BLET News
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...
Arizona: Division 28 hosts National Division officers for Division meeting, Old Timers Picnic
It was a week for union conversations and also camaraderie for members and officers of BLET Division 28 in Tucson, Arizona. On April 18, the Division hosted National President Eddie A. Hall, First Vice President Mark L. Wallace, National Vice President Gary D. Best,...
Get involved: Join us in Kansas City June 3-7
Brothers and Sisters, I am writing to personally invite you and your family to attend this year’s Western Regional Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri. The meeting will take place the week of June 3 at the Marriott, Kansas City Downtown. Our Education and Training...
Brightline West groundbreaking: “Full speed ahead” with Rail Labor on board
On April 22, Brightline West officially broke ground on its Las Vegas to Southern California high-speed rail system. The 218-mile route will be constructed within the median of the I-15 highway with zero grade crossings, and is based on Brightline’s business model of...
Nevada BLET member encourages Colorado lawmakers to support rail safety bill
Drawing on his experience in lobbying for a rail safety bill in Nevada, BLET Division 766 (Las Vegas) member Jason Doering is using the media to urge legislators in Colorado to support a rail safety bill. Brother Doering’s opinion column was published in the Colorado...
FRA two-person crew regulation: Teamsters say regulators should resist industry push for single pilot cockpits
As rail labor unions celebrated the Federal Railroad Administration’s new regulation requiring two-person crews on freight trains, airline pilot unions raised the question: Can the same policy continue for aircrafts? While current U.S. regulations require two pilots...
Register today! Hotel reservations must be made by May 3 for BLET’s Kansas City regional meeting
BLET members are encouraged to make their reservations as soon as possible for the Western Regional Meeting, which will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, the week of June 3, 2024. Hotel room reservations must be made by May 3, 2024. The meeting will be held at the...
Daily Headlines
A year after East Palestine, rail industry blocks new safety rules
Publicly, Norfolk Southern and its peers have pledged to work with lawmakers on the bill. But the companies have still labored to severely weaken or eliminate some of its core provisions, according to 15 lawmakers, congressional aides, union officials and others, many of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations.
STB modifies performance requirements for Class I railroads
The agency is keeping in place a requirement that Class I railroads provide monthly data on hiring and retention plans, and also provide an additional update containing labor force targets. In addition, the railroads are being directed to continue to submit data about trainees in their monthly employment data.
A year on, a small Ohio town is recovering from a fiery train derailment but health fears persist
Daily life largely returned to normal for most of the nearly 5,000 residents of East Palestine, Ohio, months after a Norfolk Southern train derailed and spilled a cocktail of hazardous chemicals that caught fire a year ago, but the worries and fears are always there.
Buttigieg and labor leaders urge Congress to pass railroad safety legislation
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and the leaders of all 13 railroad labor unions today urged Congress to tighten rail safety regulations as the one-year anniversary of the disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, approaches.
New videos show towers of fire from vent and burn procedure in East Palestine
Residents of eastern Ohio can now get an up-close view in newly released videos of the twin toxic towers of fire that forced them from their homes last February after officials decided to blow open five tank cars filled with vinyl chloride they worried might explode days after a Norfolk Southern train derailed.
President Biden accepts mayor’s invitation to visit East Palestine
President Joe Biden will visit the eastern Ohio community that was devastated by a fiery train derailment almost one year ago.
Norfolk Southern first big freight railway to let workers use anonymous federal safety hotline
About 1,000 engineers and conductors who work for Norfolk Southern will soon be able to report safety concerns anonymously through a federal system without any fear of discipline.
Video: Norfolk Southern employees in Roanoke to join C3RS safety pilot program
“It’s a good deal. And it’s a big deal,” said Scott Bunten, General Chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET).
Report: Activist investor group eyes Norfolk Southern
An activist investor group has taken a $1 billion stake in Norfolk Southern and aims to wrest control of the company’s board and oust CEO Alan Shaw, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
AAR: Carloads up, intermodal down for week ending January 27, 2024
Total carloads came in at 208,131, down 9.0% from 2023, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 259,091 containers and trailers, up 10.1% from 2023.
