Car Clearing Recommendations

September 21, 2020 By Scott Spratt

RE-POST DUE TO INCREASED ISSUES OF PASSENGERS LEFT ON TRAIN

Brother and Sisters:

I would like all members to follow the protocol attached regarding clearing cars at your final destination. For years your officers have tried to get the carrier to put a procedure in place for clearing cars to no avail. Despite the fact there isn’t a procedure put in place, our members are always the one’s disciplined. The TRO-12 states you must clear your trains, and regardless if someone was hiding in the bathroom, fell asleep below the seats etc, our members are still penalized. Your officers are the one’s that have to defend you in these cases, without much success. Our members have over 100 safety incidents related to passengers in unauthorized areas, these include unknown incidents. We want to eliminate this problem for our members and be proactive. We expect everyone to follow these procedures, it covers single and multi-level cars. The members need to understand, this is of upmost importance. The Carrier deems this a inconvenience to the customer (which is a rule violation), not including possible damage to equipment for windows being kicked out, police being called etc. We have rules and regulations to adhere to, so lets do as much. The procedure prescribed below is universal to everyone, and every division. When your at your final destination a members concern should be assisting the riding public and clearing your trains properly. Conductors, make sure you have a proper and thorough job briefing so all parties are on the same page. This is discipline we can eliminate easily by following these procedures. If the dispatcher has a concern, make sure you make them aware your clearing your cars out properly per rule.

Fraternally,

Jerome

Download (PDF, 82KB)

Filed Under: Local 60 News

Concerned About Voting by Mail?

September 16, 2020 By Scott Spratt

Concerned About Voting by Mail?

Gov. Phil Murphy recently signed legislation (A-4276) to “cure” any doubts about whether your mail-in ballot will be counted by Board of Election officials. Although voting by mail has been a safe and secure method to vote for many years in New Jersey, recently a small number of ballots were rejected due to deficiencies outside the control of the voter, such as lacking a postmark or having a physical defect such as a rip in the envelope or ballot.

The new law, referred to as the Ballot Cure Act, establishes provisions that require county Boards of Elections to record the rejection of a voter’s ballot and notify the voter within 24 hours of a decision to reject their ballot. The voter would have up to 48 hours prior to the date of the final certification of election results to provide a cure for their ballot by following the instructions on the “cure form” that will be provided via mail or email along with the notification of the ballot’s rejection.

The law also empowers voters by allowing them to check and track their ballot after they mail it or place it in a drop box. The law expands the online voter information website, which you can access here.

This measure also would provide remedies specifically for signature deficiencies, allowing voters to return a “cure form” to the county Board of Elections to verify their ballot. The Secretary of State would additionally need to publish signature-matching guidelines to ensure ballots are not needlessly invalidated during the authentication process due to slight and non-fraudulent causes of signature variance.

For this year’s General Election, return your mail in ballot as soon as possible! The Ballot Cure Act will ensure it is counted and also further eliminates possibilities for voting fraud. You can start your Vote-by-Mail application by clicking here.

In Solidarity,
Ron Sabol
New Jersey State Director
SMART Transportation Division

Filed Under: Industry Related, Local 60 News

COVID Stress and Coping

September 16, 2020 By Scott Spratt

FROM THE DESK OF RANDALL A. KROCKA

SMOHIT Administrator

COVID Stress and Coping

by Daria Todor, ACSW LCSW-C MAC, SmartMap Helpline Consultant

Daria Todor, SMOHIT’S licensed social worker and addictions counselor, has provided us with a list of valuable resources to help you prepare your children for returning to school, as well as ways to cope with the stresses of today’s world. If you or a coworker need mental health or substance use care, you can contact Daria at the SMOHIT HelpLine at 877-884-6227. The HelpLine is manned 24/7, and is available at no cost to all members in good standing and their families. All calls are kept professional and strictly confidential.

________________________________________

The World Health Organization (WHO) has put out a coping guide for all of us to use, so I decided to share that with you. It includes a downloadable booklet as well as audio exercises.

In addition, the World Economic Forum wrote an article about it.

I have also included links for guidance about children returning to school, as well as a list of “go-to” sites which I use and share with callers to the HelpLine, my private practice, and those I know in my personal life.

We can all use assistance from time to time. I am reminded by clients and callers that life’s issues continue to rear their difficult heads, and people are suffering from all sorts of things, not just from the virus and its effects. Remember, if you need assistance beyond these helpful sites, please reach out. Some resources have dried up during the pandemic, but others are starting. The HelpLine can fill in the gap for those who are struggling. The number is available 24/7/365 at 877-884-6227.

Here is the list:

CDC guidance for back-to-school
UNICEF: back to school stress
Real Simple Magazine/website: How to ease back to school stress
Children’s Health
Happify:This is a free site but it also does have an upgraded version which you pay for. You don’t have to pay to use the basic format. Easy to use and helpful!
Greater Good: This is based out of UC Berkeley and is full of things to help you cope with life’s ups and downs.
HelpGuide: There are all sorts of articles on here so take a look and see if has something which interests you.
University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center: This has a ton of info about how positive psychology can help individuals. It is geared more for practitioners and the general public, so check it out.
Mindful-how to meditate and the importance of being mindful: If there is any one thing that people can do to keep their stress level low, it is to learn how to be mindful. It doesn’t take a lot. Like the info on the Happify site, this online mag helps people better understand the ins and outs of a simple yet effective practice that can be learned by anyone.

Again, if you need anything, I am here for you at 877-884-6227.

Filed Under: Industry Related, Local 60 News

Annual Flu Vaccine Campaign

September 16, 2020 By Scott Spratt

The Medical Services Department is pleased to announce the commencement of its annual flu vaccine campaign for the 2020-2021 season.

This season online registration is required. To register, click here or scan this QR code:

This FREE benefit is available to all active NJ TRANSIT employees. EMPLOYEES MUST SHOW THEIR COMPANY ID TO OBTAIN A FLU VACCINE.

Eligible Employees may register for any any location to receive their free vaccine. All employees in a high-risk category of serious illness should get the flu vaccine either from Medical Services or by contacting their personal physician. Please consult your personal doctor BEFORE requesting a flu vaccine if you:

Have ever had a serious allergic reaction to eggs
Are currently taking antibiotic medication

Do NOT register for a flu vaccine if you:

Have a cold, virus, or other illness (get the vaccine when you are better)
Have been instructed by your personal doctor NOT to get a flu vaccine

Additional dates and locations will be added as they become available. Check back often — through the registration link above — for newly added dates, times, and locations near you.

This year, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the flu shot remains important because complications of the flu could make you more susceptible to getting or becoming ill from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Medical professionals urge most Americans to get it as early in the season as possible. The flu vaccine will help protect you and ease burdens on the strained healthcare system.

Why is it important for influenza (flu) vaccines to be given during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Efforts to reduce the spread of COVID-19, such as stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders, have led to decreased use of routine preventive medical services, including immunization services. Ensuring that people continue or start getting routine vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic is essential for protecting people and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks, including flu. Routine vaccination prevents illnesses that lead to unnecessary medical visits and hospitalizations, which further strain the healthcare system. A flu vaccine may also provide several individual health benefits, including keeping you from getting sick with flu, reducing the severity of your illness if you do get flu, and reducing your risk of a flu-associated hospitalization.

Flu Vaccine Facts

The flu vaccine will not give you the flu.
One of the best ways to avoid getting a serious case of the flu is to get a flu vaccine.
A flu vaccine is needed annually in order to prevent against current strains of the virus.
The flu vaccine is an effective prevention tool.
While the flu vaccine does not guarantee protection against the flu, those who have been vaccinated are much less likely to get the flu than those who have not been vaccinated and symptoms are less severe and shorter in duration.
The flu vaccine is very safe. Serious problems related the flu vaccine are very rare. Some may experience minor injection site redness or tenderness, but these symptoms are generally short lived.
The vaccine can take up to two weeks after administration to reach peak effectiveness.
The vaccine is an important preventive tool for people with chronic health conditions.
The inactivated flu vaccine is safe for pregnant women, helps protect them during pregnancy and their babies for up to 6 months after they are born.
The vaccine can keep you from getting sick from flu and thereby also protects the vulnerable people around you.
The flu vaccine prevented more than 40,000 flu-associated deaths in the United States during a nine-year period from the 2005-2006 season through 2013-2014 season

If you would like additional information about the flu, please visit:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
NJ Department of Health
You can find a location for your family to obtain a flu vaccine on either site.

Please post this notice for the benefit of those who do not have access to e-mail.

Filed Under: Local 60 News

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