**This months newsletter was delayed due to an unfortunate incident involving a screwdriver and a motherboard.  Sorry about any delay or frustration.**

ALL LOCAL UNIONS
SYSTEM COUNCIL NO. 2

Dear Sisters and Brothers:

Well, another year has swiftly come and gone and this will be the final newsletter for 2006.  Effective January 1, 2007, the International office dues will increase by $1.00.  This is not to be confused with an increase in pay for the officers of the System Council.  The undersigned and staff only receive a pay increase when the employees receive a pay increase and is based on the same pay percentage as the employees get.  Whereas, the employees get a $.15 pay increase per hour, the undersigned and staff will also see a $.15 per hour pay raise.  Based on the By-laws rounded off to the nearest nickel, the union dues will go up $.15 per month which is equivalent to one hour of the $.15 pay increase.  This increase will become effective February 1, 2007.  Local Union Presidents are responsible to see that all Financial Secretaries comply.  The employee’s portion of their insurance will increase by $15.01.  As provided for in the Agreement, the cost of insurance cannot exceed one-half (1/2) of the total COLA.  I have asked the Railroad Department to put out the total cost of the COLA and the formula.

I will be sending out new Agreement books to all Local Chairmen that have been revised and updated to January 2007.  These books were prepared by Assistant General Chairman Jim Wisniski and I wish to thank him for all his extra work and congratulate him on a job well done.  These agreement books will be very useful and handy.

The Union Pacific carrier has embarked on bringing in professional doctors to testify at investigations, most recently at North Platte, Nebraska.  They flew a doctor from San Antonio, Texas, into North Platte to testify at a hearing.  Each and every Local Chairman should qualify each and every witness.  For example, the doctor coming in to testify had no knowledge of the incident.  Therefore, he could not be a witness.  Foremost, he did not examine the employee, therefore, he could not testify on the medical condition of the employee.  When he chose to base his opinion on documentation from other doctors which were not called forth, is a violation in due process and denies the right of the accused to face his accuser.  These points must be brought forth and the Carrier must be advised that the witness does not qualify and can testify to nothing more than his opinion and hearsay and contribute no factual evidence whatsoever and should be disqualified and dismissed.  With these record-breaking profits of the Carrier, there is no limit to what extent they will squander their money for, except giving it to the employees who have brought them to this threshold.

Director of Railroads Bill Bohne had a hip replacement and is making a swift recovery. 

Vice General Chairman Pat Perry and Assistant General Chairman Jim Wisniski have handled claims and Jim is finalizing several submissions.  Assistant General Chairman Don Tortorice was on a leave of absence during the month of November due to recovering from his surgery and was back after being released December 1, 2006.

1.     Letter from Attorney Mike Wolly regarding court cast wherein the court
        rejected the Class I carriers’ request for an injunction that would require UTU
        to provide at least 72 hours’ notice before engaging in a strike during the
        current round of national bargaining; details
2.     Letter from VGC/ST Pat Perry regarding dues increase by the International
        and $.15 for the System Council; details
3.     E-mail from Attorney Mike Wolly regarding FMLA case status; details
4.     Letter from Attorney Mike Wolly on NRAB 2nd Division Award 13903
        regarding the claimant being found guilty of something he was never charged
        with; details
5.     Letter from Attorney Mike Wolly concerning employee access to medical
        records with attachment of Fact Sheet concerning Health Information Privacy
        Complaints.; details
6.     Voice@Work newsletter concerning a Comcast dispatcher who was lied
        about by the Company; details
7.     RRB newsletter from V.M. Speakman, Jr., Labor Member.; details
8.     RRB Job Vacancies List;details


Please find enclosed copy of IBEW System Council No. 2 November 2006 Financial Statement (not to be disseminated or posted).

Fraternally yours,

Vic Janecek

General Chairman, SC#2