Column by Byron A. Boyd, Jr.
How should we be paid?
We can build a simplified pay system in place of the system we have had in place for more than 100 years without losing any ground. We believe it is finally time to take that big step. We have nothing -- literally -- to lose, and everything to gain. -- Full text.

Column by James M. Brunkenhoefer
Don't let your job end up in the garbage dump
If you let Bush and Cheney and the Republicans distract you from looking at a seniority roster that is growing instead of shrinking, and instead get you to concentrate on a garbage dump, that is exactly where your job may go. -- Full text.

Feedback
Column by Bob Yarger, Local 256, Watervliet, N.Y.
Vote with your head in November election
Please think twice before dismissing the election this year as unimportant. If the Republicans are allowed to win the presidency or in the Congress, it could mean a real change for the worst for working people. -- Full text.

Retirement bill moving
Now it is the U.S. Senate's turn. In early September, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed H.R. 4844, the Railroad Retirement Survivors Improvement Act of 2000. As this edition of the UTU News is going to press, at least 73 U.S. Senators have asked that this bill be passed quickly. We thank them all.

This is good news to more than 50,000 widows and widowers who are counting on increased pension payments. It's good news to all newer employees who will be vested in the retirement system after only five years of service. It is good news to thousands of veteran railroad employees who can choose to retire at age 60, with 30 years of service.

It's also good that, after H.R. 4844 passed the House in a landslide, both the BLE and BMWE decided to support the retirement bill in the Senate. In return, the 11 original members of the coalition, any one of which could have vetoed BLE or BMWE participation, decided to include those brotherhoods' members in expanded health and welfare benefits for early retirees. They didn't have to because the health benefits were negotiated with the railroads outside of the retirement legislation. But they did. You see, when it comes to doing what is right for all railroad employees, the original 11 unions in the Rail Labor Coalition members did what was right.

UTU gets L&DRR on track
It is always sweet when justice triumphs in the end. That is why we want to draw your attention to the story on Page One about a little railroad in Louisiana.

Remember how the BLE went into a rant about a year ago when the 16 employees of the Louisiana & Delta Railroad asked the UTU to represent them? Seemed the brothers at the L&DRR had lost patience after the BLE hadn't gotten them a contract after allegedly representing them for seven years. In fact, they didn't even remember that the BLE was supposed to represent them because they hadn't done anything.

Well, the BLE (as usual) said the UTU raided them (even though the BLE was shutout at the L&DRR in an NMB representation election) and filed another complaint with the AFL-CIO. So, what else is new? Well, now the employees at the L&DRR have a solid contract. The UTU did what the workers asked us to do, and we did them right. Isn't that what representation is all about? What does the AFL-CIO think about that?

What's your opinion?
We'd like to hear your thoughts on these topics, and others. Include your name, address, phone number, and (if applicable), your UTU Local number and an e-mail address with items submitted to:

Feedback / UTU News
14600 Detroit Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44107-4250
Fax: (216) 228-5755
E-Mail: UTU@compuserve.com