Your Railroad Retirement...
UTU is pushing to lower your retirement age and keep Railroad Retirement strong for the future. However, two unions, which are making false promises, are cavalierly promoting a plan that would bankrupt your Railroad Retirement.

The BMWE/BLE 55/30 Retirement Plan, according to the Railroad Retirement Board, will bankrupt your retirement system unless a big tax increase comes out of your pocket. In addition, RRB says that only 10% of all railroad employees age 55 would benefit, and that the maximum monthly retirement benefit in 55/30 would be less than 50% of that in a 60/30 retirement.

Yet BMWE and BLE say that's okay with them. In fact, both said that they would give up all pay raises for the length of the contract just to get 55/30. Do you want to give up all pay raises for at least four years? In addition, they both say that it's okay for their members to pay more out of their pockets in retirement taxes. And, incredibly, they say it's okay to keep cheating railroad widows from their rightful 100% pension.

UTU is working to lower the retirement age to at least 60/30 without raising your taxes, and getting you the largest annual pay raises we can. We also are committed to fixing the widow's benefit. And our plan will keep Railroad Retirement solvent and out of bankruptcy.

We all dream of retiring early. But dreams have a way of dissolving with the morning sun. UTU and at least a dozen other rail unions believe 60/30 and fixing the widow's benefit will help us all sleep better at night.

Two strikes...Strike Three?
As we begin national contract talks, the carriers have two big credibility strikes against them. Let us remind them of their most recent sins:

-- BNSF broke its word to abide by the Work/Rest Principles and imposed its onerous Availability Policy on employees, then gloated when it won an arbitration case. The result of BNSF's hollow victory is that they have been universally vilified and pilloried for their betrayal of union workers by the government, workers and Wall Street for this very dumb business practice. In short, BNSF single-handedly has poisoned the well regarding national contract talks.

-- The American Association of Railroads broke its word on ending cramdown, seemingly minutes after it made a deal with organized labor. Bad move. Very bad move by the AAR and the carriers.

Column by Charles L. Little
The Power of One
In a few days, we'll be leaving one century and beginning another. Crossing this threshold in history allows us the opportunity to begin something new and exciting. -- Full text.

Column by Paul C. Thompson
Union headed in right direction
Since assuming office on September 1, 1999, I have worked with this administration to initiate several plans to make both the UTU and UTUIA more membership-friendly. -- Full text.

Column by James M. Brunkenhoefer
Pigeons come home to roost in D.C.
We had anticipated a rather slow wind-down to this session of Congress. Instead, we got an extremely intense final month. -- Full text.