The different problems of unions and transportation issues are apparent here, I can not say "Enjoy", This is not the case here. This will be interesting to those in a union. I asked permission form Earl to publish this, he said yes. If there are any questions, Earl should be able to answer them. Bob BOB FLETCHER US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS MILITARY DESIGN SECTION 10th FLOOR S.W. SACRAMENTO DISTRICT 1325 J STREET, SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA, 95814-2922 Phone (916) 557-7235 -----Original Message----- From: Sanford B. of L. E. & T. [mailto:Sanford-Engineers@xxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 2:44 PM To: _General Chairmen US GCA; _IDOfficers; Bill Walpert; Bob Harvey; Hahs, Don; E. Lee Pruitt; Ed Rodzwicz; Ken Kroeger; Paul Wingo; Perry Renfro; Rick Radek; Terry Briggs; Terry Jones Subject: FW: INTERESTING READ FROM THE UTU - Teamster Eye RR Retirement Brothers and Sisters, It looks like the U. T. U Propaganda Machine is at it again. I received this in my e-mail (see below) this morning from an, otherwise, reputable group. They are making threats and grave warnings out of self-created future problems for which the B. of L. E. & T. will be supposedly responsible. This needs to be dealt with by a release of the TRUTH. The U. T. U. is making unwitting and duped accomplices of people trying to distribute reliable information. They brag as though THEY have the ONLY rail lobbying machine in Washington, D.C. What about our hard working group headed up by Ray Holmes and Bob Harvey? I seem to get the impression that this U. T. U.-sided article would have you believe that they are now working for the truckers instead of us. I'm sorry but wouldn't a "United Transportation" union include various modes of transportation? Wouldn't lobbying for ALL the members they represent be REQUIRED? From this article it, it is made to be that the U. T. U. lobbies ONLY for the railroads. I wonder how the other transportation modes feel about that. How about it bus drivers? Are you being left out? As members of the I. B. T., we need to be involved in all sorts of lobbying. ... involved in more lobbying efforts than ever before. We need to keep our efforts on-going for rail and Amtrak legislation and to help in efforts for our brother (and sister) truckers, long-shoremen, loaders, etc. as they now are helping us on various issues. Fraternally, E. D. Karper, Sr. E. D. Karper, Sr. Proud member of the B. of L. E. & T. Vocal member of Division 35 Jacksonville (Sanford), FL. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Are Teamsters eying Rail Retirement assets? News reports over the weekend of the looming failure of United Airlines' employee pension plans, and the horror facing retired rank-and-file airline employees and their families as a result, should give railroaders and their families pause. On the one hand, the Railroad Retirement fund, which pays substantial benefits in excess of Social Security, is financially sound following a recent run-up of some $7 billion in new investment income. No railroad family need worry about the solvency of their railroad pension fund or losing the generous retirement benefits it pays -- that is, unless the Railroad Retirement fund's assets are bled off to pay retirement benefits to truck drivers. Whoa, Nelly. What is going on here? Using Railroad Retirement trust fund dollars to pay truck driver pensions? Officials of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, which is in the process of merging with the Teamsters Union, acknowledge that a simple stroke of three pens in Washington, D.C. (the House of Representatives, the Senate and the president) could divert billions of dollars in intended railroader pensions to retired truck drivers. Think this potential nightmare through for a moment, because the BLE admits it could occur. According to BLE President Don Hahs, a Teamsters' raid on the Railroad Retirement fund is "impossible without an act of Congress." An act of Congress? Holy cow. What's he really telling us? Let's connect the dots, all of which already have been provided by the Teamsters. For one, the Teamsters Central States Pension Plan, which pays retirement benefits to some 400,000 truck drivers, is nearly broke, according to news reports. The fund, according to news reports, already has slashed retirement payouts to its current and future retirees and canceled the ability to collect benefits earlier than age 65 following 30 years' employment. Two, because the political future of Teamsters leaders could well depend upon solving this calamity -- regardless of who is to blame -- there is speculation that the Teamsters' leadership has its eyes on the $24.2 billion Railroad Retirement trust fund. But truck drivers can't get at that money unless -- as the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers says -- Congress chooses to open the trust fund's vault to truck drivers. So why would the Teamsters eye the Railroad Retirement fund? Unlike the Teamsters' Central States Pension Plan, Railroad Retirement is financially strong. The labor member of the Railroad Retirement Board recently said, "barring a sudden, unanticipated" financial jolt, "the Railroad Retirement system will experience no cash-flow problems for at least 22 years." The "sudden, unanticipated jolt" that could doom Railroad Retirement could be its having to share trust fund assets with more than 400,000 truck drivers -- and that's no mud flap. Indeed, having to share Railroad Retirement trust fund balances with truck drivers would doom railroad families to accepting much less than they would otherwise collect during their old age. The reported calamity of the truck drivers' Central States Pension Plan would be visited upon railroaders -- but only after truck drivers helped themselves to the Railroad Retirement funds' $24.2 billion in assets. How realistic is this potential nightmare? Realistic enough that every railroader should think long and hard about why the Teamsters are trying to bring railroaders into their truck drivers' union. The Teamsters regularly brag about the power of their congressional lobbying. Last month, the Teamsters boasted how their president, Jim Hoffa, was invited to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Boston. The Teamsters also talk about how much money they have to spend through their political action committee, which influences the business of Congress. No other transportation union -- EXCEPT the United Transportation Union -- has as strong a lobbying presence in Washington, D.C., as does the Teamsters. But if the Teamsters weaken the UTU, as is their stated intent, the ability of the UTU to counteract the Teamsters' grab for Railroad Retirement could be dealt a mortal blow. Consider that if railroad unions are merged into the Teamsters, those railroad unions will have to take orders from the truck drivers who run the Teamsters for the benefit of truck drivers. In fact, the Teamsters ruling body, its General Executive Board, is dominated by former truck drivers. Even the merger agreement between the BLE and the Teamsters does not guarantee the so-called rail division a seat on the Teamsters' General Executive Board. The merger document only says that such an appointment could possibly occur if the Teamsters' president issues an invitation. The history of the Teamsters in permitting non-truck drivers a say in their affairs is dismal. For example, more than 11,000 Northwest Airlines flight attendants recently disaffiliated with the Teamsters because, said reports, those flight attendants were given no meaningful voice in setting Teamsters policy. Reports said they faced "strong arm tactics" and were hooted off the floor with "catcalls" and "sexist" slurs during a Teamsters convention at which those flight attendants attempted to voice opinions. It is reasonable to fear a similar fate awaits rail unions that affiliate with the Teamsters, which, after all, is dominated by truck drivers. When the voices of independent railroad unions are silenced, there will be nobody left to defend Railroad Retirement before Congress. For sure, the railroads, which have always complained about the expense of funding Railroad Retirement, will not oppose a phased end to Railroad Retirement, which could be the sweetheart deal the Teamsters offer in exchange for making truck drivers eligible for Railroad Retirement trust fund balances. Certainly a George Bush Republican administration would not stand in the way of a deal endorsed by the railroad companies. And what hope could there be for railroaders and their families under a Democratic administration and/or Democratic-controlled Congress if there were no independent and strong railroad union voices remaining to fight the Teamsters' grab for Railroad Retirement assets? With rail unions under the control of the Teamsters' General Executive Board, there would be no railroad union voice -- or even whisper -- to be heard in Congress. Only the Teamsters' General Executive Board roar would be heard. That's a scary thought. But it also speaks volumes of reality. It wouldn't be the first time eyes and ears were not properly attuned to present-danger warnings, as the 9/11 Commission has made abundantly clear in recent weeks. Indeed, why else -- if not out of selfish interest to tap into the $24.2 billion Railroad Retirement trust fund -- would the Teamsters be spending so much money and exerting so much effort to entice railroaders into the Teamsters Union? Certainly the goal of the Teamsters is NOT to encourage more freight to move by railroad -- which IS the intent of independent railroad unions. Read, mark and inwardly digest that the Teamsters Union demanded in its most recent contract with trucking companies that those trucking companies further limit how much of their freight may be moved by more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly railroads. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. What is at stake are railroad jobs and the security of railroad families whose breadwinners spent a career working on the railroad in valid expectation of a Railroad Retirement pension. When railroaders stick together, no amount of huffing and puffing can blow their house down. When railroaders are divided, they are in imminent danger of being conquered. That's why, more and more, UTU members are answering the BLE knock at the door with this response: "Just how is the BLE, when under truck driver union control, going to protect my Railroad Retirement pension? Just how is it going to do that? Brother, I'm stickin' with a railroad union. I'm stickin' with the UTU." Thank you for your continued support, RRESQ www.rresq.com <http://www.rresq.com>