Division Update 10/26/2025

The new BLET/UP Agreement has been finalized

(This information applies to engineers only.)

On November 1, engineers will receive a 1 percent increase on the 3 percent raise we previously received, for a total of 4 percent.  Back pay will be applied as follows and should appear on a separate check around the end of November.

July 1, 2025 through August 31=owed 4 percent backpay.

Sept 1, 2025 through Oct 31=owed 1 percent backpay.

By the end of the agreement in 2029, there will have been an 18 percent increase in pay.  For 11/4 guarantee, that equates to roughly a $24k annual increase.

The new increases to medical benefits are retroactive from October 1, including the new coverage for vasectomies.  There were no increases to the plan pricing structure, meaning deductibles and copayments remain the same as they have been.  Please see www.yourtracktohealth.com for additional information and to make your 2026 selections, including your FSA selection.  The deadline for this has been extended through November 14, 2025.  The new single-person, high-deductible health plan is also available for selection.  Deductibles and coverages are very different for this plan than our typical plan.  Make sure you review carefully before selecting, if you qualify.

If you elect to decline coverage entirely, your credit is now $200/month.

Vacations-

It's everybody's favorite time of year, vacation bidding.  Vacation bidding will open in CrewPro on October 30 and close out on Saturday, November 29, for engineer groups B372Z4E-EN and B 321-ENG. Check with the local chairman of your vacation group for specific instructions. For the two groups mentioned, you must bid using the computer. 

Just from memory, RE23/24/Lloyd/Lufkin see Hayden Parsons.  Strang/Coady/Branch engineer groups see Jason Ogden. Strang Pool sees James Martin, who is replacing the retired Don Gardner in Division 366.  Tim Wild for yard jobs. Beaumont groups see Andre Hill.  The Bloomington group is Dennis Koopman.  And Brazos is out of the Ennis vacation group with Jesse Conger.  Go to Local Committees | BLET Union Pacific Southern Region GCA for phone numbers and emails.  Anyone in the FIT vacation group needs to see Dallas Jaquet or British Dabney.

Let's talk about float weeks, or better said, float days.  A float week is seven single vacation days that you schedule up to 120 days in advance through the online scheduling system.  You can schedule those days through December 15, 2026, subject to openings and if you can hold on to them that long.  All float days must be entered into the scheduler by August 15, 2026, or CMS will schedule them for you.  The benefit of a float week is primarily for younger seniority engineers who do not use single days, as the float week will get "burned up" first.  So, for example, if you have 3 weeks of vacation, one of which is a float week, the first single days you take come from that week.  The downside for the overall group is that every float week taken comes from the overall allocation.  For example, if a group has 400 weeks' worth of vacation and 50 people take float weeks, there are only 350 weeks left to assign. So maybe instead of eight vacations per week in the group, there's only seven per week.  If you know you're a person who burns single days all the time, please consider not taking a float week as it won't last long enough to help you.

You must have your float week request to us by November 21, 2025.  Please text, that's TEXT Travis Bateman at 832-758-7182, or Kevin DeArment at 832-795-2042, and ONLY IF you are in engineer vacation groups B372Z4E-EN or B 321-ENG.  Please include your name, employee id, and "I request a float week".

The vacation acceleration from the new agreement has also been applied, and the proper weeks should now reflect in your allowable vacation weeks.  

23 years = 5 weeks; 15 years = 4 weeks; I believe 5 years = 3 weeks.  

Deleting scheduled days is only allowed if it conflicts with off days, period.

Self-Service Seniority System-

CMS can't get the self-service system working correctly for pass-ups, in that it doesn't seem to follow the agreement properly. If it does let you make a pass-up, there's a good chance the bulletin desk will reverse the move.  You can use it if you find yourself on the bump board.  Otherwise, contact your local chairman to pass up to another board.  It will not be an instant transaction.

Rules and Testing

Word on the street is that, coming soon, 6.5-Shoving violations resulting in blind shoves or incidents will automatically be a terminating event for the person protecting the shove.  Engineers make sure you get a good job briefing when shoving.  The who, where, track, direction, etc., must be correct before initiating a shove move; demand it so you don't become part of the incident.

Also, a little birdie told me an Omaha testing team will be down on November 1, like a bunch of folks.  Stay on your game.

Disability Insurance 

Existing policyholders with Union One (formerly Cornerstone) can make changes through October 31. http://www.bletvip.com/

Fraternally,

Kevin DeArment

BLET Div 139 Local Chairman North

832-795-2042

LoneStar139@BLET139.com