Washington Job Protection Agreement 

Taft - Hartley Act 

Landrum - Griffin Act

Wagner Act

Railway Labor Act

Railroad Safety Improvement Act

Federal Employers Liability Act

Family Medical Leave Act

Federal Transit Act

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS A MESSAGE PROVIDED BY WALT A. BARROWS, FORMER LABOR MEMBER OF THE U.S. - RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD.

The Union provides a Legislative voice in Washington D.C., and stability to the retirement system, of Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen - Membership. All progressed through the Labor Movement. Sacrifices, made directly by Railroaders that have earned the right to have it. Railroad Retirement is not a gift, it was earned. Railroaders have made the company's and executives successful. Railroad Retirement is a pay as you go system, and must have continued investment by the workforce. Railroad Workers numbers have reduced, but the RRB has found ways to create a prosperous present and future. This is important to pass on to the future workforce, so they have a viable retirement.

There is a pending retirement crisis, and 401k are not a silver bullet retirement fund. These plans were intended to be an addition, not a permanent solution. As information, for those who have worked in other industries, Social Security earnings can be rolled into Railroad Retirement.

Under Railroad Retirement, the following are made available to the railroad workers.

• Survivor Benefits
• Retirement at 60 years of age, versus 65 for the non-railroad workers.
• $2 million dollars received over retirement years. Non-railroad workers will receive less then half - $900,000.00.

Currently, the RRB is being monitarily pinched by Congress. Reducing services to our members through staff reductions, etc. Less then $0.01cent, goes to  to the RRB Administration from the US Government. A minimum of 1 hour wait times, for services to be provided by phone, 300 days for disability benefits. What this essentially accounts for, is the inadequate budget provided by the current president, to the RRB.  A portion of Mick Mulvaney's budget proposal, the co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus, is to make cuts to Social Security. In doing so, cuts to disability benefits directly affects railroaders, as this is our basis for Railroad Retirement. 

Under Sequestration, monies set aside for Government Programs, none of this money to be received by railroaders - $60 million dollars total have been cut. This money does not aide the Federal Deficit, but goes to the pockets of the Corporations. 

President Trump suggests to reconstruct the Executive Branch, which would essentially deconstruct the Railroad Retirement Board, as it is a part of this branch of government. 

There have also been talks of a private pension, which is a very bad idea, as it would be based on negotiated employer contributions. Under Railroad Retirement, we all pay into our retirement as workers, and the railroad pays no matter what. 

As words of understanding, fight any and all projected changes to Railroad Retirement, and Right to Work will weaken our union and disable our ability to protect Railroad Retirement.