BLET News
Unions in America: The case for tripling union membership
A new study from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) asks the question, “What would happen if union membership tripled in the United States?” According to the study’s findings, wages would grow in tandem with the economy, the middle class would thrive, and broad...
BLET’s Sixth National Convention: Tentative schedule released
Hotel registration is open for delegates attending the BLET’s Sixth National Convention, which will be held at the Horseshoe Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Convention will convene at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, and will adjourn on Thursday, October 15,...
Statement by BLET President Wallace on announcement by FRA of a new rule imposing strict limits on the use of foreign train crews operating along the U.S. border with Mexico
Background: On July 30, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) released a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) designed to raise standards on the Class I railroads’ use of foreign train crews operating trains...
Railroad Retirement Board: Pre-retirement seminars planned for September
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has announced dates and locations for a limited number of in-person Pre-Retirement Seminars to be held in September 2026. Please register as soon as possible if you are interested in attending, as these seminars tend to fill...
Commonsense reform for Railroad Retirement finds common cause between Democrats and Republicans, labor and management
The long wait BLET members and other railroaders must endure to receive earned retirement benefits may soon be over. On Thursday, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) passed a BLET and Teamsters-backed bipartisan bill, S. 4965, the...
BLET members asked to help in organizing new properties
Virtually all short line workers who have voted for BLET representation in recent years cited the same reasons for wanting to join the union: improved pay, better working conditions, and stronger protections from discipline that come from a BLET contract. Every BLET...
Stop the Rail Merger Coalition says three times is not the charm… UP and NS’s Third Attempt Fails to Fix Flawed Deal
More Paperwork Cannot Fix a Merger That Would Raise Costs, Cut Competition and Put America’s Supply Chain at Risk WASHINGTON, D.C. — Stop the Rail Merger Coalition responded to Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern’s (NS) submission of supplemental information filed...
BLET chalks up another organizing win as workers at Temple & Central Texas Railway say yes to union representation
Train & engine service employees at the Temple & Central Texas Railway (TC) voted unanimously to join the BLET in an election certified by the National Mediation Board (NMB) on July 22. It mark’s the union’s 17th short line organizing win since 2023. TC is a...
Rail Conference-led legislation to provide long-term funding for the Railroad Retirement Board has been introduced in the U.S. Senate
Earlier this month, a bipartisan group of U.S. Senators introduced the Railroad Retirement Board Stability Act, which would provide long-term funding for RRB’s day-to-day operations. The much-needed legislation comes after months of hard work and lobbying by the...
UP-NS merger: What are they trying to hide? STB orders UP and NS to make job impact data publicly available
In a victory for the BLET and other rail labor unions, the Surface Transportation Board this week ordered Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern to make public the merger-related job impact data that the railroads had inexplicably labeled as “highly confidential” in their...
Stop the Rail Merger Coalition: 23 Senators Raise Serious Concerns Over UP-NS Merger
These senators join a bipartisan group of more than 100 state and federal policymakers, attorneys general, and agriculture secretaries urging the Administration to stop this unnecessary merger. U.S. Senator Cory Booker, joined by 22 Senate colleagues, is urging the...
Hotel registration for BLET’s Sixth National Convention is now open
Hotel Registration is now open for the BLET’s Sixth National Convention, which will be held at the Horseshoe Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Convention will convene at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, and will adjourn on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Please visit...
Nicotine cessation tools available to you and your family
Trying to quit nicotine? The National Railroad Plans – Health & Welfare Benefits provides access to the Quit For Life® program, which has helped millions overcome nicotine addiction. The program provides information regarding tobacco cessation methods and related...
Advisory from the BLET National Division: Protecting your certification and your career
Brothers and Sisters, One of the National Division’s responsibilities is identifying issues that could affect our members before they become widespread. Recently, we have become aware of several cases involving alleged personal electronic device violations where...
State of the Union: Wallace says “preparation and performance” are key
In his state of the union address, BLET National President Mark Wallace said preparation and performance are the key measuring sticks for the Brotherhood and its leaders. “At the heart of every fight we take on is our membership — the men and women who do the work,...
Two more serious incidents involving Norfolk Southern are under investigation
The BLET Safety Task Force has received Party Status from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to assist with the investigation of two serious Norfolk Southern incidents. In the first incident, a conductor was killed last week when he was struck by a train...
Congress must finish the job on rail safety, East Palestine resident says
“Rail safety is public health. Hazardous releases don’t stop at the tracks,” wrote Misti Allison in a recent guest editorial published by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. A resident of East Palestine, Ohio and a public health leader, Allison knows first-hand the...
Division 6 hosts annual Family Picnic
BLET Division 6 kicked off summer 2026 by co-hosting their annual Family Picnic in Boone, Iowa, on June 20. The large and well-attended event was held in a spirit of solidarity with fellow rail labor unions from the surrounding area. With 170 active and retired...
Replacement ballots will be available on July 13 in BLET contract vote at SBRR.
BLET members at South Buffalo Railway Company (SBRR) are currently voting on a tentative agreement. Ballots were mailed on June 29. Eligible members who have not yet received a ballot by July 13 should call the BLET National Division’s dedicated voicemail line to have...
BLET urges FRA to deny safety waiver regarding NS training program
The BLET is opposing a Norfolk Southern request to waive safety standards governing refresher training for its transportation employees. BLET National President Mark Wallace filed formal comments in a June 29 letter to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). As...
Daily Headlines
Trump administration pushes tougher English rules for Mexican train crews crossing into U.S.
Mark Wallace, the national president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union, has been raising concerns about this practice of using Mexican train crews for several years because of safety, security and job concerns.
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.
