BLET News
BLET members ratify new contract with CSXT
Today, BLET members ratified a new five-year contract with CSX Transportation, which governs nearly 3,500 members. Ballots were counted this afternoon, and the agreement was ratified by a 53.6% majority of those who returned ballots. The contract provides compounded...
BLET members ratify agreement with NJ Transit
“…fair and acceptable.” Deal ends five-year contract battle. Voting concluded today for members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) for a new collective bargaining agreement with NJ Transit (NJT), the nation’s third largest commuter...
BLET asks Trump administration to intervene in ongoing cross border issue with Mexico
BLET leadership traveled to the southern U.S. border in Texas in late-May. ____________________ In a June 2 letter, BLET National President Mark Wallace asked U.S. President Donald J. Trump to take “immediate and decisive action” to help protect national security and...
Our History: Remembering contributions of railroad workers on the 81st anniversary of D-Day
Troops of Company A, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division (the Big Red One) wading onto the Fox Green section of Omaha Beach on the morning of June 6, 1944. Photo: Chief Photographer’s Mate Robert F. Sargent via Wikipedia ____________________ June 6, 2025 marks the...
Eliminating brake and mechanical inspections at the border with Mexico takes work away from U.S. citizens, puts lives at risk
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) solicited public feedback on possible federal safety regulations that could be repealed or modified to achieve “meaningful burden reduction while continuing to meet statutory obligations and ensure the...
Ohio State Legislative Board: Three honored at 2025 Founders Day dinner
From left: Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan, Aaron Barlage and Tom Galloway were all honored at the Ohio SLB Founders Day dinner. ____________________ The BLET’s Ohio State Legislative Board hosted a Founders Day dinner on May 8 in recognition of the BLET’s 162nd...
Add your voice: Help protect the U.S. southern border and save American rail jobs, BLET jobs
As previously reported, two Class I railroads —Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and Union Pacific (UP) — are advancing plans to take jobs away from American train crews by bringing trains operated by Mexican nationals from Mexico into the United States. Not only...
Kevin Sexton sworn in as National Vice President on June 1
Kevin Sexton, a member of BLET Division 269 in Long Island, N.Y., became the BLET’s newest National Vice President when he was sworn into office on Sunday, June 1. Sexton fills a vacancy on the Advisory Board created by the retirement of Eddie Hall in May. Sexton was...
Examining the BLET’s New Jersey Transit Strike
On May 18, the BLET and NJ Transit reached a tentative agreement to end a three-day strike at the nation’s third-largest commuter railroad, which affected 350,000 riders across the Garden State and into New York City. Balloting is now underway as BLET’s 450 members...
Attention members at NJT, CSX and TASI: Please call the National Division if you haven’t received your ballot by June 3
The BLET has mailed ballots to members at three different railroads — New Jersey Transit, CSX Transportation, and TASI (Caltrain) — for voting on tentative agreements. Members at all three railroads who are eligible and have not received a ratification packet by...
David Fink, nominee to lead FRA, tells Senate he will support two-person crew regulation
David Fink responds to questions during the Senate Commerce Committee's confirmation hearing on May 13. ____________________ David Fink, the Trump administration’s nominee as Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), testified that he would support...
AAR’s de-regulatory effort puts lives at risk as rail industry asks feds to overturn two-person crew rule
Aerial footage showing the aftermath of the Lac-Megantic rail disaster. (Photo: Ministry of Public Security (Quebec) ____________________ Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) solicited public feedback on possible federal safety regulations...
Education and Training: Legislative Reps sharpen their skills in Washington, D.C.
The BLET Education & Training Department wrapped up its Legislative Representative Workshop in mid-May at Teamsters headquarters in Washington, D.C. The workshop for BLET Legislative Representatives (LRs) taught them how to become better lobbyists on behalf of the...
Best steps to the plate as BLET’s new First Vice President
BLET First Vice President Gary Best is a third-generation locomotive engineer. ____________________ Gary Best stands ready to serve the BLET and its members. His term as First Vice President, the union’s second-highest national office, began on May 1, 2025. “The BLET,...
Transit supporters pack the statehouse in Harrisburg in effort to prevent deep cuts at SEPTA
Don Hill, the BLET General Chairman at SEPTA, says the cuts, if allowed to go through, would be an embarrassment to all Pennsylvanians at a time when the nation is celebrating its 250th anniversary with the focus on Philadelphia and major sporting events are being hosted in the city, including the FIFA World Cup.
Cory Runion reelected Chairman of Wyoming SLB
Cory Runion was reelected to his fifth term as Chairman of the Wyoming SLB at triennial meeting in April.
Jeff Thurman reelected General Chairman of BNSF (former SLSF) GCA
Jeff Thurman was reelected by acclamation to his fourth term as General Chairman of the BNSF (former SLSF)/MNA General Committee of Adjustment (GCA) at the GCA’s quadrennial meeting on May 14, 2025.
Strike ends as BLET, NJ Transit reach tentative agreement
This afternoon, May 18, the BLET and NJ Transit reached a tentative agreement, ending a strike that began Friday.
BLET is sounding the alarm — Your help is needed to protect the U.S. southern border and to save American rail jobs
Please visit the Take Action area of the BLET National Division website. Once there, the site will provide guidance on how you and other BLET activists can connect with the appropriate member of Congress including and, with a few clicks, send a message pushing back against these job and safety giveaways.
NJT LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS ON STRIKE
In accordance with the terms of the Railway Labor Act, NJ Transit’s 450 engineers and trainees will be on strike starting Friday, May 16.
Daily Headlines
CPKC reports Q4, full-year 2024 results
For the full year 2024, the railroad reported that its operating ratio decreased by 60 basis points to 64.4 percent from 65.0 percent in 2023.
Union Pacific reports Q4, full-year 2024 results
The company repurchased 6.3 million shares of stock in 2024 at an aggregate cost of $1.5 billion.
CSX reports Q4, full-year 2024 results
Revenue for the full year totaled $14.54 billion in 2024.
Onboard workers at Brightline vote to join TWU
The TWU victory comes after an aggressive anti-union campaign by the privately-owned company.
New NJ Transit head tells union he’s ready to bargain as strike deadline looms
Kris Kolluri, the new head of NJ Transit, is imploring the union that represents locomotive engineers to come to the table before a possible strike in March.
Shift to remote-controlled dams, trains raises unions’ concerns
But the lack of clarity surrounding training, or how the equipment would provide “equivalent levels of safety for workers who perform duties around or adjacent ” to the train cars, or the surrounding community and pedestrians, has drawn opposition from unions.
A 60-day pre-strike period kicks in as engineers, NJ Transit negotiate pay hikes
And a 60-day countdown has begun before a possible strike could start.
Appeals court blocks rule allowing movement of LNG by rail
Environmental groups asserted that “the amount of energy contained in 22 tank cars of LNG would be equal to that of the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, during World War II.”
January 19 ceremony to honor UP workers who died in Pecos derailment
The ceremony will take place at the West of the Pecos Museum at 4 p.m.
DOT announces over $1.1 billion in new grants to reduce train-vehicle collisions and blocked rail crossings
The grants for communities in 41 states will fund construction of railroad overpasses and underpasses, helping to reduce the risk of collisions between trains and roadway users and prevent blocked crossings.
