04/27/2001 01:48 PM Senate JUD

            SB 170-RAILROAD EMPLOYEE SALARIES AND WAGES                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR announced SB 170 to be up for consideration.                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  LISA MURKOWSKI,  sponsor of  SB 170, explained  that                                                            
the bill  clarifies that  Alaska Railroad  employees are subject  to                                                            
the Alaska  Wage and Hour  Act. There is  an exemption, however,  in                                                            
that United  Transportation Union  (UTU) members can opt  out of the                                                            
Wage  and Hour  Act  if they  do so  in  mutual agreement  with  the                                                            
railroad  and the collective  bargaining unit.  She said that  might                                                            
raise concerns  about whether  or not this  leaves employees  of UTU                                                            
open to problems  with the Wage and  Hour Act but "They are  covered                                                            
under the federal Hours of Service Act."                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT asked  if SB 170 is the Senate version of HB 230.                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE MURKOWSKI responded that is correct.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRMAN TAYLOR said the  House version hadn't been noticed yet, but                                                            
he would  waive it  on Monday, since  the committee  was hearing  it                                                            
today. He then took public testimony.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MR.  KEVIN  BERGSRUD,  State  Legislative  Director  of  the  United                                                            
Transportation  Union,  and a locomotive  engineer  with the  Alaska                                                            
Railroad Corporation, stated support for SB 170.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. STEVE  CAIN, Anchorage,  said he was  a 20-year Alaska  Railroad                                                            
employee and locomotive  engineer and is currently  representing UGU                                                            
at the negotiating  table.  He has  been working with the  gentlemen                                                            
whose retirement would be helped by this bill. Mr. Cain stated:                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
     They are  all 25 plus year employees.   They were federal                                                                  
     employees  who opted  to stay with the  railroad and  thus                                                                 
     were left  in the Civil Service  Retirement system (CSR).                                                                  
     Their basic  day is not an eight-hour day and  that in the                                                                 
     current  situation,  only the  earnings from  those  first                                                                 
     eight  hours  are  being  considered  for  figuring  their                                                                 
     retirement. That's why we need this legislation.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR THERRIAULT  moved to pass CSSB 170(L&C) from  committee with                                                            
individual recommendations  and attached fiscal notes. There were no                                                            
objections and it was so ordered.