Brothers,

In many cases the Carrier has taken it upon themselves to adjust the guaranteed extra boards at times other than Monday at 0900. Unless an emergency exists, they have no right to make these adjustments and the engineers affected should file time claims for additional payment. The following two examples should be used when an engineer is either added to or cut from a GEB.

Claim (Number) days pay at guaranteed extra board rate account I was added to the board on (Date/Time) in violation of Article 11 of the 2007 Memorandum of agreement. I should have been added to the board on Monday at 0900.

Claim (Number) days pay at guaranteed extra board rate account I was cut from the board on (Date/Time) in violation of Article 11 of the 2007 Memorandum of agreement. I should have been left on the board until Monday at 0900.



Alan Holdcraft
Vice Chairman
BLET Santa Fe Committee
817-426-9003 Office
817-600-4639 Cell

Brothers:

Just a reminder to all of you that this is the year that the Organizations and the Carrier’s serve their Section Six Notices on one another. After November 1st we will be free to serve our notices on the Carrier. I’m looking for any suggestions or ideas that you and your members want included on our section six notices. I realize this is a piss poor year to be thinking about pay raises and such with some of our members furloughed and the rest of the country in financial trouble, but like it or not we have to start looking toward the future again.

We are all certain that one of the big things the Carrier’s will be wanting in the next round of bargaining is an increase in the health and welfare benefits you are now paying for. How much of an increase is still speculation but many figure that 50% will be their hope. Of course since the economy is so lousy you can bet that all the carrier’s will be crying we’re broke and be poor mouthing it.

One good piece of hope that the BLET on this company is hoping for is the fact that we have a meeting set up with John Fleps in October to meet to see if we can possibly do an agreement on property instead of being tied into National handling. Our health and welfare will be tied in with the national but everything else is open to us if we can agree to head down that road. We’ve talked with the senior operating people like Chris Roberts back in the day and they all agreed we as a company could do better locally than through national handling. Of course Fleps had already given his proxy to the NCCC.

Anyway any ideas or suggestions will be gathered together and a section six notice will be compiled out of your ideas. Since November is just a few months away, we will put a date of October 10, 2009 as the closing date for your ideas and suggestions. We will get our list compiled and prepared to submit come November 1.

Thanks guys for your help and cooperation in this important matter.

Pat

Guys:

I talked with George Wong and asked what CA Code they wanted our guys to use to claim basic days for having to wait over 30 minutes for a room at your distant terminal. They want everyone to use code:

WL = waiting on lodging.

So pass the word to all the boys to use CA Code WL to claim for having to wait for a room

Pat

FDA provides Fact Sheet on prescription vs. generic drugs

http://www.ble.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=4866

CLEVELAND, September 1 - On July 7, 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) posted a revised "Fact and Myths about Generic Drugs"
information sheet to their website.

The Fact Sheet basically states that generic drugs are held to the same
high standards as brand name drugs, and is being provided to BLET members
to help them save money on their prescription drug costs.

The Fact Sheet states:

* All generics manufacturers must abide by rigorous standards established
by the FDA with respect to identity, strength, quality, purity and
potency.

* Generic drugs are required to have the same active ingredient, strength,
dosage form and route of administration as the brand (or reference)
product.

* When it comes to price, there is a big difference between generic and
brand drugs. On average, the cost of a generic drug is 80 to 85 percent
lower than the brand product.

The information sheet also debunks the myths:

* The FDA lets generic drugs differ from the brand counterpart by up to 45
percent.

* People who are switched to a generic drug are risking treatment failure.

* Generic drugs cost less because they are inferior to brand drugs.

* There are quality problems with generic drug manufacturing. A recent
recall of generic digoxin (called Digitek) shows that generic drugs put
patients at risk.

* Brand drugs are safer than generic drugs.

Please see the following PDF for more specific information:
http://www.ble-t.org/pr/pdf/FDAFactSheet-Generics.pdf

ORSL Inquiry 8-23