BLET News
BLET-backed rail safety bill signed into law requiring two-person crews, wayside detectors
Outgoing New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a BLET-backed rail safety bill into law last week. The bill mandates a minimum of two crew members on hazardous material trains and requires the proper installation and ongoing maintenance of wayside detector systems....
FRA moves to reestablish RSAC safety program
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has announced that it will reestablish the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC), an important venue for labor, management, shippers and federal regulators to collaboratively discuss and develop rules to improve safety in...
UP-NS merger: Mark it “return to sender.” STB rejects merger application.
In a unanimous decision announced on January 16, the Surface Transportation Board rejected the merger application filed by Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern as “incomplete.” The STB said the merger application does not contain certain information required by the...
Register soon for rail worker hazmat training
BLET members should act quickly to register for a spot in one of two upcoming rail worker hazardous materials training sessions scheduled for February and March. Spaces are limited and the courses are filling up quickly. These 40-hour, in-person classes will be held...
Rail worker fatigue: Railroads thwart safety fixes, costing lives
A widely circulated analysis by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism has found that too little is being done to counter safety lapses related to fatigue in the railroad industry, leading to preventable accidents and death. Behind the lax oversight is the...
Education & Training: Training to assist with U.S. Department of Labor reporting announced for February
The BLET National Division Education & Training Department will offer a full slate of training opportunities throughout 2026. Two Secretary-Treasurer classes are confirmed for February: LM-3 / LM-4 Refresher Class (Zoom) Dates: Feb. 17–19, 2026 • Class One: Tue.,...
Still time to apply for a Union Plus scholarship: Deadline is January 31
Rising education costs are making it difficult for many union families to afford the cost of tuition. That’s one reason Union Plus, which provides important consumer benefits to union members and retirees, offers a unique scholarship program. It has distributed more...
Union coalition requests second PEB in dispute with LIRR
Last week a coalition of five rail unions that includes BLET, representing the majority of unionized workers at the Long Island Rail Road, wrote to the White House to formally request that a second Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) be appointed to resolve a nearly...
World War II veteran and retired BLET General Chairman Jack McDermott to celebrate 106th birthday on January 18
From left: daughter Kathy, daughter Betty, Jack’s great grandson, daughter Debbie, Jack’s granddaughter, and Jack McDermott. Photo courtesy: Tayler S. Calder/Idaho State Journal ____________________ The BLET National Division extends happy birthday wishes to retied...
Members ratify new contract with New York, Susquehanna & Western
BLET members have ratified a new agreement with the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway (NYSW). Ballots were tabulated on December 29. The agreement provides wage increases and work rule improvements. Additionally, NYSW members are now covered by the...
2025 YEAR IN REVIEW — ORGANIZING WINS: D&I Railroad was BLET’s 14th organizing victory since 2023
The BLET secured more organizing victories over the last two years than in the previous seven years combined. Between 2023-2025 the union successfully organized workers at 14 new railroads. BLET’s most recent organizing victory came in December 2025, when workers at...
2025 YEAR IN REVIEW — EDUCATION & TRAINING: Building stronger officers, stronger Local Divisions
Under the leadership of National Secretary-Treasurer David Estes, the Education & Training Department expanded its reach in 2025 by continuing to offer hybrid learning options that meet members where they are. While in-person instruction remains the gold standard,...
Monthly employee contributions under the National Health & Welfare Plan will increase in 2026
Based on higher than anticipated claim costs in 2024 and 2025, coupled with projected cost increases in 2026, and several other unfavorable factors, health care premiums, and the 15% employee monthly cost-sharing contributions, will increase in 2026 for BLET members...
2025 YEAR IN REVIEW — LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY SUCCESS: Protecting active and retired members through advocacy in the halls of government to keep RRB field offices open, ensure rail safety at America’s southern border
The BLET, working in conjunction with the Teamsters Rail Conference, secured several key political and regulatory victories for the union’s active and retired members throughout 2025. None perhaps were bigger than our successful efforts to protect the Railroad...
BLET Building Manager Tom Grdina retires after 41 years of service
From left: Tom Grdina with family at his December 30 retirement luncheon: son James, wife Susan, and son John. James is also a BLET employee, working as Director of the BLET Print Shop and Supply/Shipping Department. ____________________ The BLET National Division...
2025 YEAR IN REVIEW — COLLECTIVE BARGAINING GAINS: National freight contract and 14 other freight and passenger contracts ratified by BLET members
The BLET successfully negotiated and ratified 15 new collective bargaining agreements in 2025, boosting wages and providing substantial contractual improvements for more than 22,000 active members. This achievement is backed by the work of the assigned Vice...
Labor solidarity helps overturn restrictive ban on collective bargaining for public sector unions
In a victory for all of organized labor, the state of Utah has repealed a ban on collective bargaining for public sector workers that went into effect on July 1. While the law did not prevent workers such as teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public...
Please consider extending a helping hand to BLET Division 13 member Josh Bliss
The members of BLET Division 13 in La Crosse, Wisc., are raising awareness for the plight of Brother Josh Bliss. The Vice President of Division 13, Brother Bliss has battled cancer since 2022 but is now at stage four after it has spread from his kidney to his lungs....
Get connected with the BLET!
2026 is gearing up to be a very busy year for the BLET. Make sure you are staying up-to-date with all of the latest BLET news by following us on our website, various social media pages and YouTube. The BLET’s private members-only Facebook group continues to grow. If...
Jeff Thurman sworn in as National Vice President
Jeff Thurman, a member of BLET Division 172 in Fort Worth, Texas), became the newest member of the BLET Advisory Board when he was sworn into office on January 1, 2026. Thurman fills a vacancy on the Advisory Board created by the retirement of Vice President Pete...
Daily Headlines
Smuggling arrest raises questions about Mexican crews moving trains into Texas
Some U.S. workers see Mexican crews bringing trains into South Texas as a threat to American jobs and border security.
Parallel Systems begins testing autonomous cars on G&W short line
The pilot program to evaluate Parallel’s self-propelled container car was launched this week on the Heart of Georgia Railroad
Heartland Flyer service in jeopardy after Texas fails to provide funding
State support for Fort Worth-Oklahoma City not included in $338 billion budget bill
Arbitrator in CPKC, TCRC contract dispute awards 3% raises
Retroactive from Jan. 1, 2024, through Dec. 31, 2027, the new contracts include annual wage increases of 3%.
NJ Transit, BLET reach deal to end 3-day strike
The BLET represents 450 New Jersey Transit engineers who drive the agency’s commuter trains.
BNSF reports Q1 2025 results
Net income rose 6.2%, to $1.2 billion.
CPKC says FRA is open to automated and streamlined track and train inspections
Without a waiver from the FRA, railroads cannot simultaneously scale back the required frequency of visual inspections of track and trains where automated systems are deployed.
CPKC reports Q1 2025 results
Revenues were $3.8 billion in Q1 2025, up from $3.5 billion in Q1 2024.
Norfolk Southern reports Q1 2025 results
NS reported Q1 2025 income of $1.1 billion, an increase from $933 million reported in Q1 2025.
Union Pacific reports Q1 2025 results
Union Pacific reported 2025 first quarter net income of $1.6 billion, which compares to 2024 first quarter net income of $1.6 billion.
