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BLET Division-56
404 N. 7th St Colton, CA 92324
(909) 514-0274 Fax (909) 514-0314
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers
and Trainmen
Union Pacific Railroad - Western Lines -
service unit
Next Meeting: Open to all engineers, all divisions
May 14, 2008
9:00 A.M.
agreements go to
www.bletupwl.org
Documentation, Documentation, Documentation. Don't tell a story, write one.
| Local Chairman | Secretary Treasury | President | Legislative Rep | Mobilization |
| Vacations | Hats Jacket & T's | Links | Forum | |
| Snakebite | Join BLE 56 | Hub info | peer trainer |
Letter about Shortage Clerk - President page
March Minutes see- Secretary Treasury -page
401 changes - President page.
Most frequently used phone numbers regarding your paycheck. Links
download Adobe
Acrobat. Get it here >>>>> 
Drink Wheel Local Chairman page
Bad news for the Yermo Pool.
Brothers & Sisters:
Cancellation
Notice, Division 660 pool looses FLAT RATE, West Colton to Yermo. Basic Day (TRIP RATE) pool effective Tuesday, April
01, 2008.
(SEE BELOW)
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY
MR D W HANNAH GENERAL CHAIRMAN BLET 404 N 7th St. STE A COLTON CA 92324-2941
Here is what is being said about Total Safety Culture
Ray Carver
President, BLET Division-56
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 11:36 AM
Subject: Fw: Don't be fooled by the
recent article on the UP website, not all Twin Cities Service unit
employees
Here's some information that was just sent to me from
a member in the Twin Cities Service Unit in regards to the "Total Safety
Culture" program that will be coming our way soon. Alan
Subject: Don't be fooled by the recent article on the UP
website, not all Twin Cities Service unit employees
I am writing to you about the recent article that appears on the UP company website. It is false. I found your email information by going to your locals website thru the national BLET webpage. Feel free to pass this along to anyone you feel may want to know the truth. Here is the article. Twin Cities TSC Gains Support of All CraftsFebruary 27, 2008 | 10:25 a.m. CST Fostering an "active-caring" atmosphere based on trust and respect, the Twin Cities Service Unit (TCSU) is taking Total Safety Culture (TSC) to the next level by incorporating Engineering, Transportation and Mechanical into its processes."Because we've included everyone, respect and understanding between crafts has increased dramatically," said Bruce Sullivan, TSC coordinator-TCSU. – Wade Nelson, welder and TCS facilitator So far, more than 800 observations have been made on the TCSU. "TSC allows us to do our jobs safely, while looking out for one another and concentrating on railroading," said Chad Pickering, conductor and member of the implementation team (I team) in Eagle Grove, Iowa. "We're very happy with the progress that's been made in the Twin Cities," said Wayne Kennedy, general director-fuel conservation. In addition to promoting the successful Fuel Masters program, Kennedy's group is supporting the rollout of TSC across the entire railroad. The group is building on its experience working with locomotive engineers on fuel conservation and developing positive relationships with union representatives. – Chad Pickering, conductor and member of the implementation team When asked how well TSC is progressing, Locomotive Engineer Barry Dandridge of Des Moines, Iowa, replied, "More and more often, we're getting people to think about safety. TSC has opened up communication between crafts and provided tools for the support of safety everyday. Employees overall have a positive reaction to the process, and we're glad to have it." The truth is......we (BLET 333 and the local UTU 650) have united as TE&Y employees to completely dismiss any Total Safety Culture program. We want nothing to do with it! Our managers have treated us like dirt for far to long for us to help them pad their pockets with bonus money. We feel the TSC is something we do every day and there is no need to help the carrier on this issue. The main reason why is, the TSC program will give the carrier unlimited data that they will use against us in future dealings with the FRA. The carrier can manipulate the data to show that there are NO unsafe working conditions it is just the employee who is being unsafe, thus blame the worker. This could have future implications such as eliminating FELA. Between the BLET and UTU we have about 200+ local members in the Twin Cities Service Unit who will NOT participate in this program. Since we have stated our stance on this, we have come under increase testing and the UTU Local Chairman has bee targeted numerous times trying to find a failure. There are some locals in the Mason City, IA, Boone, IA and Des Moines, IA that have given in to the wishes of the carrier and they now have a different discipline policy due the fact they are on board with the carrier. Interesting reading....
Blame the Worker - The Rise of Behavioral-Based - Safety Programs http://multinationalmonitor.org/mm2000/00november/corp1.html
What is a blame the worker safety program? These are programs that are implemented by management with the intent to decrease the number of reported injuries and shift responsibility for maintaining a safe workplace from management to workers. Blame the worker programs include:
Behavior-Based Safety Safety Incentives Injury Discipline The theory behind these programs is that almost all injuries are caused by worker unsafe acts. The programs attempt to eliminate injuries by reminding workers to work safely. Behavioral-change safety programs turn the notion of a safe and healthy workplace on its head. Instead of assuming the responsibility for providing a safe workplace, the boss try's to shift the blame for accidents and injuries onto employees Worse, not only do workers get blamed for unsafe working conditions, these approaches often pit worker against worker. The union should oppose all programs that cause workers to NOT REPORT accidents or injuries. The union should oppose all programs that try to pit worker against worker. The union should oppose any program that starts with the idea that employees are the cause of accidents and injuries. More......... http://www.semcosh.org/Behavior%20Based%20Safety.pdf If you have any questions please feel free to contact me via email. Fraternally yours, Jason Smith http://www.bletdivision333.org/ From Tim Smith, CSLB-BLET How to claim PL Days and Single Vacation Days that you are forced to use instead of FMLA Brothers & Sisters: Article about Vibration in the Locomotives VIBRATION IN LOCOMOTIVE CABS, 09-01-06.pdf |
3/5/07
Letter from the General Chairman:
|
Effective Oct. 1, Union Pacific will expand company drug tests to include five additional categories of drugs.
"Federal Railroad Administration and Union Pacific research shows an increase in the use of a number of drugs that UP has not been testing. Although federal law does not yet require testing for these additional drugs, Union Pacific has the authority to exceed minimum requirements to ensure safety," said Bob Grimaila, senior assistant vice president-safety and environment.
"Expanding the drug tests, along with our well supported Employee Assistance and RedBlock programs, will help ensure that we maintain the safest possible work environment for our employees."
Drugs covered under the current tests are:
The new drugs that will be added to the current tests are:
Union Pacific’s Drug and Alcohol Policy does not prohibit the use of a controlled substance prescribed or authorized by a medical practitioner who has determined (based on the employee's medical condition and assigned duties) that the authorized dosage level is consistent with the safe performance of the employee's duties. The railroad requires employees to have a written copy of their treating medical practitioner’s evaluation/determination available upon request of their manager or the Medical Review Officer (MRO). Any use of another person’s prescribed medicine is prohibited.
For help with a drug problem, contact the National Employee Assistance Help Line at 1-800-779-1212.
For questions about UP’s drug and alcohol testing policy, contact Penny Lyons, manager-regulatory compliance, at 1-402-544-5961. Information on UP's Drug and Alcohol Program also is available on the Employees site.
9/12/06
Multi Tasking
Article from the Wall Street Journal
|
A few months ago, Victor Grillo, the chief executive of a marketing company, was in his office doing two things at once -- neither of them very well. He was on the phone booking a vacation in Mexico while also composing an email to four of his lieutenants about the need to fire a fifth. He sent the email, and was continuing with his travel agent. All of a sudden, he "got the nagging feeling that something wasn't right." His "Sent" messages folder revealed he had inadvertently sent the message to the person on the block. In a panic, Mr. Grillo hastily told the travel agent to finish booking the trip. He then made a mayday call to IT. Too late; an angry R-rated email soon arrived from the canned employee. And when he got to Mexico, Mr. Grillo learned he'd been booked into a presidential suite at $3,000 a night. "I'm just not smart enough to multitask," he concludes. But Mr. Grillo is arguably smarter than the legions of people who, juiced with a twisted office machismo, think they can have a meeting, answer email and build Rome in a day -- all at the same time. Multitasking, a term cribbed from computers, is an information age creed that, while almost universally sworn by, is more rooted in blind faith than fact. It's the wellspring of office gaffes, as well as the stock answer to how we do more with less when in fact we're usually doing less with more. What now passes for multitasking was once called not paying attention. Today's workers typically have to do three things while arguing on the phone with a spouse. David Gardner, who writes instructional material for trainers, now knows better than to try. He once worked for a marketing company stretched so thin it sent 4,000 nuns direct mail offers addressed "Dear Mr. Sister." Employers continue to seek out jugglers despite decades of research showing that humans aren't great multitaskers. (And in the case of distracted driving, we're downright dangerous.) "Multitasking doesn't look to be one of the great strengths of human cognition," says James C. Johnston, a research psychologist at NASA's Ames Research Center. "It's almost inevitable that each individual task will be slower and of lower quality." Researchers say analytical thinking can happen in parallel, as long as the tasks have been practiced. But the amount of practice is "too high for the practical world," says Dr. Johnston. And that wouldn't include, say, responding to emails, which requires "fantastically more cognition" than the much simpler tasks often included in multitasking research. In the lab, researchers call it "multitasking" when subjects can recognize, for example, the colors of dots while also discerning high and low tones ... not exactly the skill set you need to win a vice presidency. But the religion of multitasking still holds sway. Just a few days ago, an oil refinery, the sort of place you'd hope everyone would be super-focused, posted a help-wanted ad for an engineer that could multitask. At the same time, an insurance company sought to fill a position requiring "multitasking while answering heavy amounts of phone calls." There is one multitasking illusion that is a special minefield: that we can multitask while communicating. Indeed, what are email "reply-all" buttons but irrefutable evidence that beneath the shiny professionalism of a multitasker, there often lurks a trash-talking grump. Pamela Johnston, president of her own communications company, often dials clients, then begins other work while waiting for them to pick up. When they finally do, she sometimes forgets who she's called. (does this sound like CMS) So she'll either come clean, or just hang up. Something else left out of the multitasking calculations -- beside the fact that we don't do it very well -- are "resumption costs." These are the seconds it takes your brain to say "Where was I?" when resuming an interrupted task. Depending on the tasks, those resumption costs can be high enough to make it faster to unitask, which researchers say produces better performance in the first place. While multitaskers seem to be accomplishing a lot, they are in most cases literally just going through the motions. It is easy for our brain to schedule many different tasks, one after the other. And we'll gamely set out doing those tasks, some of which require little extra brain input and some of which require a lot. As a result, says Hal Pashler, director of the Attention and Perception Laboratory at the University of California, San Diego, "your mouth can be moving while your brain is elsewhere." Something like that happened to Pierre Lemieux, an economist at the University of Quebec in Outaouais. He once emailed an invitation to a respected academic to join his research group. When the man responded tepidly, Prof. Lemieux emailed a colleague, to the effect, "Look at what this S.O.B. thinks." Of course, he sent it to the respected academic by mistake. Prof. Lemieux apologized to the man, who said he understood. But "our professional friendship took a big hit," he says. "It's a matter not of if, but when, the multitasker will hit 'reply' instead of 'forward,' " he adds. "The question is whether the mistake will be an annoyance or a catastrophe."
•
|
9/12/06
Subject: FW: Final Rule on Locomotive Horns at Highway-Rail Grade Crossings
I wanted to be sure you saw that
in yesterday's Federal Register, the FRA published a final rule on the
use of locomotive horns at highway-rail grade crossings. The notice
responds to petitions of reconsideration that had been filed by UTU &
BLET, among others, after the agency issued a final rule in April, 2005.
While we have not fully analyzed the 55 page notice, below is a
summary of changes from last April's final rule as provided by the FRA:
• These amendments extend the compliance date of the time-based locomotive horn sounding requirements until December 15, 2006.
• A ‘‘good faith’’ exception has been incorporated into the time-based locomotive horn sounding requirements for locomotive engineers who are unable to precisely estimate their time of arrival at upcoming grade crossings.
• An exception has been added to the 15-second minimum locomotive horn sounding requirement for locomotives and trains that re-initiate movement after having stopped in close proximity to a public highway-rail grade crossing.
• These amendments expand the scope of the time-based locomotive horn sounding requirements to cover the sounding of any locomotive audible warning device (i.e., locomotive bells) at public highway-rail grade crossings.
• If State law requires the sounding of locomotive audible warning devices at private and/or pedestrian crossings, these amendments will require railroads to sound the locomotive audible warning device in a time-based manner.
• An exception has been added to the locomotive horn sounding requirements for locomotives equipped with defective horns that are being moved for repair.
• The notification requirements for Pre-Rule Quiet Zones and Pre-Rule Partial Quiet Zones have been streamlined by expanding the scope of the Notice of Intent requirement and removing the Notice of Detailed Plan requirement.
• These amendments extend the compliance date for the sound level testing of new locomotives until September 18, 2006.
• These amendments provide clarification that locomotives used in rapid transit operations on the general railroad system are exempt from the locomotive horn sound level and testing requirements contained in 49 CFR 229.129.
Please let me know if you have any questions or want to discuss. Thanks.
Helena Zyblikewycz
Legislative Representative
Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO
(202) 628-9262
8/23/06
Union Pacific
changes stance on claims.
Plans
to build America with your money.
Brothers and Sisters:
The Union Pacific has again taken the position that the
(ADDITIONAL CLAIMS)
WEST OF SP760 - BASIN DAY
should only be paid at 130-MILES instead of
228-MILES/$361.61, as it is currently paid.
If these Carrier intends to BUILD AMERICA with our money, they are mistaken. Of
course they again are robbing us of money due and payable by agreement,
and suggest that all BLET-DIVISION 56 MEMBERS, keep claiming the 228-MILES =
$361.61 (BASIN FLAT RATED DAY)
for each occurrence.
All denied claims should be sent to this office for processing.
We will prevail in our position.
(PLEASE DISREGARD THIER CMTS BROADCAST MESSAGE REGARDING THIS SUBJECT)
Division 56 has collected HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of dollars for it’s Members and
will continue doing so.
With your help we can become even more aggressive in submitting valid claims for
operating employees who’s agreement provisions where violated.
For the Committee,
Larry R. Law
Local Chairman,
BLET - Division 56
6/l4/06
Claims:
When your claim
is denied call the shortage clerk. Tell the shortage clerk you want a declination or
approval sent to your local chairman in the form of a
"heat ticket"..
Your local chairman needs a copy of your pay stub that part showing trips, amount paid and
your denial (all portions other than first page that show your gross). Local chairman also
needs, dates, times, turn, pool, and supportive information such as a
snap shot for your
claims. It is your job
to supply this information.
With the increase amount of claims this office has received we have noticed a decrease
in supportive information. In simple terms we are getting lazy.
Ray Carver
President, BLET Division-56
CMTS Help Line
1-800 621-8953
Values hot line
The value hot line phone number is:
800-998-2000
E-Payroll
Do not participate!
This is worth a lot of money to the Union Pacific. It saves them printing, mailing,
postage, handing and employees to get it done and the cost of paper, paper, paper. If they
want this E-pay, make them Pay at the bargaining table. For you nonbelieivers remember the
basin agreement, 18 hour tie-ups on the re-10 pool and overtime after 12 for the new
employees. They all came at the bargaining table. Give them nothing for FREE.
Ray Carver
President, BLET Division-56
Helper Service
Claim 130 miles if used in patch service and you don't use your helper consist. You must show all trips including rubber tire deadheads on your FRA reporting for the claim to be valid. Show train ID in the far right hand side of the FRA reporting. These claim may be the same as the reserve board, they may take years to get paid.
May 15, 2005
Division 56 is out of the (FMLA)
Family Medical Leave of Absence business.
From this point forward FMLA is between you, your doctor and the carrier.
If you feel that the carrier is not living up to the FMLA Federal Law you need to call
the Department of Labor.
FMLA is not a collective bargaining issue. The phone number for the Department of Labor
is:
1 (866) 487-2365
Once you receive your FMLA from your doctor, if you wish you may fax it to this office
and we will fax it to the carrier. This way we will have a time dated receipt for the
office.
The Division is in the process of taking volunteers for a committee you can call for help
with FMLA procedures.
If interested please call the office.
For the Committee,
Ray Carver
President, BLET Division-56
What to do when injured on the job.
This new program was established at our last Union Meeting and will
be a work in progress. This committee is co-chaired by Joanne Sebelius and Dan Holmes.
What would your spouse do if you were injured at work? Who would they call, what
insurances cover you? how many days do you have to make a claim to railroad retirement?,
how long until railroad retirement mails a check?
If you have any questions or suggestions for this committee e-mail them to:
webmaster@blet56.org
Here are a few things you need to do as the injured party:
Note any defects in equipment or work area; photograph if possible.
Note names of all possible witnesses.
Fill out accident report for the company; keep a copy.
Do not give any written or recorded statements.
Contact your local chairman or union legal council.
Give your doctor a complete history of how your injury happened.
Ray Carver
Welcome to Division 56
Your Secretary-Treasurer is Rod
Fry. This job is very important and many times Rod’s effort goes
un-noticed. He handles the Division 56 finances and keeps the members advised of the
division’s finances. He keeps all records from all meetings. Rod handles
union dues and in this Division he sells job insurance. If you don’t have any
job insurance you need to check into it. Rod’s e-mail address is frod55@aol.com The way we know Rod is doing his job
is that he complains any time we spend any money.
Your Legislative Representative is KA (Kent) Richards. He works for more healthful and sanitary conditions on the locomotives. He helps educate members on their political rights, supports legislation that benefits, and opposes legislation that will injure the people we represent. Kents's email address is ble56lr@aol.com
Your Local Chairman is L.R.
(Larry) Law. His duties are to handle claims, grievances and appeals. If you get
in trouble, Larry will represent you in your investigation. With regard to claims,
your Local Chairman handles pay shortages. We understand that money is the reason
most of us are here. Larry is so busy with claims, we ask that you make an appointment so
Larry can give you his full attention. Remember claims have a 60-day period to be
answered after the company denies them. Larry's e-mail address is ERanger@aol.com
On a personal note I would
like to remind you of a few things. Firstly, I would like to remind you that things
take time, they don’t happen overnight. For example, the Air Conditioner
Project; it has taken us five years to get to this point. Secondly, our
Local Chairman is very accessible and there is no need to page/call him in the middle of
the night for small things, such as a crew dispatcher yelling at you or giving you a wrong
call, or a pay shortage. If you get in big trouble, an accident, or being
pulled out of service go ahead and make that page/call. That’s what we’re
here for.
In most cases union meetings
are the second Wednesday of the month. I’m proud to say that Division 56 is
very involved and has good turn-outs. The meetings are held at our office in
the rear of 404 north 7th St. Colton California.
Hope to see you there.
Ray Carver
webmaster@blet56.org
President,
Division 56
Old and still useful
68 minutes to do your job, are you doing it?
Mr. M.L. Irvine, General
Superintendent
Los Angeles Service Unit
Union Pacific Railroad
19100 S lover Avenue
Bloomington, CA 92316
Dear Sir:
Please refer to your
Superintendent's Notice Number 81, dated March 8, 1999, and my Lotus Note to you about the
same Notice dated March 10, 1999.
The language in Notice 81
creates an oxymoron of "damned if we do and damned if we don't." It simply is
impossible to comply with the General Code of Operating Rules, and with Los Angeles
Superintendent's Notice Number 81. They contradict one another.
Helper Engineers, or any
engineer for that matter, assuming duty on the Los Angeles Service Unit are required to
comply with General Code of Operating Rule 1.3; Rule 1.3.2 (using =ON function); Rule 3.0;
Rule 3.3; Rule 15.0; and Rule 15. 1. They are also required to comply with System Special
Instructions ITEM 1; ITEM 10-A, 15.15; ITEM 14; ITEM 17; and ITEM 18.
Rule 1.3 Rules
Rule 1.3.1 Rules,
Regulations, and Instructions
Rule 1.3.2 General Orders
Rule 3.0 Standard Time
Rule 3.3 Time Comparison
Rule 15.0 TRACK BULLETIN
RULES
Rule 15.1 Track Bulletin
System Special Instructions
Effective 000 1 Sunday,
October 25, 1998
Item 1. TIME COMPARISON
Item 10-A. Operating Rules
Chapters I to 20
Item 15.15 Mechanical
Transmission of Track Bulletins
Item 14. OPERATING WITH
FOREIGN RAILROADS
ITEM 17. JOB BRIEFING ITEM
18. ACCESSING GENERAL ORDER AND SUPERINTENDENT BULLETINS ELECTRONIC FILES
Under Rule 1.3.2. - General
Orders - "before beginning each day's work or trip, trainmen, enginemen, and others
must review general orders that apply to the territory they will work." Using the =ON
function or command each operating employee must check each day the "System Special
Instructions" for the latest "System General Orders" and make sure that
they understand their applicable meaning and understand the rule change by cross
referencing the Safety Rules, General Code of Operating Rules, Timetable/Special
Instructions.
Following is a break down in
time: Checking "System Special Instructions" (General Orders) Time - 03 minutes
to look and 10 minutes for each change. Minimal time without any changes 03 minutes. (This
does NOT include checking Metro Link, PHL or BNSF as required by Item 14 of System Special
Instructions).
Checking "Subdivision
General Orders" Time - 03 minutes to look at each subdivision (13 subdivisions) &
10 minutes for each change. Minimal time without any changes 39 minutes.
Checking "Superintendent
Bulletins" Time - 03 minutes to look and 10 minutes for each change Minimal time
without any-changes 03 minutes. (Note: This does not take into account working with a new
employee and ensuring that they are familiar with their duties and/or knowledge of the
rules. Nor does it take into account how long it will take to instruct them, when
necessary. See Rule 1.47[c].)
And we have the dubious honor
of having to work under TWO different
Superintendent which requires
us to comply with Los Angeles and Tucson
Superintendent Bulletins,
which also takes more preparatory time.
Checking "Time"
Time - 02 minutes just to check Minimal time 02 minutes and up to 04 minutes if you need
to set your watch.
Check "Track
Bulletins"
Minimal time - 15 minutes
just to check and understand. (Note 25 to 30 Track Bulletins a day on Service Unit).
Misc: Checking Locomotives
(Li/UP3206) Minimal time - 03 minutes to type and print a list of a 4 unit consist.
Calling "Train
Dispatcher" - For information. Minimal time - 03 minutes to dial and talk to
dispatcher - IF THEY ANSWER IMMEDIATELY. AND THAT'S A JOKE!
These figure total SIXTY
EIGHT (68) minutes if you don't have any changes to the above; if the engineer happens to
be a computer expert; IF THERE IS A COMPUTER AVAILABLE, and if all the dominoes fall in
place and in order.
In Superintendent's Notice 81
you state in pertinent part as follows: "Crew members are not to do =PE. " I
consider this a unilateral violation of our collective bargaining agreement, established
past practice on the property, and commitments made to us by senior management regarding
the Carrier electronic timekeeping process, and I have immediately appealed your actions
to the General Committee for assistance.
So to sum it up - when a
Helper Engineer assumes duty on the Los Angeles Service Unit - THEY'RE FIRED! If they
comply with the General Code of Operating Rules they cannot comply with Los Angeles
Superintendent's Notice 8 1. If they comply with Los Angeles Superintendent's Notice 8 1,
they cannot comply with the General Code of Operating Rules.
If you cut off a few more
clerks, who used to do the majority of the work listed herein, I believe you can get
engineers up to 3 or 4 hours a day of clerical time. That should really help expedite your
freight trains.
I have previously echoed
these complaints to you in multiple meetings that you and I have had since October 1998
when the Carrier initiated tile new =ON process. You promised to have the Road Foremen
"roll the boards" so that the crews could be educated as to the process. That
has NOT happened, and crews still don't know how to use the system. I think your terminal
staff also needs to attend class or have their "boards rolled" so that they can
see what is required of a crew when they assume duty.
Respectfully I call you
attention to Section 6, of Article 25 of the current agreement covering engineers.
For the committee
D.W. Hannah,
Local Chairman
cc: R.D. Carver
E.L. Pruitt