The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has named Ram Murthy as its Chief Information Officer (CIO). As CIO, Mr. Murthy will head the RRB’s Bureau of Information Services and its more than 150 employees. In that capacity, he will be responsible for planning, directing and coordinating the agency’s Information Resources Management program. Mr. Murthy will
Union members earn better wages and benefits than workers who aren’t union members. On average, union workers’ wages are 27 percent higher than their nonunion counterparts. Unionized workers are 60 percent more likely to have employer-provided pensions. More than 85 percent of union workers have jobs that provide health insurance benefits, but only 54 percent
Walter A. Barrows, the Labor Member of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), recently announced two senior-level staff appointments within his immediate office. Michael J. Collins, who has been an Assistant to the Labor Member since April 2003, will assume the position of Legislative Assistant. In that capacity, he will advise the Labor Member on
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has released a booklet covering Railroad Unemployment and Sickness Benefits. The Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act provides two kinds of benefits for railroad employees: unemployment benefits, when you are not working but are ready, willing and able to work; and sickness benefits, when you are unable to work because of illness
John Robert Smith is familiar face in transportation reform circles. The former Republican mayor of the town of Meridian, Mississippi, he now leads two of the most significant advocacy organizations in the field, Transportation for America and Reconnecting America. He also happens to be a former chair of Amtrak’s board of directors. All of those
A new benefit year under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act begins July 1, 2013. Administered by the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), this Act provides two kinds of benefits for qualified railroaders: unemployment benefits for those who become unemployed but are ready, willing and able to work; and sickness benefits for those who are unable to
On June 27, 2013, the Railroad Retirement Board issued a Special Order terminating the occupational disability annuities of approximately 600 former Long Island Rail Road retirees. The Board’s action followed a guilty plea by Dr. Peter Ajemian to charges filed by a U.S. Attorney that he provided false evidence for hundreds of Long Island Rail
Introducing the New “Your Track to Health” Brand and Website for theRailroad Employees National Health and Welfare Plan Members and their eligible dependents covered under the Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare Plan (Plan) will soon see a new look and website for their benefits. Your Track to Health represents the wide array of health
The TCU/IAM Carman Division ratified the agreement with TTX by an overwhelming margin. This agreement containes significant wage increases, maintains premium health care coverage with no increase in monthly contributions and provides work rule improvements. The wage increases in this proposal are calculated over the four year period and represent a 12.4% increase for Tier
The Senate Appropriations Committee recently approved a $54 billion fiscal 2014 Transportation-HUD spending bill, setting up a fight with the House over the budget. The difference between the measures’ spending levels is about $10 billion. Differences include money for infrastructure projects, known as TIGER grants. The Senate would increase funding for the grants by $50
