BLET News
BLET wins in court over Union Pacific’s antiunion tactics
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) secured a major court victory over the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) on April 13 as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit upheld a district court’s 2021 ruling granting the BLET a preliminary injunction stopping the railroads’ indefinite suspension of six members of BLET Division 192 in El Paso.
Ballots to be mailed in tentative BLET-MRL agreement
The tentative agreement governs rates of pay, work rules, and health & welfare for approximately 475 members.
Rail Labor calls on STB to act on poor-quality rail service
The BLET reaffiliated with the TTD in January 2022, and many of the issues raised by President Regan reflect the concerns of BLET members, particularly the negative impact that Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) has had on our industry, and the draconian attendance policies that have been implemented in the PSR era.
President Pierce answers follow-up questions from March 8 Congressional hearing
On March 8, 2022, BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce testified before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials. Following the hearing, President Pierce received questions for the hearing record from Rep. Jesús “Chuy” Garcia and Rep. Rick Crawford.
Registration opens for BLET’s Denver regional meeting, June 13-17, 2022
Registration is now open for the BLET regional meeting in Denver, Colorado, June 13-17, 2022.
BLET’s NASLBC concludes 47th annual meeting
The BLET’s National Association of State Legislative Board Chairmen has met annually since 1975 to hear from each State Chairman about railroad related safety and health issues as well as each state’s political climate.
House Transportation leaders urge FRA to act on fatigue, attendance policies
Leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure are asking the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to take action on a 2008 Congressional mandate to address rail worker fatigue at Class I carriers, with a specific reference to attendance policies such as those imposed at CSX, Union Pacific, and BNSF.
BLET, SMART-TD gather allies at TTD Executive Committee meeting
CLEVELAND, Ohio (April 6) — The nation’s two largest railroad unions continue to gather allies and momentum as they oppose the imposition of precision scheduled railroading (PSR) tactics by Class I carriers that put safety and the health and lives of working people at...
GOP reps encourage BNSF to re-think Hi-Viz
Five Republican U.S. representatives have contacted the BNSF Railway and encouraged its CEO to reengage with its operating unions to alter the highly-restrictive and punitive Hi-Viz attendance policy.
Bragg elected Oklahoma SLB Chairman
Brother N. Shane Bragg, a member of BLET Division 578 (Tulsa, Okla.), was elected Chairman of the Oklahoma State Legislative Board during its quadrennial meeting held March 22-24, 2022, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
BLET launches electronic delivery of publications
BLET members who prefer to receive the publications in print will continue to do so; those who don’t can update their preferences to view the publications in electronic-only format.
Trumble reelected to fourth term as Michigan State Legislative Board Chairman
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, March 29 — B.J. Trumble was reelected by acclamation to his fourth term as Chairman of the Michigan State Legislative Board at the Board’s Fifth Quadrennial meeting in Lansing, Michigan, March 7-9, 2022. A CN/Grand Trunk Western locomotive...
Union Solidarity, More Important Now than Ever
By Dennis R. Pierce, BLET National President (BLET Editor’s Note: The following message from President Pierce has been excepted from the January-March 2022 issue of the Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen News.) INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, March 28 — In the piece that I wrote...
BLET, SMART-TD pursue arbitration to resolve Hi-Viz dispute
After thoroughly examining all possible avenues to best continue the Unions’ fight against the BNSF Hi-Viz attendance policy, BLET and SMART TD announced today that they will proceed as expeditiously as possible to arbitration over the policy.
Video of Pierce House testimony now available
A video of BLET President Dennis Pierce’s recent testimony before the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous materials is now available.
BLET announces new appointments to Safety Task Force
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, March 23 — BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce today announced the appointments of nine members to the BLET Safety Task Force (STF), the rail industry’s first and oldest labor-based accident investigation team. National Secretary-Treasurer...
Pierce, Wallace and Joynt elected to lead Teamsters Rail Conference
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, March 17 — BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce was reelected by acclamation to his fourth term as President of the Teamsters Rail Conference at the Rail Conference’s Fifth Quadrennial Convention in Chicago on March 17, 2022. BLET National Vice...
President Pierce condemns PSR at House hearing
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce was highly critical of the so-called “Precision Scheduled Railroading” business model as he testified at a March 8 hearing before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials.
President Pierce’s House testimony now available
The written testimony of BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce, who is testifying today before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials at a hearing titled “Stakeholder Views on Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization,” is now available on the BLET website.
President Pierce to testify at U.S. House hearing on March 8
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce will testify tomorrow, March 8, before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials at a hearing titled “Stakeholder Views on Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization.”
Daily Headlines
Wyoming protest part of nationwide picket to promote awareness of BNSF policies
The rail industry is in crisis along with many other industries in America who not only had to find creative ways to keep afloat during COVID, but now as the economy has been recovering, the problems switch to living in the collateral damage of the sanctions and actions imposed in the midst of the pandemic.
U.S. rail traffic downturn at 12 weeks and counting
For the week ending May 14, 2022, Class I railroads moved 230,128 carloads (down 5.2% from the prior-year period) and 274,992 intermodal containers and trailers (down 5.5% from 2021).
Transport Canada updates rules for securing trains
Canadian Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra yesterday announced approval of amended regulations aimed at improving railway safety.
Carload considerations: Railcar velocity is an important to the shipper as the railroad
Car velocity is one element of a set of metrics that illustrates the operating performance of a Class I railroad and provide a systemwide snapshot of the overall state of the railroad.
Watson Bryant to lead New Orleans Public Belt Railroad
Watson Bryant will become the first African-American woman to lead a short line in the United States, NOPB officials said in a press release.
BNSF changes controversial attendance policy; Union members unimpressed
But even with the changes, labor officials remain unimpressed and said BNSF Railway’s new policies could lead to unsafe working conditions on the railroad.
Unions critical of BNSF’s new adjustments to attendance policy
Two unions are still critical of BNSF’s controversial attendance policy, saying recent adjustments aren’t enough to overcome its shortcomings.
FRA publishes quarterly on-time performance report card for Amtrak
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today published a report on performance metrics for Amtrak’s intercity passenger train operations, covering the first quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2022.
Ohio exploring passenger rail expansion in Ohio
Ohio took the formal step of signaling interest in expanding Amtrak passenger rail in the state, though it is far from saying yes to the idea.
FRA revises regs on roadway worker protection, maintenance machine
The Federal Railroad Administration has finalized amendments to a pair of regulations related to roadway worker safety and on-track roadway maintenance machines and hi-rail vehicles.
