GAME PLAN FOR RAILROAD RETIREMENT - HR 4844

by James M. Brunkenhoefer
UTU National Legislative Director

The situation involving Railroad Retirement has not changed here in Washington. But with your actions, you can make it change. Congress has passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) that will allow government to stay in business through November 13. During the next several days, your Members of Congress and Senators will be home. We request that the following actions be taken over the next several days:

1) Do all that you can to communicate directly with Members of Congress and Senators while they are at home. If you cannot meet with them individually, try to communicate with them at any public forum, campaign event or anywhere else that you can find them. This could be at the supermarket, the gas station, after church or at a campaign rally. Tell them of the need to pass Railroad Retirement during the lame duck session of Congress.

2) On Election Day, go to the polls and VOTE for UTU-endorsed candidates.

3) The day after Election Day, call the campaign headquarters of all newly elected Members of Congress and the Senate and tell them of the need to pass Railroad Retirement. Also call all incumbents and repeat the same message.

The Gore-Lieberman Campaign office phone number is 615-340-2000 and the Bush-Cheney Campaign office phone number is 512-637-2000. The day after the election, campaign workers will be at the winner's headquarters. Most of the phone calls that they will receive will be either from people congratulating the winner or from job seekers. Our message will be the only one that deals with substantive issues.

We want to be ready for action in the lame duck session, as well as the session next year. We want to cover all the bases.

4) When both the House and the Senate return to Washington on November 13, everyone should call all of the offices in Washington - both the House and Senate - as many times as possible and insist that Railroad Retirement be passed during the lame duck session

There are many that are hoping that we would just let this issue drop and go away. Your Union does not feel this way -- we are mad and we know that you are also. But now is the time to act smart rather than just be angry. We need to convince the elected officials that we are here to stay and will keep coming and coming and coming just like the Energizer Bunny(tm). We will be there until they give us the agreed - to principles contained in H.R. 4844.

As I have said, you can make the change in Washington by your strong and decisive action. As events happen, we will amend and add on to this action plan. But we are not going away.

UTU Main Page