I will be attending the PEB hearings in Newark NJ next week. It is anticipated that the hearings will last all week. This is the next step in the process of attaining a new collective bargaining agreement for the members of Local 60. The hearings are closed to the public and I will not be able to give anyone daily status reports. The three member panel will hear both sides of the proposals and by mid August 2015 will produce “non binding” recommendations. I will report as soon as possible on any information produced during these meetings that affects our members.

Fraternally,

Stephen J. Burkert

General Chairman

During the course of Summer 2015, beginning with Dover and Morrisville on July 20, the NJT C³RS Peer Review Team (PRT) will be visiting various terminals to discuss several issues that are important to all members. Since 2009, your PRT has received and analyzed over 500 reports submitted to the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS). The system the PRT has been trained on, and utilizes when investigating C3RS reports, is called Multiple Cause Incident Analysis (MCIA). The word “multiple” holds special significance to us as we always find that there are multiple factors that lead to ‘close calls”. The PRT has found that two factors present themselves in almost every case we analyze and are being given special attention during this special PRT Safety Forum.

The first factor we want to discuss is “Situational Awareness”. Many definitions are used when describing situational awareness. Some call it “paying attention, some call it “keeping your head in the game”, others may describe it as “staying on the ball”. Whatever term or phrase is used, one thing is clear; this factor is the number one component of the vast majority of C3RS reports.

The PRT has taken on the challenge to find out what causes the loss of situational awareness and how to prevent it. We’ve enlisted the help of NJT’s Office of System Safety and they have reached out to a potentially great resource, Liberty Mutual Insurance. They are leaders in “risk reduction” and “situational awareness” and we are excited to see what tools, programs and suggestions they have for us in our quest to combat this very real problem.

The second factor we want to bring special attention to is “Safety Job Briefings” (SJB). The lack of a SJB, or thorough SJB, has been found as another leading factor in most C3RS reports. The PRT has taken several steps to assist in this matter including recommending dedicated SJB rooms (the first 2 of which are currently being installed in Hoboken and NYP) and also developing the helpful SJB tri-fold that has been shown to be a helpful resource not only when conducting a SJB but through the course of the workday. The PRT now is adding an additional piece to the puzzle; a “Safety Job Briefing Checklist”. We feel that the use of this checklist when conducting a SJB will prove to be a tremendous help to both new trainees and seasoned veterans alike. Conducting a SJB in a consistent, clear and professional manner will help ALL of us to become better Train and Engine Service Professionals.

We are asking all Train Crews to use the Checklist samples that are being provided to you with an open mind and report back to us after this week via email at feedback@njtc3rs.com with any comments or suggestions you have regarding the design or use of this form.

GC report:
Supplemental list temporary agreement failed we are going to stick with current format, we will try and enforce/tweak
Motion is up for vote at next regularly scheduled local 60 meeting to change allocation of funds from the Local Fund of $1 and LCA of $3 to the GC fund up $4 temporally in order to alleviate deficit in the GCA fund this will not increase dues for members
Art Rayner is no longer our UTUIA representative direct all insurance inquires to the international
Please call payroll numbers established for Deb & Val and leave message for now, our GC is working to get SMART-TD representatives back in with payroll

We have our regularly scheduled meeting Sunday morning 10:00am at the

Linden VFW 20 Pennsylvania Railroad Ave.
Linden, N.J. 07036

We will be voting on a TEMPORARY change to the supplemental list procedures members who can not make it email our GC with your concerns sburkert@utulocal60.com

As always we will post our GC’s report and any other important information on this site and social media ASAP

Also we are still putting together our text alert list email your information to emitchell@utulocal60.com

To ensure that T&E employees receive their pay fully for check date of July 9th, we are asking membership to get their cards for period ending Tuesday June 30^th in the designated drop-off locations no later than the evening of Wednesday July 1^st,   Adherence to this timeline will allow the timecards to reach payroll on Thursday and be included in the following weeks’ payroll processing.

Just some information from our GC for members, the IBEW joined the coalition so all crafts on our property are being represented.

This is the first time for us to use this process for negotiations and the first time for coalition leaders to represent 100% of the unions on a property.

We are entering some important phases and it will be important to get members updated information we are asking all members sign up for text messaging.

Below is a timeline so we have an idea of what to expect

•   Mon., June 15, 2015:  Release by NMB – this begins the 30-day cooling-off period.
•   Thurs. July 15, 2015:  Anticipated creation of the First PEB – this begins the first 120-day cooling-off period.
•   Tues., July 21, 2015:  Anticipated deadline for written pre-hearing submissions.
•   Wed., July 22 – Fri., July 24, 2015:  Anticipated hearing dates for the First PEB.
•    Fri., Aug. 14, 2015:  Deadline for the First PEB to issue its report.
•   Wed., Sept. 9, 2015:   NMB’s Public Hearing.
•   Thur., Nov. 12, 2015:  Initial 120-day cooling off period expires/deadline for creating the Second PEB.
•    Sat., Dec., 12, 2015:  Deadline for the parties to submit final offers to the Second PEB.
•   Mon., Jan. 11, 2016:  Deadline for the Second PEB to issue its report/beginning of final 60-day cooling-off period.
•   Fri., March 11, 2016:  The final cooling-off period expires at the end of the day.

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