REEF Act Gains Teamsters' Support

TL/DR -

The Senate Budget Committee has unanimously voted in favor of the Railroad Employee Equity and Fairness (REEF) Act, much to the acclaim of the Teamsters. The Act is intended to protect the unemployment and sickness benefits of railroad workers, which are currently subjected to congressional budget sequestration, thereby depriving them of a portion of these benefits. Railroad workers, unions, and a bipartisan group of senators are pushing for the swift passage of the act, stressing its significance in establishing fairness and equity for railroad workers.

Federal Legislation Promotes Fairness for Rail Workers

The Senate Budget Committee has unanimously voted to pass the Railroad Employee Equity and Fairness (REEF) Act, earning praise from the Teamsters. The federal legislation aims to safeguard the unemployment and sickness benefits of railroad workers who are essential to the economy.

Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien urges swift Senate approval of the bill. “These men and women are essential for the economy to function, and it's necessary that their benefits are protected,” O'Brien emphasized.

Railway workers receive unemployment insurance and sickness benefits from the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Account (RUIA). Unlike other benefits, these payments are unjustly subjected to congressional budget sequestration, leading to a fraction of these earned benefits being redirected back to the federal government.

Eddie Hall, President of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, stresses the unfairness of this situation. He explains that the RUIA is employer-funded similar to state-level unemployment insurance funds. “Congress needs to rectify this unacceptable diversion of benefits by passing the REEF Act swiftly,” Hall stated.

The bill has gained bipartisan support, with Senators Deb Fischer, Sherrod Brown, and Amy Klobuchar leading the coalition. Tony Cardwell, President of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes, lauds the senators' leadership and calls for a quick transition of the bill into law.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a labor union founded in 1903, represents 1.3 million diligent individuals in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. More information is available on the Teamster.org website. The Teamsters can also be followed on Twitter at @Teamsters and on Facebook.com/teamsters.

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