The BMWED once again reminds you to fill out and send the following Congressional Action Alerts (linked below) and urge the passing of House Bill 5475, the “No Tax on Overtime for All Workers Act,” which would fix the legislation passed earlier this year that left out railroaders, and the “Secure Tracks Act” to protect visual track inspection nationwide.

If passed, House Bill 5475 (No Tax on Overtime for All Workers Act) would add BMWED members to legislation passed in the reconciliation bill earlier this year, removing income taxes from up to $25,000 in overtime compensation.

We expect that if the expansion of the No Tax on Overtime legislation passes both the House and Senate, President Trump would sign the bill into law. But to accomplish that, we are asking all BMWED members to complete the Action Alert and urge the passage of H.R. 5475. You can find a direct link to a “No Tax on Overtime for All Workers Act” Action Network below:

Support the No Tax on Overtime for All Workers Act (H.R.5475): https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/support-the-no-tax-on-overtime-for-all-workers-act-hr5475?source=direct_link&

Additionally, all BMWED members should be aware that Union Pacific and BNSF have both filed notice with the Federal Railroad Administration stating intentions of utilizing Automated Track Inspection pursuant to the department's Dec. 5 waiver decision.

While there are important conditions required in the FRA waiver, including performance metrics and necessary training of track inspectors, BMWED-IBT members should remain vigilant and engaged in protecting our work.

The railroads intend to replace visual track inspection with ATI and we must do everything in our collective power to stop them. At www.bmwe.org/trackinspection you can find a substantive list of resources to help, including Action Network forms to contact your elected federal legislators quickly and directly and demand they support the Senate and House versions of the Secure Tracks Act (Bill Numbers S. 3987 and H.R. 7784). This legislation, if passed, would prevent the carriers from reducing visual track inspections. You can also find direct links to those Action Network forms below:

Support the Secure Tracks Act (S. 3987) SENATE: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/take-action-15?source=direct_link&

Support the Secure Tracks Act (H.R. 7784) HOUSE: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/teamsters-take-action-call-on-your-representatives-to-cosponsor-the-secure-tracks-act?source=direct_link&

Brothers and Sisters, remember both No Tax on OT and Automated Track Inspection are issues that remain on the forefront of our efforts in Washington, D.C. We must protect our work, keep our communities safe, and fight for every dollar owed to us for our skilled labor and expertise. Railroading is our profession and it must remain our life’s work. We urge you to fill out all three of these Action Network forms and to continue to press forward with us on these imperative issues.