BLET News
Chicago: BLET reaches tentative agreement with CF&E
The BLET has reached a tentative contract with the Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern Railroad (CFE). Ballots were mailed this week to members to vote on a tentative on-property agreement governing rates of pay, benefits and work rules for approximately 45 operating...
The White House: Top BLET officers in Washington D.C.
From left: Kyle Bagby, Trustee; Vince Verna, VP & NLR; Pat Driscoll, Trustee; Billy Lyons, VP; Randy Fannon, VP; Gary Best, VP; Eddie Hall, National President; Mark Wallace, First VP; Dave Estes, National S-T; Rick Gibbons, VP; and Dick Crow, Trustee....
Have you registered? Join us for the BLET’s Eastern Regional meeting in Washington, D.C.
BLET members are encouraged to make their reservations soon for the Eastern Regional Meeting, which will be held the week of July 29 in Washington, D.C. Hotel room reservations must be made by July 1, 2024. The meeting will be held at the Capital Hilton, 1001 16th...
Jennifer Homendy is confirmed by U.S. Senate, will continue serving as Chair of NTSB
Chair Homendy at the BLET's 2023 Eastern Regional Meeting. ____________________ On May 14, the U.S. Senate unanimously voted to confirm Jennifer Homendy to another five-year term with the National Transportation Safety Board, including another three-year term as...
Robert E. Primus is new Chairman of Surface Transportation Board
At the 2023 BLET Western Regional Meeting, from left: Eddie Hall, BLET President; Robert Primus, STB; Mark Wallace, First VP; and Dave Estes, National S-T. ____________________ On May 11, President Biden named Robert Primus as the new Chairman of the Surface...
Rhode Island: State Senate unanimously passes two-person crew bill
On May 7, the Rhode Island State Senate unanimously advanced a rail safety bill by a vote of 37-0. The bill, 2024–S 2736, would require two-person train crews. BLET New England Legislative Board Chairman Dan Cadogan said lobbying efforts will now begin to secure...
Education & Training: General Chairman Workshop
This week, the BLET Education & Training Department hosted a hybrid training workshop for General Chairmen at the National Division headquarters in Independence, Ohio. The class focused on the role and duties of a General Chairman, including topics such as...
Victory in Colorado! Governor signs BLET-backed rail safety bill
Colorado’s BLET-backed railroad safety bill, HB24-1030, was approved by the State Senate on May 8 and is on its way to the desk of Governor Jared Polis to be signed into law. He signed the bill on May 10. Paul Pearson, BLET Colorado State Legislative Board Chairman,...
Norfolk Southern: Shareholders make split decision in proxy battle fight
It was a split decision on May 9 as Norfolk Southern shareholders elected some board nominees from hedge fund Ancora Holdings to the railroad’s board of directors, but not enough to unseat current CEO Alan Shaw. The three BLET General Chairmen at Norfolk Southern —...
Freight railroads oppose shareholder resolutions creating safety committees
As publicly traded railroad corporations held their annual meetings this week, the BLET criticized railroad management for opposing safety reforms that would improve railroad operations for both workers and the communities that the railroads serve. “This week, CSX,...
CN-IC, Iowa Northern: Ballots mailed in tentative implementing agreement
Ballots were mailed last week to BLET members to vote on a tentative implementing agreement regarding Canadian National-Illinois Central Railway’s (CN-IC) acquisition of the Iowa Northern Railway. Ballots were mailed to about 550 members. The tentative implementing...
Scott Bunten reelected NS Eastern Lines General Chairman
Brother Scott Bunten (fourth from right) with members, both in-person and virtual, of the NS Eastern Lines GCA at their quadrennial meeting in late April. ____________________ General Chairman Scott R. Bunten was reelected at the quadrennial meeting of the NS Eastern...
Canadian National/Wisconsin Central: BLET Divisions unanimously vote yes on new quality of life agreement
Nine Canadian National/Wisconsin Central (CN/WC) divisions that comprise the GCA voted unanimously April 24 that in favor of a new quality of life agreement that covers roughly 600 locomotive engineers. General Chairman Eric Hau said the goal was “to attract, retain,...
161st anniversary: BLET was founded on May 8, 1863
1896 BLE Convention in Ottawa, Ontario ____________________ On May 8, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) marks its 161st anniversary. The BLET and its members are proud of our heritage as the oldest labor union in North America. Our union was...
Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry turns his back on railroad workers, co-sponsors legislation to nullify new two-person crew regulation
Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District has been rated as one of the most competitive in the nation during this election year, but the incumbent seeking reelection, U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), must not care about the votes of union railroaders. Perry, along with...
Capitol Hill: BLET mourns passing of Rep. Payne
From left: National President Eddie Hall, Rep. Donald Payne Jr., VP & NLR Vince Verna and National S-T David Estes at a BLET Legislative Rep. training class in 2023. ____________________ Rep. Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-NJ), a staunch advocate for rail safety who...
North Dakota: Forschen reelected State Legislative Board Chairman
From left: Darin Hamre, Vince Verna, Sean Forschen, Dave Harness, and Tim Presler. ____________________ Brother Sean M. Forschen was elected to his second term as Chairman of the BLET’s North Dakota State Legislative Board during its quadrennial meeting in Bismarck,...
BLET Legislative Alert: Calling all Colorado and Minnesota members to Take Action!
BLET members in Colorado and Minnesota are urged to get involved and help advance rail safety legislation in their respective states. In Colorado, members should immediately contact their State Senators to request their support of railroad safety bill HB24-1030. The...
GCA news: Chris Hyde reelected CSXT Eastern Lines General Chairman
General Chairman Chris R. Hyde was reelected at the quadrennial meeting of the CSXT Eastern Lines General Committee of Adjustment, which was held via Zoom on April 21, 2024. Brother Hyde began serving as General Chairman on January 1, 2023, following the election of...
GCA news: Hau reelected to second term as CN-WC General Chairman
Brother Eric A. Hau was reelected General Chairman at the Canadian National-Wisconsin Central General Committee of Adjustment’s quadrennial meeting on April 16 in Appleton, Wisc. He was first elected General Chairman of the CN-WC GCA at its quadrennial meeting in...
Daily Headlines
Logjam at Canadian ports as import surge meets rail shortages
A surge of imports meeting strained rail capacity has pushed up container dwell times at North American west coast ports, especially in Vancouver.
Norfolk Southern prunes intermodal network and puts focus on operating ratio improvement
NS has eliminated 53 low-volume intermodal lanes — or 15% of its intermodal network — that had limited growth prospects. The railroad did not say how much volume would be lost as a result.
Victims of Montana asbestos pollution that killed hundreds take BNSF to court
Almost 25 years after federal authorities responding to news reports of deaths and illnesses descended on Libby, Montana, a town of about 3,000 people near the U.S.-Canada border, some asbestos victims and their family members are seeking to hold publicly accountable one of the major corporate players in the tragedy: BNSF Railway.
AAR reports rail traffic for March and the week ending March 30, 2024
Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in March 2024 were 1,889,186, up 4.2 percent, or 75,802 carloads and intermodal units from March 2023.
New train crew rule tests industry’s clout
A new rule finalized by the Federal Railroad Administration will require freight trains in the United States to operate with at least two crewmembers in most circumstances.
U.S. finalizes rule requiring two-person crews on freight trains
The Biden administration announced on Tuesday that it had finalized a new rule that will require the nation’s largest freight railroads to maintain their current staffing of two crew members per train, settling a contentious issue between organized labor and the industry.
TCRC calls for strike authorization vote by CN, CPKC train crews
Leaders of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference told their members on Thursday that a strike vote will be held from April 8 to May 1. If the rank and file vote to authorize a strike, the earliest a walkout or lockout could occur on CN and CPKC in Canada is May 22.
OIG: FRA lacks needed oversight of fatigue management
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) recently found that the Federal Railroad Administration needs to improve its oversight of procedures related to railroad hours of service (HOS) compliance and railroad fatigue management requirements.
EPA didn’t declare a public health emergency after East Palestine derailment
The aftermath of last year’s fiery train derailment in eastern Ohio doesn’t qualify as a public health emergency because widespread health problems and ongoing chemical exposures haven’t been documented, federal officials said.
CSX rerouting traffic to avoid Port of Baltimore after bridge collapse
CSX is starting a new dedicated freight rail service between Baltimore and New York for its clients on Tuesday to help mitigate the trade disruption as a result of the closure of the Port of Baltimore after the cargo vessel Dali collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge leading to its collapse on March 26.
