General chairman Carr and UP have been working on a new modification agreement . There is some good, and some bad.
Since there is no end in sight for this Virus we will be setting up a zoom meeting for our August Union meeting so we can talk about the possible changes. We will vote on it after we discuss it. make sure Brother Hess (engineerbrian@msn.com) hasyourcurrent email address
We will email you a copy of the proposed agreement tomorrow
The Teamsters along with SEIU, CWA and a coalition of social justice groups will stand in solidarity with workers across the country for a national day of worker actions on July 20 to declare Black Lives Matter and to demand social and economic justice.
At noon on July 20 for 8 minutes and 48 seconds Teamsters employees will walk off their respective jobs.
However, As Railroad employees we fall under the Railway Labor act and this would be no different than any other non sanctioned wildcat stike or illegal Job action. We can not participate . we cant stop trains.
General Chairman Carr has contacted Rod Doerr and he said the UP would not allow us to participate and they would sue us if we did.
Now if you are not working and would like to join a local rally or march (hopefully with a mask on) there is a caravan of Teamsters leaving at 11am @ 5080 Obama blvd Los Angels Ca 90016
We thought we would be able to have a meeting this month but with the recent spike in cases, Teamsters joint council 42 decided to extend their closure. We will not be having a meeting for July.
They have recalled 40 trainmen and have made multiple cuts to the reserve board. they are cutting 7 more from LA today 8 from Colton. . LA will be down to 6 or so and colton will be 19 or 20.
I spoke to Local management and the Nailand heat Van’s are ordered for June 15 2020. Please stay well hydrated in the meantime and if you have any issues, please contact the local managers and ask for some assistance. Heat stroke is serious and its deadly.
I’m sure your all aware of the rioting and looting in our city tonight. The Mayor has issued a Curfew and declared a state of emergency. The national guard has been called out and will be out in force tonight.
I’ve received multiple calls as how we should proceed If called to work. The curfew specifically states your exempt if traveling to or from work. Just be careful and be safe.
If you were curious if the Republican nominated former Cheif Operating Officer of Conrail FRA Administrator Ronald Batory was at least pretending to be neutral….heres your answer.
“Although FRA believes that many safety precautions included in [the unions’] petitions could constitute best practices that should be applied in the railroad industry, FRA does not believe that an emergency order is justified,” FRA Administrator Ronald Batory wrote, according to a BLET press release.
The BLET and SMART-TD unions petitioned the FRA to issue an emergency order specific to employee protections after the agency announced it would temporarily waive certain railroad regulatory safety requirements during the pandemic.
Union officials say the FRA has “yet to mandate safety protocols to protect the health of railroad workers during the national COVID-19 outbreak,” according to the press release.
We have another positive employee @ Gemco yard. The employee (the brakeman on the el 04 was informed of his positive test last night at 1830 (I believe he tested positive on 03/31). He then called his crew to inform them. Nothing from the company. Multiple engineers and trainmen @ Gemco are now in HP status.
If you have any symptoms please stay home and call the Nurse. I would like you to voice your displeasure with how the company is handling this via the safety hotline. They are more worried about paying you than they are keeping you from being exposed.
We have been informed that a clerk (a driver that shuttles crews) has tested positive for COVID-19. I believe his last day working was Thursday March 26th. if you were shuttled by the clerk last week please call the OHN . If you believe you were exposed please contact me
Brothers,
