Progress Through Unity

Archives for November 2016

Flexible Spending Account Form

November 29, 2016 By

Download (PDF, 35KB)

Filed Under: Local 60 News

Deadline For 2016 Uniform Orders

November 26, 2016 By

2016 uniform orders must be in by November 30, 2016  it is recommended you order via the website http://www.njtuniforms.com/

This will ensure you will have a documented receipt of items, sizes and date of order

Filed Under: Local 60 News

Intimidating Railroad Tactics – Confidential Medical Information

November 26, 2016 By

http://www.bsgfdlaw.com/railroad-injury-blog/intimidating-railroad-tactics-confidential-medical-information

 

I recently spoke with a railroad client and learned about another example of a railroad overreaching its bounds and intruding on the personal rights of its employees – this time with regard to the right of medical confidentiality.  Given the importance of this issue, I thought it would be a good opportunity to explore this situation in more detail.

I have blogged before about railroad employee’s right under the Federal Rail Safety Act whistleblower provisions to immediate medical treatment under §20109.Specifically, §20109

(c) (1) requires a railroad to promptly arrange to have an injured employee transported to the nearest hospital for appropriate medical care.  As stated previously, in order to trigger this provision of the FRSA whistleblower law, the employee must request the transport.

However, what happens when an employee indicates that they do not require transportation?  In this recent situation, a railroad employee reported an exposure to fumes in a locomotive, but stated he was not adversely affected.  Rather than express a concern about the potential health effects on the employee, the railroad used this opportunity to require him to come into the yard office where he was interrogated by several management employees, including the railroad’s Medical Director by telephone, about his overall health.

For employees in this situation, it is important to understand your right of medical confidentiality. While the railroad may have the right to information regarding your health as it pertains to your ability to safely work on the railroad, it does not mean that they can go on a fishing expedition and require you to reveal information about your overall health to a room full of management employees. That information is confidential and may be used against you in the future.  Accordingly, unless the medical condition is relevant to your ability to work safely and requested under appropriate circumstances, an employee in that situation should consider their right of confidentiality before providing this information.  Of course, if the railroad employee is given a direct order then a charge of insubordination may be implicated.  Therefore, consultation with your Local Chairman or legal counsel is recommended.

This discussion brings to mind another important issue regarding medical confidentiality. In a situation in which the employee does request medical treatment, the railroad is required to transport that employee, if requested, to the closest appropriate medical facility. Once the employee is at that medical facility, the railroad cannot interfere in any way in the employee’s medical treatment. This means that once the employee is under the care of a physician, the railroad’s management has no right to inquire about the employee’s condition or interfere in any way in the employee’s medical treatment.

Should you have any questions regarding this issue or any other related matter, please do not hesitate to contact our office for a consultation. Please visit our website and download our App for Railroad Employees (search “Matt Darby” and “railroad” in App Store).  You can also reach us at 800-248-FELA.

Filed Under: Industry Related, Local 60 News

Nominations 11-20-2016 (Updated 11-22)

November 20, 2016 By

Nominations from today’s meeting

  • LCA 610A Hoboken
    • Joe Morgan LCA A Chairperson
    • Donny Albertson LCA 610 A Chairperson
    • Stanley Gaskin LCA 610 A VLC
    • Cookie Doyle LCA 610 A VLC
    • Roberto Milan LCA 610 A VLC
    • Mike Ewell LCA 610 A Secretary
  • LCA 610B New York
    • Jarrett Parry LCA 610 B Chairperson
    • Chris Dunn LCA 610 B VLC
    • Jermaine Jenkins 610 B VLC
    • Rashonda Brown LCA 610 B Secretary
  • LCA 610C Yard/Extra
    • Jerome Johnson LCA 610 C Chairperson
    • Greg Roberts LCA 610 C VLC
    • Scott Spratt LCA 610 C Secretary

There will be an election for the following positions

Hoboken Division (LCA-610A)

  • Local Chairperson:  Donny Albertson and Joseph “Joe” Morgan.
  • V.L.C.:  Jennifer “Cookie” Doyle, Stanley Gaskin, and Rob Milan.
New York Division (LCA-610B)
  • V.L.C.:  Chris Dunn and Jermaine Jenkins

Declared elected by acclamation, effective January 1, 2017

LCA 610A Hoboken

  • Mike Ewell LCA 610 A Secretary

LCA 610B New York

  • Jarrett Parry LCA 610 B Chairperson
  • Rashonda Brown LCA 610 B Secretary

LCA 610C Yard/Extra

  • Jerome Johnson LCA 610 C Chairperson
  • Greg Roberts LCA 610 C VLC
  • Scott Spratt LCA 610 C Secretary
Filed Under: Local 60 News

Payroll Update For Thanksgiving Holiday

November 18, 2016 By

A message from Roticia, lead clerk in payroll;
Just a kind reminder. Next week is early payroll. It is a 3 day week for payroll, they are off on Thursday & Friday. Please get time-cards dropped off at Hoboken / New York by Tuesday evening for Wednesday morning courier pick-up or drop them off at the ROC Wednesday morning by 11:00am. Anything after 11:00am Wednesday will be processed the following week.

Filed Under: Local 60 News

LCA 610 Nominations

November 9, 2016 By
GDE Error: Error retrieving file - if necessary turn off error checking (404:Not Found)
Filed Under: Local 60 News

SMART-TD News Flash: ELECTION DAY TOMORROW! KNOW THE FACTS BEFORE YOU VOTE!

November 7, 2016 By

Know the facts before you vote  – by John Previsich, President, SMART TD

“…Trump and Pence will work to take away from our families the hard-fought benefits, protections and securities that our predecessors worked so hard to secure.”   Click link to read the entire article:  https://smart-union.org/news/know-facts-vote/

__________

The outcome of this election will affect your job – by John Risch, National Legislative Director, SMART TD

“We’ve endorsed Hillary Clinton, she will support our union, our issues and the progress that unions have made. This is serious stuff and we all need to do our part in making our jobs better not just for us, but for those who follow. And that work starts with this election.”

Click link to read the entire article:  https://smart-union.org/news/outcome-election-will-affect-job/

___________

Back to basics – by John Lesniewski, Vice President, SMART TD

“When you strip away all of the peripheral political pundit buzz, the bottom line is Donald Trump is unstable, dangerous, and clearly governed by his own ego. “

Click link to read the entire article:  https://smart-union.org/news/back-to-basics/

Filed Under: Industry Related, Local 60 News

Posts

November 4, 2016 By
GDE Error: Error retrieving file - if necessary turn off error checking (404:Not Found)
GDE Error: Error retrieving file - if necessary turn off error checking (404:Not Found)
Filed Under: Local 60 News

Reorganization Information

November 2, 2016 By

As per SMART-TD constitution Local 60 needs to be restructured to better adhere to the constitution. This format will better reflect the structure of every other GCA in the nation and will alleviate some issues encountered by our local because we do not fit in the mold the constitution oversees.

We all have many questions and we will get support from the international in on site representation, and financially (they will pay for the election). We will face challenges implementing the plan and navigating the format but will have a better functioning local in the end.

There will be no dues increase because of this restructuring, dues will be continued to be divided as they are now a portion to GCA 610, Local 610 (this will go to your local in future), and Local 60. Any dues increase would be voted on by membership and a LCA would or could raise or lower their dues for their LCA only

Below is  the LCA information from our SMART-TD constitution and the reason we will split at the LCA level only, the GCA 610 and local 60 will remain the same.  

Download (PDF, 210KB)

Bellow is our current format and officers holding the respective positions

Download (PDF, 340KB)

The General Chairman position will remain intact and will always be voted on by all membership of Local 60

Our General Chairman has made clear that he wants to continue to work with the existing team and would like all officers now involved to remain. The positions of Vice Local Chairman and General Committee Secretary will be eliminated effective January 1, 2017. Nominations will be accepted for new positions for each new LCA there will be three LCA’s these positions will be for two years expiring December 31, 2018. Elections will be conducted and tabulated by the international, with no cost to the local

The local 60 officers will remain intact and can hold dual positions in the Local and an LCA

Hoboken Division

1 Local Chairperson, LCA-610A

1 Vice Local Chairperson, LCA-610A

1 Secretary, LCA-610A

 

New York Division

1 Local Chairperson, LCA-610B

1 Vice Local Chairperson, LCA-610B

1 Secretary, LCA-610B

 

Yard Jurisdiction

1 Local Chairperson, LCA-610C

1 Vice Local Chairperson, LCA-610C

1 Secretary, LCA-610C

Members will be assigned to an LCA where they hold assignments monthly and dues and voting will be for that LCA only

Once the members of the General Committee (i.e. Local Chairpersons from each of the 3 LCAs) are determined, they will need to elect one or more Vice General Chairpersons and a General Committee Secretary from within their ranks,(the nine new positions in the three LCA’s) as per the provisions of Article 21B, Section 82.

The Vice General Chairperson is currently Donny Albertson and this position essentially steps in to cover for the General Chairmen when he is away or not available on the property

The General Committee Secretary position will be selected for the same pool and elected by the three LCA Chairpersons

Below is a table reflecting the new format

Download (PDF, 444KB)

Hopefully this is helpful in clearing up what is happening and we are all trying to get an understanding of what the changes are and what challenges this will create, we just received this information on Friday the 28th.

 

Filed Under: Local 60 News