Gateway Page for New Members of the Burlington System Division
Welcome to the Burlington System Division, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division, International Brotherhood of Teamsters! That's quite the mouthful, right? It means that, as you begin your new career working for your railroad, you have a large team of brothers and sisters ready to help you. This is a Gateway for our new Members, both to show them all the features available on our website and to introduce them to their Union. Take time to explore what's available here and know that we're glad to have you join us! INTRODUCING OUR WEBSITE Our Burlington System Division website has a LOT of great information for you! We encourage you to take time and explore what we have available here, from copies of your bargaining agreements, links to your healthcare providers, tools to connect to your Union officers and staff, and more! FIRST THING'S FIRST, LET'S REGISTER YOU FOR FULL MEMBER ACCESS! Some of our content is open to the public, while some of our features are only accessible to our members. You want to make sure you register to access all the tools available to you on our website. Once your membership application is processed (typically 2 – 3 days), you will be registered on our website. Your username will be your last name and your password is the last four of your Social Security Number. KNOW YOUR RULES, AND KNOW YOUR AGREEMENT! As a new employee, the railroad gave you training and testing on their operating and safety rules. What you may not know is that the railroad also has rules they have to follow! These rules are found in your collective bargaining agreement, which BMWED negotiated with your railroad. Agreements can be complex, and they can include many different side Agreements, special Agreements, or Letters of Understanding. These all lay out how the railroad can assign you work, the conditions you work under, how you get paid, how you earn vacation or holiday pay, and more! It's important to know your Agreement so that you can keep your railroad honest about following it! IT'S YOUR UNION! UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE GOVERNED! Our Union governs itself per our Bylaws. These lay out how we're organized, who has responsibility over different Union functions, and how we keep up the work we do for each other. You can read our Bylaws at the website linked just above. Remember! These Bylaws lay out your rights AND responsibilities as a member of our Union. They also give you a roadmap on how you can take an active role and help make our Union better. LEARN HOW WE GET OURSELVES READY TO WORK, AND READY TO ACT! There are a lot of things we do as a Union, and a lot of history behind who we are and what we do. Find resources, information, and tools to build yourself up as a Union member here. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO FILE CLAIMS AGAINST YOUR RAILROAD FOR VIOLATING YOUR AGREEMENT! The railroad will often try to get around the rules that govern your work, your rates of pay, and your rights. When they break the rules, we hold them accountable through a claims and grievance process laid out under the Railway Labor Act. If you railroad breaks the rules of your Agreement, submit information at the link above to begin our Claims and Grievance process! UNDERSTAND ALL YOUR BARGAINED AND OPTIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS! As a railroader, you are now eligible for a range of healthcare benefits. It can be confusing to navigate them all, so we put together a resource page to help you and your family understand what you have available and how to file for benefits if you need them. New Member Guide for our Members on Canadian Pacific This is the new hire guide that we provide our new members on Canadian Pacific. Video Training Modules
The BMWED Education Department has introduced a new video series, “On Our Way.” This video series will come in two formats; introductory videos we call “Shortlines” and, when a deeper dive is needed, a longer format we call “On Track”.
SHORTLINES VIDEO SERIES
The Rail Labor Act Our first video in the On Our Way: Shortlines series outlines the basic functions of the Railway Labor Act (RLA), a federal law that provides the structure for how rail unions organize new members, bargain, and resolve disputes with rail carriers. Designated Legal Counsel
This video, part of our "On Our Way" series, introduces why our BMWED Designated Legal Counsel (DLC) are an important part of our team in supporting our members and our families. RRB Tier I & II
This video, part of our "On Our Way" series, is designed to provide a better understanding of Railroad Retirement and explores the differences between the Tier I and Tier II benefits. We hope this educational tool will provide our members with a deeper understanding of how Railroad Retirement differs from traditional Social Security and pension plans, empowering you to make informed decisions regarding your financial future. Feb 7 Protections
This video, part of our "On Our Way" series, introduces Feb 7 protections. The Feb 7 Agreement offers benefits to protected maintenance of way employees who are involuntarily furloughed. The railroads are required to publish an annual list of protected employees who have reached 10 years of service in the craft.
Critical Incident Stress Plans
This video, part of our "On Our Way" series, introduces Critical Incident Stress Plans (CISP). Federal law mandates that railroads provide support services to maintenance of way employees affected by critical incidents at work. You are entitled to support services if you witness or are involved in a workplace accident, including the right to debriefing, counseling, guidance and other appropriate assistance. The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 safeguards our right to access this support. This video explains what constitutes a critical incident and outlines the steps BMWED members can take to access CISP plans for their railroad.
Page Last Updated: May 30, 2024 (14:25:00)
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