In an effort to better communicate information as quickly as possible to the Local 60 Membership, here is the ” HOT TOPICS” for this week.

A) On April 3 I had another meeting with the Carrier over SLEEP APNEA as it relates to our Members. I am trying to get a more direct line of communication to the medical department for questions and assistance during the process. We asked that the forms being given to our doctors be updated so our doctors can approve an “opt out option” for the MWT test. I am also pushing for all Members who are negative to be absolved of any deductibles. I will keep you informed of the progress made on these issues as I get answers from the Carrier.

B) I have a meeting set up with our Designated Legal Counsel Matt Darby concerning our petitions over the SLEEP APNEA cases. If any Member has not contacted me yet about their case please do so soon.    sburkert@utulocal60.com

C) I met with Safety Department over the removal of Asbestos on the MU cars. We reviewed the Carrier’s safety bulletins and process for alerting our Members of locations and types of Asbestos that are present. The asbestos removal will be discussed in the annual BOR class for all Members.

D) I met with the Carrier on Monday at NJT HQ over payroll, DH and gas mileage issues. I explained AGAIN, that the delay in our Members getting paid properly is unacceptable. In attendance was the Chief Financial Officer Livharcik who stated they will be putting more clerks in payroll department to handle our requests in a more timely manner. He agrees that the system in place is not working properly and adjustments need to be made for a better result for our Members. I will continue to push for improvements from the Carrier on these issues.

E) I attended the NJT Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday April 10. I did have a chance to speak with Executive Director Corbett on several subjects of concern to our Members. I will be sitting down with him in the near future to discuss these issues in a more in-depth setting.

Please email me feedback or suggestions, I am here for you the Members. sburkert@utulocal60.com

Fraternally,

Stephen J. Burkert

General Chairman

In an effort to better communicate information as quickly as possible to the Local 60 Membership, here is the ” HOT TOPICS” for this week.

A) Gas mileage payments are rapidly increasing due to getting extra hours for the clerks, in fact the last two weekends the clerks worked overtime exclusively on our backlog. The gas mile sheets are now about 5 weeks behind instead of 16 weeks.

B) Next week I have a meeting with The Carrier concerning Sleep Apnea and the adverse effect it is having on our Membership.

C) Next week there will be a team of Members on the property explaining the proper way to cut out coach doors when they become defective. We have had an increase in delays due to malfunctioning doors.

D) I attended a public forum last night in Hackensack NJ. The forum concerned Senate Bill No. 630. I gave testimony about how the NJ Residency Law affects our Members. Senator Gordon who is the author of the Bill 630 along with Senator Weinberg were in attendance to hear all of the testimony. If passed into law it would give an exception to NJ Transit employees from being forced to live in the state.

E) I will continue to take advantage of any opportunity to speak with our elected officials about issues that affect our Members. I have spoken to Governor Murphy, Senators, Congressional Members, Assembly Members, NJ DOT commissioner, Local Mayors. The elected officials welcome the insight I provide them on Member’s issues, because we all want a better NJ Transit. The contacts and relationships I have made so far as your General Chairman will only further elevate our craft in the future.

Please email me feedback or suggestions, I am here for you the Members. sburkert@utulocal60.com

Fraternally,

Stephen J. Burkert

General Chairman

In an effort to better communicate information as quickly as possible to the Local 60 Membership, here is the ” HOT TOPICS” for this week.

A) All Members are to report to their normal sign up locations at their required time on Wednesday. If a Member is ordered to do otherwise by the crew callers please email me with details at sburkert@utulocal60.com If you are on your relief day and want to work on Wednesday please let the crew callers know asap.

B) Gas mileage verification has improved dramatically after the Carrier, TCU GC Stevens and myself worked out an aggressive “catch up plan.” Verification Department this past week has verified gas slips that were submitted in middle of January. This cuts the backlog in half from where it was 3 weeks ago. We are now waiting on those checks to be mailed out from Accounts Payable department this week.

C) Ron Sabol State Director SMART TD has been very productive in using your PAC contributions wisely. He has provided a letter from Congressman Gottheimer requesting more money for the National Mediation Board. The NMB is the government agency to provide an arbitrator to hear cases about all of the claims I have filed on your behalf. If any Member needs a PAC form mailed to them please email me at sburkert@utulocal60.com

D) Senator Bob Gordon as quoted today…”Secondly and very importantly I hope a message goes out to the thousands of employees of NJ Transit who have been weathering very difficult conditions over the last eight years, they are going to have to be the foundation in which we rebuild this organization, they are a superlative group of people, to “hang in there help is on the way””

Please email me feedback or suggestions, I am here for you the Members. sburkert@utulocal60.com

Fraternally,

Stephen J. Burkert

General Chairman

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In an effort to better communicate information as quickly as possible to the Local 60 Membership, here is the ” HOT TOPICS” for this week.

A) John Lineman is hospitalized at this time with a serious medical matter. If any Member wants to send a card here is the address. John Lineman – Kingsbrook Medical Center- 585 Schenectady Avenue Winthrop, Brooklyn, NY 11203. Room #202

B) I was invited to speak with our new Executive Director Kevin Corbett on Monday March 12th. I discussed  Sleep Apnea and how the NJT program has been so detrimental to our Members and how it can be done more efficiently. I explained about crew shortages and how unsafe overcrowding has become the norm. We will be speaking again in the upcoming weeks.

C) I attended the NJ Transit Board of Director’s Meeting on Wednesday March 14th. Governor Murphy attended and spoke about dramatically improved funding of NJT. Our new DOT Commissioner Dianne Gutierrez Scaccetti praised our Members. Kevin Corbett spoke about a new direction and more hiring of Conductors. All three praised Local 60 Members for their efforts over victory parades and snow storms.

D) There is an issue concerning FELA and what are NJ Transit’s intentions going forward. This issue has been known to me since the end of January. I have been working with the Carrier,our DLC Matt Darby and SMART TD to better educate the Attorney General about the ramifications this move would have on our Members. We are covered under the RAILWAY LABOR ACT and NJT was told directly by myself and Ron Sabol  NJSLB that we would consider this a MAJOR DISPUTE if they continue this course. I will keep you informed as we progress.

E) NJT had a payroll issue this week with deductions, please read the notice that is posted on this site.

F) The NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade is tomorrow. If any Member wants to work their relief day please contact the crew caller today. NJT will be running extra trains from Dover, Long Branch, Morrisville and Port Jervis. they will also have extra ticket collectors out on all regular and extra trains.

Please email me feedback or suggestions, I am here for you the Members. sburkert@utulocal60.com

Fraternally,

Stephen J. Burkert

General Chairman

NJ Transit will be running regular train service tomorrow. All crews are to report to their normal terminal at their required sign up times. Any Member on a relief day for tomorrow, if you wish to work, please contact crew caller asap and make yourself available. Please be safe travelling and during your assignments.

Fraternally,

Stephen J. Burkert

General Chairman

I am in regular communication with NJ Transit over storm damage. There will be a meeting later today for an update on what rail service will be up and running tomorrow. Work crews are out on all lines clearing debris and getting the rails and catenary in shape for safe travel. The new Executive Director, Kevin Corbett, asked me to personally thank all of the Local 60 Members who are working today moving passengers or working in the yards. I will send out more information as it becomes available.

Please be safe in your travels going to work or home.

Fraternally,

Stephen J. Burkert

General Chairman

All crews are to report to work tomorrow at their normal times and locations. New Jersey Transit is requesting all crews who are slated to work please show up on time to your normal sign up locations. Managers will be on site to give further instructions as the events unfold as per the weather forecast.

Fraternally,

Stephen J. Burkert

General Chairman

In an effort to better communicate information as quickly as possible to the Local 60 Membership, here is the ” HOT TOPICS” for this week.

A) As per our Collective Bargaining Agreement with New Jersey Transit, starting today March 1, 2018 we have a general wage increase of 2%. The next wage increase will take affect on November 1,2018.

B) There will be a Local 60 union meeting this Sunday March 4 in Linden at the VFW starting at 10AM.

C) Working in conjunction with Anthony Stevens GC of TCU, NJTRO and myself, we will be getting additional help in the payroll department. The extra help will be tasked with eliminating the backlog of gas mileage payments. The extra help will be starting within the next week or so and results are expected to reduce the turn around time of submitted gas sheets to under 4 weeks.

D) On June 1, 2018 there will be another gas mileage amnesty period. I will provide more details when we get closer to that date but please start to collate any gas slips that were mailed back to members. Please start to gather all documents for gas mileage that are still missing or were not paid.

E) The Railroad Retirement Board will be having a seminar on Friday April 13, 2018 in Paterson for any Member who is looking to retire within the next 5 years.  The seminar will provide information on what you and your spouse should be doing now so you are prepared to retire. Please print and fill-out the paperwork and return it to the RRB if you plan on attending the seminar.

F) If any Member is interested in working their relief day this Saturday please call the crew callers and notify them. The Hoboken LEPRECON is taking place Saturday. I have requested extra help on the regular trains and all of the extra trains. There will be extra police officers available for any incidents on our trains and also in Hoboken Terminal.

Please email me feedback or suggestions, I am here for you the Members. sburkert@utulocal60.com

Fraternally,

Stephen J. Burkert

General Chairman

In an effort to better communicate information as quickly as possible to the Local 60 Membership, here is the ” HOT TOPICS” for this week.

A) On Tuesday February 20th I was in Hoboken crew base talking with Members. One of the main talking points had to do with the loss of tax deductions, overcrowding and the poor condition of the train equipment.

B) I am waiting on word from the Carrier about when the revised OPEN DOOR POLICY will go into effect. The information about an accelerated LETP program for conductors is also waiting on the Carrier.

C) I have had discussions with SMART TD in Cleveland about the loss of tax deductions and what recourse we have at this point. They are working the issue and will get back to me shortly with a game plan for going forward.

D) I have a meeting set up for next week with the new NJT Executive Director Kevin Corbett. I will be discussing all of the important issues that are effecting our Members now and the issues that will present themselves in the future.

E) I have requested our Safety Department to be fully engaged in the ASBESTOS removal in Hoboken Terminal. They will be posting updates of progress and monitoring air quality while this construction is in progress. The issue was brought to light at our last Union meeting and I immediately requested answers from the Carrier.  This is a perfect example of letting me know of an issue so I can correct it for our Members. Thank You! 

F) There has been no notification from the Carrier on when ROLLOVER will happen. They are required to let me know 30 days in advance.

Please email me feedback or suggestions, I am here for you the Members. sburkert@utulocal60.com

Fraternally,

Stephen J. Burkert

General Chairman

In an effort to better communicate information as quickly as possible to the Local 60 Membership, here is the ” HOT TOPICS” for this week.

A) I met with the Carrier this week over the attempt to have an accelerated Engineers Training Program consisting of members from our roster. There will be more information to review on next weeks job bulletin.

B) I am very pleased to report that the AC Line service for the Eagles parade went off without incident. I did work with the Carrier in the planning phase such as bigger train sets and extra TC help. I insisted on police presence at terminals and platforms but also police officers riding with our crews. I believe the added police made everyone’s day that much more enjoyable. Thank you to all of the crews who worked the line on parade day.

C) Attention Hoboken bound crews this weekend!!! Route 7 into Hoboken will be closed all weekend for construction.

D)  All Members as a reminder if you are short weekly wages or gas miles please go to our utulocal60.com Home Page and list your shortage. We have been getting very good results in correcting the issues.

E) THIS and THAT UNIFORMS has the New Jersey Transit contract again for this year. I would urge all Members to please order your uniform online https://www.njtuniforms.com/ rather than calling the store. The online orders give a clear tracking line if there are any issues.

Please email me feedback or suggestions, I am here for you the Members. sburkert@utulocal60.com

Fraternally,

Stephen J. Burkert

General Chairman