional information added by UTU editors.)
Political
Latest News
IAM Mourns Former GST Eugene Glover Click Here
The Machinists union lost a member of its own “greatest generation” recently when former General Secretary-Treasurer (GST) Eugene D. Glover passed away at age 86 from complications of diabetes. Glover served as GST from 1969 until 1987 and was instrumental in the creation, development and funding of the William W. Winpisinger Education & Technology Center in Southern Maryland.
‘Overwhelming’ Support for NMB Rule Change Click Here
IAM representatives this week presented the National Mediation Board (NMB) with an additional 12,000 signed post cards expressing support for their proposed rule change to make air and rail union elections more democratic.
Wisconsin Machinist Featured on ‘Escape to the Wild’ Click Here
As president of IAM Local 655 in Wisconsin Rapids, WI, Pat Stashek knows all about the sacrifices people went through to organize and bargain for better wages and working conditions. He believes unions have long led the fight for health care, pensions, workplace safety, a cleaner environment and job security.
Register Now for 2010 Federal Employees Classes Click Here
The IAM Government Employees Dept. will hold a pair of “Federal Employees Basic Programs” on February 7-12, 2010 and March 14-19, 2010, at the William W. Winpisinger Center in Southern Maryland.
Class-Action Lawsuits Continue at Wal-Mart Click Here
On the heels of a $40 million settlement with its Massachusetts employees regarding wage-and-hour violations, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. now finds itself hit with another class-action lawsuit.
Machinists Union Leaders Vote
to Oppose Health Benefits Tax
January 12, 2010
- The Executive Council of the
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
(IAM) has voted unanimously to oppose any health care reform
legislation that is funded by taxing the value of workers'
existing health care benefits.
"For decades, IAM members exchanged substantial wage increases for
the best possible health insurance," said IAM President Tom
Buffenbarger. "Now, in a bizarre turn of events, their insurance
premiums will be subject to a forty percent excise tax if the
Senate version of health care reform becomes law. Democratic
leaders have the power to stop this travesty and I urge them to do
so, quickly and completely."
"IAM members are rightfully outraged over the bait and switch
tactics at both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue," said Buffenbarger.
"They were promised health care reform. Now they face health care
deformed by backroom deals."
No single issue brought more union members onto last year's
campaign trail than Republican threats to tax health care
benefits, and the Democrats' pledge to protect those benefits.
"Like NAFTA, the health care excise tax is an issue with the
potential to reverberate for years," said Buffenbarger.
"Machinists have long memories. And they will long remember who
taxed their benefits after pledging on the campaign trail not to
do so."