BLET News
BLET reaches tentative agreement for Metra locomotive engineers
The BLET has reached a tentative six-year agreement with the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation (NIRCRC/Metra). The tentative deal covers about 250 BLET members who work as locomotive engineers for Metra. The deal reached represents a...
Ballots mailed in BLET tentative agreement with Long Island Rail Road
Ballots were mailed last week to approximately 500 BLET members for voting on the BLET's tentative agreement with the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). The tentative deal comes after three years of bargaining, two Presidential Emergency Boards, and a three-day strike that...
STB pauses review of UP-NS merger proposal — again
The U.S. Surface Transportation Board on Thursday announced that it has paused the review of the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger application — again. “Several aspects of the revised application... are unclear or underdeveloped and require supplementation at...
Division 98 honors the memory of Local Chairman Vern Gordon
Members and officers of BLET Division 98 (Lincoln, Nebraska) gathered together on May 13 to honor the memory of the late L.D. (Vern) Gordon. Brother Gordon passed away unexpectedly in July 2025. He served Division 98 as Local Chairman for many years, and was also a...
Stop the Rail Merger Coalition Commends STB’s Scrutiny of Bad UP-NS Rail Merger Deal
The Surface Transportation Board today accepted the Union Pacific (UP)–Norfolk Southern (NS) merger application but delayed the review process to collect vital information that is still missing from the railroads’ revised application. The STB has put a hold on the...
BLET state legislative board chairmen conclude 2026 annual meeting at BLET National Division headquarters
Members of the BLET’s National Association of State Legislative Board Chairmen (NASLBC), meeting at National Division headquarters in Independence, Ohio, concluded their 51st annual meeting on May 20. The chairmen representing 40 states heard a comprehensive report...
BLET Advisory Board meeting held at National Division headquarters
The BLET Advisory Board met on Thursday, May 21 at National Division Headquarters in Independence, OH. The Advisory Board is composed of the 14 highest-ranking elected officers in the union, and is the chief policy making body of the BLET between conventions. During...
Health & welfare plan benefits: Check in during Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which focuses on raising awareness, sharing resources, and strengthening support for those facing challenges. As part of the National Health & Welfare Plan, BLET members and their families have access to mental health benefits...
Deepest condolences: Alabama State Legislative Board Chairman J.T. (Todd) Sizemore, 1975-2026
The BLET National Division extends deepest condolences to the family and friends of Brother J.T. (Todd) Sizemore, Chairman of the BLET Alabama State Legislative Board, who passed away on May 22. He was 51 years old. “Todd was certainly one of the finest individuals...
Breakthrough on Railway Safety Act of 2026 as Trump announces support and Congress includes the legislation in the Surface Transportation bill
A major step happened this week in the movement to pass once in a generation railroad safety reforms. The House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee on Thursday added the BLET and Teamsters Rail Conference-championed Railway Safety Act of 2026 to...
Registration deadline approaching for BLET’s Western Regional Meeting
The BLET’s Western Regional Meeting will take place in New Orleans, La., from July 13-17. Have you made reservations yet? Guests will stay at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, set along the Mississippi River and near the French Quarter. This year, the BLET is...
Railway Safety Act of 2026 Advances in Congress
The bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2026 passed in the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee today on Capitol Hill. The Railway Safety Act was added to the Committee’s Surface Transportation Reauthorization legislation via a bipartisan amendment...
Railway Labor Act signed into law 100 years ago
The Railway Labor Act, the law governing collective bargaining in the railroad industry, turns 100 years old this month. It was signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge on May 20, 1926, after approval in the House and Senate by a combined vote of 531-26. The...
BLET members overwhelmingly reject tentative contract with CPKC Railway
The proposed agreement was rejected by the membership with 71% turnout and over 65% voting against ratification. The strong participation and vote results reflected the concerns many members voiced regarding the proposed hourly wage structure and demonstrated the...
Limited number of in-person Pre-Retirement Seminars set for next month
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has announced dates and locations for a limited number of in-person Pre-Retirement Seminars to be held in June 2026. Due to limited budget and staffing resources, the RRB is holding fewer in-person events than in previous years....
Three honored at Ohio SLB’s Founders Day Dinner
The BLET’s Ohio State Legislative Board hosted a Founders Day dinner on May 13 in recognition of the BLET’s 163rd anniversary. Approximately 170 individuals attended, including BLET members, their families, and guests who included elected government officials and...
Strike over as labor coalition reaches tentative agreement with Long Island Rail Road
The coalition of five labor unions, including BLET, today ended their 3-day strike at Long Island Rail Road after coming to terms on a tentative contract. The strike began just after midnight on Saturday, May 16. Terms of the agreement will be sent to the BLET’s 500...
BLET members on strike at Long Island Rail Road
After hours of last-minute negotiations, no agreement on wage increases was reached between a coalition of five unions, including BLET, and the Long Island Rail Road. In accordance with the terms of the Railway Labor Act, the coalition’s 3,500 members went on strike...
“Who do you trust, Wall Street or farmers?” American Farm Bureau warns public about risks of UP-NS merger
In early May, it was announced that BLET had joined the Stop the Rail Merger coalition to oppose the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger. Since then, the American Farm Bureau, a member of the coalition, has launched a commercial on broadcast, cable and social media...
BLET reaches tentative agreement with Delaware & Hudson Railway
The BLET has reached a tentative three-year agreement with the Delaware & Hudson Railway. If ratified by the members, the TA would provide general wage increases only — there are no changes to work rules or health & welfare benefits. It would cover the period...
Daily Headlines
House bill would block Mexican rail crews from operating trains into U.S.
Mark Wallace, president of the Teamsters Rail Conference and Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, said the bill addresses “a critically important issue. … In repeated visits to the southern border, I heard one consistent message from BLET members: railroad jobs in America should be done by Americans.”
BNSF reports Q4, full year 2025 results
For full-year 2025, BNSF reported total revenue of $23.4 billion, about the same as the previous year, and net income of $5.5 billion, up 9%.
Second PEB finds for unions in dispute with LIRR
A second Presidential Emergency Board has sided with a coalition of unions in their ongoing contract dispute with the Long Island Rail Road — but the LIRR rejected the board’s recommendation, setting the stage for a strike or lockout in May.
CN announces Q4, full-year 2025 results
CN reported revenues of C$4,464 million and operating income of C$1,733 million.
Norfolk Southern reports Q4, full-year 2025 results
For the fourth quarter of 2025, NS reported revenue of $3.0 billion and income from railway operations of $937 million.
CPKC reports Q4, full-year 2025 results
CPKC announced its fourth-quarter 2025 revenues of $3.9 billion.
Union Pacific reports Q4, full-year 2025 results
UP reported 2025 fourth quarter net income of $1.8 billion
CSX announces Q4, full-year 2025 results
CSX Corp. announced fourth quarter 2025 operating income of $1.11 billion and net earnings of $720 million.
Railroads thwart safety fixes, costing lives
Fatigue-related accidents killed at least nine people and injured over 300 from 2015 through 2024, the Howard Center’s analysis of NTSB investigation reports found.
Associated Press: BLET, BMWED oppose UP-NS merger
“This proposed monopoly will end up costing businesses more and those costs will be passed on to consumers,” BLET National President Mark Wallace said.
