BLET News
BLET’s Caltrain members ratify new contract with TASI
BLET members today ratified a new five-year contract with Transit America Services, Inc., (TASI). The agreement covers 68 locomotive engineers who operate passenger trains at Caltrain. Ballots were counted this afternoon. Eighty-four percent of members cast ballots,...
Make plans now to attend BLET’s Western Regional Meeting in Seattle/Bellevue
Registration is now open for the BLET’s Western Regional Meeting in Bellevue, Wash., the week of August 18, 2025. Bellevue is located across Lake Washington from Seattle. Guests will stay at the Hyatt Regency Bellevue, 900 Bellevue Way NE, Wash., 98004, telephone...
Examining funding levels for key rail programs under President Trump’s proposed 2026 federal budget
On Friday, May 30, President Trump released his proposed budget for the 2026 federal Fiscal Year (FY) for every federal agency, including key federal agencies important to BLET such as the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), the National Mediation Board (NMB), Amtrak,...
Ballots mailed in tentative BLET, Alabama State Docks agreement
The tentative five-year deal provides retroactive pay and general wage increases through 2027. Ballots are due back to the National Division by June 26. ____________________ The BLET has reached a tentative agreement with the Terminal Railway-Alabama State Docks...
BLET members ratify new contract with CSXT
Today, BLET members ratified a new five-year contract with CSX Transportation, which governs nearly 3,500 members. Ballots were counted this afternoon, and the agreement was ratified by a 53.6% majority of those who returned ballots. The contract provides compounded...
BLET members ratify agreement with NJ Transit
“…fair and acceptable.” Deal ends five-year contract battle. Voting concluded today for members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) for a new collective bargaining agreement with NJ Transit (NJT), the nation’s third largest commuter...
BLET asks Trump administration to intervene in ongoing cross border issue with Mexico
BLET leadership traveled to the southern U.S. border in Texas in late-May. ____________________ In a June 2 letter, BLET National President Mark Wallace asked U.S. President Donald J. Trump to take “immediate and decisive action” to help protect national security and...
Our History: Remembering contributions of railroad workers on the 81st anniversary of D-Day
Troops of Company A, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division (the Big Red One) wading onto the Fox Green section of Omaha Beach on the morning of June 6, 1944. Photo: Chief Photographer’s Mate Robert F. Sargent via Wikipedia ____________________ June 6, 2025 marks the...
Eliminating brake and mechanical inspections at the border with Mexico takes work away from U.S. citizens, puts lives at risk
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) solicited public feedback on possible federal safety regulations that could be repealed or modified to achieve “meaningful burden reduction while continuing to meet statutory obligations and ensure the...
Ohio State Legislative Board: Three honored at 2025 Founders Day dinner
From left: Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan, Aaron Barlage and Tom Galloway were all honored at the Ohio SLB Founders Day dinner. ____________________ The BLET’s Ohio State Legislative Board hosted a Founders Day dinner on May 8 in recognition of the BLET’s 162nd...
Add your voice: Help protect the U.S. southern border and save American rail jobs, BLET jobs
As previously reported, two Class I railroads —Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and Union Pacific (UP) — are advancing plans to take jobs away from American train crews by bringing trains operated by Mexican nationals from Mexico into the United States. Not only...
Kevin Sexton sworn in as National Vice President on June 1
Kevin Sexton, a member of BLET Division 269 in Long Island, N.Y., became the BLET’s newest National Vice President when he was sworn into office on Sunday, June 1. Sexton fills a vacancy on the Advisory Board created by the retirement of Eddie Hall in May. Sexton was...
Examining the BLET’s New Jersey Transit Strike
On May 18, the BLET and NJ Transit reached a tentative agreement to end a three-day strike at the nation’s third-largest commuter railroad, which affected 350,000 riders across the Garden State and into New York City. Balloting is now underway as BLET’s 450 members...
Attention members at NJT, CSX and TASI: Please call the National Division if you haven’t received your ballot by June 3
The BLET has mailed ballots to members at three different railroads — New Jersey Transit, CSX Transportation, and TASI (Caltrain) — for voting on tentative agreements. Members at all three railroads who are eligible and have not received a ratification packet by...
David Fink, nominee to lead FRA, tells Senate he will support two-person crew regulation
David Fink responds to questions during the Senate Commerce Committee's confirmation hearing on May 13. ____________________ David Fink, the Trump administration’s nominee as Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), testified that he would support...
AAR’s de-regulatory effort puts lives at risk as rail industry asks feds to overturn two-person crew rule
Aerial footage showing the aftermath of the Lac-Megantic rail disaster. (Photo: Ministry of Public Security (Quebec) ____________________ Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) solicited public feedback on possible federal safety regulations...
Education and Training: Legislative Reps sharpen their skills in Washington, D.C.
The BLET Education & Training Department wrapped up its Legislative Representative Workshop in mid-May at Teamsters headquarters in Washington, D.C. The workshop for BLET Legislative Representatives (LRs) taught them how to become better lobbyists on behalf of the...
Best steps to the plate as BLET’s new First Vice President
BLET First Vice President Gary Best is a third-generation locomotive engineer. ____________________ Gary Best stands ready to serve the BLET and its members. His term as First Vice President, the union’s second-highest national office, began on May 1, 2025. “The BLET,...
Transit supporters pack the statehouse in Harrisburg in effort to prevent deep cuts at SEPTA
Don Hill, the BLET General Chairman at SEPTA, says the cuts, if allowed to go through, would be an embarrassment to all Pennsylvanians at a time when the nation is celebrating its 250th anniversary with the focus on Philadelphia and major sporting events are being hosted in the city, including the FIFA World Cup.
Cory Runion reelected Chairman of Wyoming SLB
Cory Runion was reelected to his fifth term as Chairman of the Wyoming SLB at triennial meeting in April.
Daily Headlines
STB scolds Union Pacific for lack of cooperation
The strongest words, however, come in a concurrence to the unanimous decision by Board Chairman Robert Primus.
NS makes deal with Ancora to prevent another fight for control of the railroad
Under the deal, Norfolk Southern will add another independent director to its board and work to further improve its operations.
DOT announces nearly $1.5 billion for 19 projects along Northeast Corridor
The NEC is one of the busiest and most economically significant rail corridors in the world, with hundreds of thousands of daily riders in a region that represents 20 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product.
Flurry of contract deals come as railroads, unions see Trump’s election looming over talks
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union has been unwilling to sign onto any of these early deals.
TSA proposes new cybersecurity requirements for some railroads, other transportation systems
The TSA estimates that under the rule’s criteria, 73 of the approximately 620 U.S. freight railroads and 34 of approximately 92 passenger rail and transit operators would be subject to the requirements.
Norfolk Southern rule that rail cars be inspected in less than a minute sparks safety concerns
Railroad labor unions have been raising safety concerns for several years now about rushed train inspections after the industry implemented the lean Precision Scheduled Railroading operating model and eliminated one-third of all rail worker jobs.
BNSF reports Q3 2024 results
BNSF Railway’s profits, revenue, and volume all increased for the third quarter, thanks to surging intermodal and agricultural shipments.
FRA proposes automated track inspection regulations
The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes applauded the proposed ATI rule.
FRA aims to tighten rules for waivers that allow railroads to experiment with safety technology
The proposal also seeks to preserve union jobs: It says the FRA will take a dim view of safety waiver requests that seek to reduce employment levels or the number of inspections performed by track and car inspectors.
FRA awards $2.4 billion in grants to 122 projects
This announcement is part of a series of investments the Biden-Harris Administration has made in nearly 300 rail projects and dozens of emerging passenger rail corridors across the country through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded FRA grant programs.
