BLET News
Michel re-elected chair of NJ State Legislative Board
Ken Michel was re-elected to the position of Chairman of the New Jersey State Legislative Board at its Quadrennial Meeting on March 29 at the Newark Sheraton Airport Hotel in Newark, N.J.
BLET, UTU join in support of N.Y. legislation
Legislation has been introduced in the New York State legislature to prohibit union officers of the Association of Commuter Rail Employees (ACRE) from receiving salaries from outside funds.
Teamsters to honor veterans at National Convention
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is recognizing Middle East veterans at its National Convention in Las Vegas this June.
Brother of BLET Organizing Director dies
Jimmy Miller, the brother of BLET Organizing Director Tommy Miller, died in an industrial accident on April 22. Miller, 53, of Tracy City, Tenn., was employed at Franklin Minerals in Sherwood, Tenn.
Ballots mailed in major initiative
Over the next several weeks, BLET members will vote on an initiative that could drastically change the way the organization elects it top officials.
Maine, Montreal & Atlantic workers vote BLET
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen won its second shortline organizing victory of 2006 today as approximately 70 workers at the Maine, Montreal & Atlantic Railway (MMA) voted in favor of BLET representation.
RRB clarifies 60/30 hoax
V.M. “Butch” Speakman, Labor Member of the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board in Chicago, issued the following letter clarifying a hoax regarding the 60/30 provisions of the Railroad Retirement Act.
BLET Ohio State Legislative Board Chairman Jim Ong dies
BLET Ohio State Legislative Board Chairman J.F. “Jim” Ong died on Saturday, April 15, after a four month battle with cancer. Brother Ong was 62 years old.
New England Central members approve first BLET contract
BLET members have approved a new four-year collective bargaining agreement with the New England Central Railroad (NECR).
BLET’s Western General Chairmen conclude annual meeting
Delegates at the Western General Chairman’s Association (WGCA) have re-elected all sitting officers by acclamation in meetings held here at the WGCA’s annual meeting.
Scholarship deadlines approaching
Application deadlines are swiftly approaching for several railroad-specific scholarship programs that are available to the college-bound children of BLET members.
UHC introduces cost savings program
UnitedHealthcare is offering a new health discount program that helps members save up to 50 percent on health care purchases that are not covered by UnitedHealthcare benefit plans.
‘Voluntary standards are not enough’ for rail security
Democratic Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security blasted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for its failure to issue mandatory security standards for the nation’s railroads to safeguard the transportation of toxic chemicals.
Labor, Congress slams Bush administration’s voluntary rail security ‘suggestions’
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and Representative Edward Markey (D-MA) today expressed outrage over the Department of Homeland Security’s announcement today that it was issuing voluntary security guidelines for railroad companies that transport the most hazardous chemicals in the United States.
Divisions must be ‘square on the books’ to seat delegates at Convention
With the upcoming First Quadrennial Convention of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen scheduled for June 19-22, all BLET Divisions are reminded that their secretary-treasurers must file their monthly dues reports in a timely fashion in order to seat their delegates at the convention.
BLET helps members get back to work
Two locomotive engineers are on their way back to work at the Kansas City Southern thanks to the efforts of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.
BLET applauds appointment of Jo Strang to the FRA
The BLET commends the Department of Transportation for its appointment of Jo Strang as Associate Administrator for Safety of the Federal Railroad Administration.
NMB backs BLET on shortline election interference
The National Mediation Board (NMB) is conducting a second representation election at the Stillwater Central Railroad after ruling that the carrier violated the Railway Labor Act by improperly influencing workers during the original election process.
Improved monthly audit form available for BLET Divisions, SLBs, GCAs
A new interactive spreadsheet that makes monthly auditing easier for State Legislative Boards, General Committees and Local Divisions is now available from the BLET’s Education & Training Department.
LM-30 deadline moved to May 15
The Form must be received by the DOL within 90 days after the end of the officer’s or employee’s fiscal year, typically December 31. Therefore, the 2005 filing must be completed on or by March 31, 2006. Although the DOL has no authority to grant extensions of the statutory filing deadlines, the Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) recently granted a grace period so that reports filed on or before May 15, 2006 will be considered “on time.” The OLMS will not take any enforcement action unless the report is received after this date.
Daily Headlines
BNSF’s Truxton Flyover: Improving traffic flows on Southern Transcon
It is in Tucson, Arizona, that the BNSF Railway constructed its Truxton Natural Flyover, allowing trains to change main tracks to take advantage of more favorable grades when coming from Needles, Calif., while remaining properly aligned for refueling and inspections at the crew-change point in Belen, N.M.
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service suspended for emergency track repairs
The Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency, which operates the Pacific Surfliner route on behalf of Amtrak, last week temporarily suspended service south of Irvine, California, due to emergency track repairs.
UP train blocked Metairie crossing for three hours
For those who travel Metairie Road in Old Metairie on a regular basis, waiting for a train to clear the railroad crossing is a frequent occurrence.
Port of New York moves ahead with new threshold for empty container fee on ocean carriers
The Port of New York and New Jersey is moving ahead with new shipping container requirements for ocean carriers and fees for violations.
UP, BNSF say CP-KCS merger will melt down Houston terminal
Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern executives say there’s plenty of capacity in Houston to handle the eight additional trains per day they’ll run through the busy terminal within three years after their merger.
STB adds three days to CP-KCS hearing
The three-day Surface Transportation Board hearing on the proposed Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger has ballooned to a six-day hearing. The board will hold mostly virtual hearings on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 3-4, with remaining witnesses. CP and KCS will appear on Thursday, Oct. 6, to rebut comments made throughout the hearings.
A railroad megamerger could be a boon to Canada’s dirty oil industry
Canadian Pacific is eying an even bigger prize — with a potential payoff from connecting Canada’s uniquely dirty oil fields to U.S. refineries on the Gulf of Mexico and creating what analysts say could be an attractive new backup route for crude producers if pipelines shut down.
BNSF to build $1.5 billion facility in Barstow to handle container traffic
BNSF Railway has announced plans for what it is calling the first master-planned rail facility built by a Class I railroad — costing more than $1.5 billion and including a rail yard, intermodal facility, and warehouses for transloading from international to domestic containers.
Class I railroads’ chemical carload growth continues amid economic uncertainty: analysis
U.S. Class I railroads continue hauling more chemicals than before, an area of growth even though higher interest rates are raising fears that the U.S. economy could begin contracting.
BNSF derailment in Montana leads to 31,000-gallon gasoline spill
A BNSF freight train derailed late Friday night outside of Bridger, and dozens of crew members have been onsite around the clock clearing the debris. Although neither of the two people onboard the train were harmed, an estimated 31,000 gallons of gasoline spilled from damaged cars.
