BLET News
In the States: Two-person crew bill advances in Virginia; Rail safety bill gets media attention in Colorado
Virginia BLET Virginia State Legislative Board Chairman Tim Craver reports progress on the state’s two-person crew bill. Both bills — SB 143 and HB 385 — have passed their respective chambers after their third reading earlier this month. Both are in the legislature’s...
Contract News: Ballots mailed to BLET members at three railroads to vote on tentative agreements
Ballots were mailed to BLET members this week for voting on tentative agreements at three railroads —Utah Railway, Missouri & Northern Arkansas (M&NA), and Berkshire & Eastern (B&E). Details are as follows: Utah Railway The five-year tentative...
Celebrating Black History Month: African-American inventor made important contributions to rail safety technology
Granville T. Woods (1865-1910) an African American inventor, held more than 50 patents in his lifetime and was referred to by some as the “Black Edison.” Woods concentrated most of his work on trains and streetcars. One of his most important inventions was the...
Death of BLET member Chris Wilson leads to FRA issuing a Safety Bulletin
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued a Safety Bulletin warning about the dangers of rolling equipment following a tragic accident that took the life of BLET Division 423 member Chris Wilson at a rail yard in Decatur, Alabama, on February 7. The...
NJ Transit wants fare increases without fair treatment for locomotive engineers — Not if BLET has its way
BLET members are being encouraged to attend a series of public meetings to make their voices heard regarding fair treatment for NJ Transit's locomotive engineers. ____________________ NJ Transit will hold 10 scheduled in-person public meetings in 10 New Jersey...
East Palestine disaster may have been last year, but it’s a 2024 story as well. Biden travels to Ohio town, NTSB to release final report June 25
President Biden is scheduled to visit East Palestine to witness firsthand how the town is recovering from the devastation of last year's derailment. This visit should help keep a spotlight on rail safety. (NTSB image) ____________________ President Joe Biden visited...
Education & Training: Secretary-Treasurers benefit from additional Zoom sessions
A total of 52 BLET Secretary-Treasurers participated in online refresher sessions hosted by the BLET Education & Training Department last week. The training on February 6 and February 8 helped Secretary-Treasurers prepare their LM-3 or LM-4 reports for the U.S....
BLET formally signs on to confidential safety reporting pilot program at NS
At the February 15 signing ceremony, from left: General Chairman Scott Bunten, General Chairman Jerry Sturdivant, NS CEO Alan Shaw, FRA Administrator Amit Bose, and General Chairman Dewayne Dehart. (Photo: courtesy of NS) ____________________ Representatives of the...
Rail industry spends millions to obstruct rail safety laws and regulations after East Palestine
In a February 3 article detailing how railroad management’s public positions on railroad safety differ from their lobbying activity, the Washington Post exposed how the rail industry routinely says one thing — but does the opposite.“Over the past year, the nation’s...
Utah: Ballots are in the mail for tentative agreement with Utah Railway
A contract ratification vote is underway for BLET members at the Utah Railway. 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 42 operating employees. The five-year...
Arkansas: Ballots are in the mail for tentative Missouri & Northern Arkansas agreement
A contract ratification vote is underway for BLET members at the Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad (M&NA). Ballots were mailed this week to members to vote on a tentative on-property agreement governing rates of pay, benefits and work rules for...
New England: Ballots mailed as BLET reaches tentative agreement with Berkshire & Eastern
The BLET has reached a tentative contract with the Berkshire & Eastern Railroad (B&E). The tentative agreement governs rates of pay, benefits and work rules for approximately 30 members. Ballots were mailed this week. Some of the proposed contractual...
In the states: Filibuster ends Nebraska two-person crew bill; BLET member shines light on rail safety in Nevada
A filibuster stretching over three days derailed a proposal in Nebraska's unicameral legislature to require two-person train crews. State Sen. Mike Jacobson sponsored the proposal, which had been introduced multiple times in recent years. This was the first time it...
DOT Secretary Buttigieg aligns with BLET on rail safety in National Public Radio interview
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg: “Just basic common sense to me says that you at least want to have two people on board a train that might be carrying hazardous materials, that might be going at a high speed through communities.” IBT Image ____________________...
Celebrating Black History Month: Did you know that an African American inventor was responsible for improvements that made the coupler safer?
Andrew Jackson Beard (1849-1921), an African American inventor, was awarded patents in 1887 and 1899 for improvements to the automatic railroad car coupler. Beard had lost a leg in a car coupling accident earlier in his life. Original railroad couplers required the...
BLET leads joint labor endorsements of Homendy, Primus
The BLET is rallying rail labor support for the reappointment of Jennifer L. Homendy as Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the appointment of Robert E. Primus as Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board (STB).
State legislative update: Virginia rail safety bill advances, Iowa bill introduced
Virginia State Senator Jennifer D. Carroll Foy (center, maroon), the Chief Patron of SB 143, with the BLET’s Herb Harris (green tie) and Tim Craver (far right) and fellow supporters of the rail safety bill. ____________________ In a follow up to a recent Legislative...
Funeral tomorrow for fallen Brother Christopher M. Wilson
A visitation and funeral for fallen Brother Christopher M. Wilson will be held on February 9 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. A member of BLET Division 423, Brother Wilson was killed in a Norfolk Southern rail yard accident on January 31. The National Transportation Safety...
Eddie Hall interview: Has anything changed one year after East Palestine derailment?
In an interview with America’s Work Force Union Podcast, BLET National President Eddie Hall talked about growing concerns with rail safety one year after the tragic events of East Palestine, Ohio. He said the Norfolk Southern derailment of February 3, 2023, brought...
Remembering brother Chris Seeling: FRA final rule requires emergency escape breathing apparatuses
On January 25, 2024, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced a final rule requiring railroads to provide emergency escape breathing apparatuses to train crew members who work on hazardous materials trains. The FRA press release announcing the final rule...
Daily Headlines
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.
U.S. issues rule requiring at least two people on longest freight trains
“Safety improvements have come too slowly to the railroads but it is great to be finally working with an administration that is listening to workers,” said Vince Verna, a vice president at the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.
NS calls activist plans a slash-and-burn strategy that would require furloughs
Norfolk Southern today urged shareholders to back its board and management team in its proxy battle, saying that the plans touted by activist investor Ancora Holdings amount to a “slash and burn” strategy that would hurt service and safety.
Freight railroads must keep two person crews, according to new federal regulation
Major freight railroads will have to maintain two-person crews on most routes under a new federal rule that was finalized Tuesday. The Federal Railroad Administration released the details of the rule Tuesday morning, after working on it for the past two years.
Oberman names STB passenger rail advisory committee members
Greg Regan, president, AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department, was appointed to a 3-year term to represent organized labor.
Biden fires RRB inspector general
An investigation found evidence that Martin Dickman created a toxic work environment and engaged in abusive treatment, including using crude and inappropriate language like slurs, and belittling employees.
FRA makes more than $2.4 billion in CRISI grant funding available
CRISI grants advance projects that modernize America’s freight and intercity passenger rail infrastructure, allowing people and goods to move with greater safety, efficiency, and reliability.
BNSF, CPKC say they won’t pay new Minnesota safety fee
BNSF Railway and CPKC, the two largest railroads in Minnesota, do not plan to make payments of approximately $1 million to the state required by a law passed last year.
