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| 2025 Healthcare Premium Reduction |
The annual healthcare plan meeting between the Rail Labor Organizations (CRLO) and the Carriers (NCCC) was held in October of 2024. This is the meeting at which plan rates are set for the following year. Upon reviewing the funding of the National Health & Welfare Plan, it was determined that, for the first time in recent history, there will be a decrease in plan contributions for 2025.
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| 2024 Discipline Review |
As we have for years, this committee continues to track the number of investigations scheduled and the discipline assessed to our members. It is our hope that bringing a heightened awareness to the number of incidents and the scenarios involved will serve to help reduce such occurrences in the future.
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| 2025 IRS Mileage Rate |
In late December, the 2025 mileage rate was set by the Internal Revenue Service. This rate was set at 70 cents per mile, effective January 1, 2025. Please use this rate when calculating mileage reimbursement on expense reports for 2025.
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| BNSF- Rule 46H and 48E Adjustments |
Rule 46H and 48E Adjustments
As indicated in Rule 46 H, “the daily allowance for employees assigned to mobile crews, while working on their home seniority district, will be adjusted semiannually on June 1st and December 1st.” The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for April 2024 was 916.874 and the October 2024 CPI was 921.484.
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| Increase in BNSF Meal Per Diem |
As reported in our last newsletter, the annual enrollment period for the daily meal per diem was the month of November. Those who made that election are now covered under the meal per diem option for the calendar year 2025.
The daily rate from June to November of 2024 was $61.95. Due to the 0.
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| BNSF- Payout of Unused Sick Leave |
Under the 2023 Sick Leave Agreement with BNSF, all unused sick leave days, as well as all PL days converted to sick leave, are to be paid out the following year under one of two methods. If a cashout of PL days is desired, those days must be converted to sick leave by the last day of the year to be eligible.
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| BNSF Joins the NCCC |
Unless you live under a rock, you have inevitably heard about recent offers from various Carriers to multiple Organizations for a 5-year agreement consisting of a total of 17.5% in GWI increases. Those offers included moderate improvements to vacation accrual, as well as modest improvements in healthcare coverage.
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| Local Bargaining on CP/KC |
The CP/KC has made it clear that they have no interest in bargaining nationally with the NCCC. As a result, bargaining this round will occur locally. While CP/KC has chosen not to join a coalition, the BRS will be bargaining on the CP/KC in conjunction with a larger group of rail labor Unions.
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| Increase in CP/KC Claim Volume |
For many years, the KCS railroad violated our agreements with impunity. Seldom were claims filed as we seldom were informed of their violations until well after time limits had expired. Members have finally had enough and things have changed dramatically in recent years, as our claims data reflects.
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| MRL Contractor Dispute Ruled Minor |
As reported earlier in 2024, the BNSF blatantly violated the terms of the MRL Implementing Agreement when it allowed the number of active members to fall well below the contractually agreed upon number yet continued to utilize contractors. Our committee took immediate action through both the claims process as well as in Federal Court in Missouri.
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| DTO Certification Plans |
Unlike most other railroads, the DTO appropriately engaged the BRS to seek our collaboration with developing its plan for certification of Dispatchers and Signalmen. DTO submitted their plan to the Organization for review back in October. We then solicited feedback through our local officers and held a call with DTO management in November.
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| 2025 RR Retirement Tax Rates |
Effective January 1, 2025, the maximum amounts of compensation subject to Railroad Retirement Tier I and Tier II taxes will increase to the following: Tier I maximum will increase to $176,100 from $168,600 and Tier II maximum will increase to $130,800 from $125,100. The Tier I tax consists of two components, a Social Security equivalent (Tier I [SS] 6.
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| Did You Know |
Prior to 1883, the time of day was a local matter set by individual cities and varied from town to town. Railroads chose their own standard times, many syncing their operations with New York City Standard Time or Chicago Standard Time.
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BRS Efforts to Obtain Emergency Sick LeaveDue to the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the lack of sick leave afforded our members, the Organization attempted to get out in front of the impending certainty coming our way – infections and/or exposure quarantines of our members.
GCA Letter to Carl Ice Re COVID-19 (3-16-2020) (1).pdf
