On October 29, 2015 the US DOT announced the award of $500 million in TIGER VII discretionary grants to transportation projects in various states. The recipients of these competitive, merit-based grants were States, local governments, port authorities, transit agencies, and metropolitan planning organizations. TCU wrote letters to the Administration in support of these grants. 18
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Sarah Feinberg as Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Feinberg had been serving as Acting Administrator for the past nine months. Ed Wytkind, President of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD), issued a statement applauding her confirmation: “…In the nine months that Feinberg has served as Acting Administrator,
Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) Calls For PTC Extension TCU was in attendance as a bipartisan group of lawmakers held a press conference to call for an immediate extension of the Positive Train Control (PTC) deadline, slated to go into effect at the end of the year. Leading the event was Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL) and
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced a six-year, $325 billion reauthorization bill for our nation’s highway and transit programs. The bill provides $261 billion for highways and $55 billion for transit, and the rest being assigned to safety programs. The Committee is scheduled to begin the markup process on Thursday, October 22nd. With an
Open Enrollment for members covered under the Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare Plan is still running until October 31. Members should have received materials in the mail that provided details of the 2016 Open Enrollment. Now open until October 31, 2015, members can securely access the Railroad Enrollment Services online at www.yourtracktohealth.com to review and
?The New Jersey Transit Rail Labor Coalition issued a summary of the Report to the President by Emergency Board No. 248. The Coalition includes every rail union on NJT, representing nearly 4,300 workers, ?TCU’s delegation to the PEB included National Vice President and Special Assistant to the President Joel Parker (who serves as spokesman for
In negotiations with the national freight unions on October 6, 2015, TCU President Bob Scardelletti declared the talks to be at an impasse. He told the Carriers it was time to move the process forward. On Thursday, October 8, 2015, TCU invoked mediation by the National Mediation Board (NMB) for the Carmen and Clerks. Also
Bob Pirillo passed away on October 7, 2015. Bob worked for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad and then at Transco Railcar in Oelwein, IA for 27 years. Bob served as the Local President and Local Chairman of Lodge 6069. Brother Pirillo was instrumental in maintaining membership, handling grievances and assisting with contract negotiations. He was a
The Transportation Communications Union/IAM applauds the bipartisan efforts of House Transportation & Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-IL) and Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-OR) in introducing an extension of the deadline to install Positive Train Control (PTC) on our nation’s railways. Their proposed legislation contrasts with the Senate’s proposal by including reporting requirements and an enforceable
Retired IAM General Secretary-Treasurer Robert Roach, Jr., will be the new President of the Alliance for Retired Americans, a national organization that advocates for the rights and well-being of more than 4.4 million retirees and their families. READ: Alliance for Retired Americans Elects Two New Leaders “I am honored and excited to be joining the
