DON'T LET RAILS MUG DISABLED

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DON'T LET RAILS MUG DISABLED

UTU members, unable to pass a railroad’s physical standards, are forced to take an occupational disability.

These are not union-endorsed standards that take a breadwinner from a family – they are management’s standards. Those receiving a Railroad Retirement disability are those with bad hearts, high blood pressure, poor vision, failing eye sight and, sometimes, injuries received while on-duty.

Some of the occupationally disabled are able to find work as a Wal-Mart greeter or answering the phone at a family member’s flower shop. And as low as those earnings might be, they are limited further by a federal cap if the disabled worker wants to continue receiving his or her disability payment.

Since 1986, these “outside” earnings while on disability have been capped at $400 per month, even though the earnings cap for the disabled covered by Social Security is almost twice that amount. When you are trying to feed a family, keep a roof over their head and afford life-saving medication for family members, $400 per month in outside earnings, to help supplment a disability payment, is a pretty paltry sum.

The UTU has for many years been trying to end the inequity between the two systems and get the Railroad Retirement disability earnings cap on outside employment raised to the level of Social Security.

House members Don Young (R-Alaska), Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.), Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio), and Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) introduced H.R 5483 to do just that.

The bill would raise the cap on outside earnings for disabled railroad workers to $700 monthly, and add a cost of living escalator for future years.

Allowing the disabled higher outside earnings while retaining their full disability benefits would not create a financial burden for the Railroad Retirement system. Currently, the Railroad Retirement Trust Fund totals some $27 billion. The estimated cost of this new legislation would be about $400,000 annually. Since this cost estimate is so low, both Democrats and Republicans are supporting it. Indeed, the bill was voted out of committee on a voice vote of 75 to 0. It was on a fast track to become law this year.

That was until the railroads once again exposed their mean streak. Inspired by CSX Transportation, the lobbyists at the Association of American Railroads stepped in the way.

These rail lobbyists might as well have knocked down and mugged the disabled on a dark street, because the effect is exactly the same.

These lobbyists, who live in million-dollar Georgetown homes, earn salaries in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, enjoy unimpeded access to the best medical care and collect whopping year-end bonuses, are blocking this legislation so desperately needed by the disabled. And they are blocking it solely out of mean spiritedness.

This is another form of harassment and intimidation of employees. If you have been watching the HBO series, Deadwood, you have witnessed how a 19th century robber baron, George Hearst (who later would rule a publishing empire), harasses and intimidates those unable to defend themselves. The role models for railroad executives leave so much to be desired.

The railroads are trying to kill H.R. 5483 – to mug the disabled -- simply because your union is trying to pass the bill.

We cannot let this happen. We cannot allow the princes of darkness to succeed.

Although there are but a handful of congressional working days left before this Congress recesses for the November elections, there is almost certain to be a lame duck session after the elections. We have time to shine disinfecting sunlight on the railroad muggers and get this bill passed.

Please, do not let the mean-spirited princes of darkness win.

Please make telephone calls and send e-mails to your congressman and both U.S. senators.

Ask them politely to pass H.R. 5483, which is bi-partisan legislation to help the disabled at a minimal cost to the already financially secure Railroad Retirement system.

At the UTU home page, www.utu.org, look to the red tile at the left and left-click on “Washington Updates.” Scroll down and left-click on “Contacting the Congress.” Insert your address, click on “submit” and you will be taken to a page displaying the phone numbers and e-mail addresses of your congressman and two U.S. Senators.

Please contact them by telephone and e-mail. You can also telephone the congressional switchboard, toll free, and ask for your congressman by name. The toll-free numbers are: 1-877-668-3864, or 1-877-668-3866.

Again, ask them politely to pass H.R. 5483, which is bi-partisan legislation to help the disabled at a minimal cost to the already financially secure Railroad Retirement system.