The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board’s (RRB) Customer Service Plan promotes the principles and objectives of customer-driven quality service agency-wide. The RRB’s plan lays out the standards and expresses the time frames in terms of when the agency is required to make its decision to pay or deny an application for benefits. The plan states specifically
The amounts of compensation subject to railroad retirement tier I and tier II payroll taxes will increase in 2013. The tier I tax rates will remain the same on railroad employers, while railroad employees will see their effective tier I rate increase from 5.65 percent to 7.65 percent. The tier II tax rate on both
Former Lodge 319 Local Chairman Tom Rask presents Mick Ward (on the right) with a retirement plaque and watch. Mick Ward, former Local Chairman of Lodge 319 and a member of the board of trustees of System Board 46 when it closed, retired on January 8, 2013. Mick hired on DM&IR in April of 1973
Don Marino member of TCU Carmen Local 6295 is a true hero. He was preparing to leave for work around 4:30 a.m. on Dec. 16, when he noticed, “sparks in the air” near the house next door. Then Marino saw more flames coming from the back of the two-story house and began pounding on the
The lifetime maximum under the negotiated medical plans for early retirees will increase by $4,700 from $131,500 to $136,200, effective January 1, 2013, due to automatic adjustments based on medical cost inflation. The change affects members enrolled in the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Plan (UnitedHealthcare Policy GA-46000). These early retirement plans provide
Every three years, the Railroad Retirement Board’s (RRB) Chief Actuary conducts a study of the longevity of its annuitants, as part of a valuation of future revenues and benefit payments. The RRB has released questions and answers that summarizes the results of the most recent longevity study. Click here to read the full release from
Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman told the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that an overhaul of the government-subsidized carrier’s corporate structure initiated last year is beginning to have an effect. “When we’re done, Amtrak will look more like a business and less like a government agency,” Boardman told the panel. “And customers will find
The standard Medicare Part B monthly premium will be $104.90 in January 2013, an increase of $5.00 from the 2012 amount of $99.90. Some beneficiaries will continue to pay higher premiums based on their modified adjusted gross income. The monthly premiums that include income-related adjustments for 2013 will be $146.90, $209.80, $272.70, or $335.70, depending
In a recent release from the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) of which TCU is a member, President Ed Wytkind said “Too many in Washington are fixated on cutting public spending to balance the budget, not on how to put people back to work and get our economy moving.” As TTD has advocated throughout the
The IAM Disaster Relief Fund provides assistance to those devastated members at a true moment of need. Like our brothers and sisters currently affected by hurricane Sandy, these members need all the strength and support that we can provide. “The IAM’s Disaster Relief fund relies on donations from individuals and Local lodges. I am urging
