Daily Headlines
STB to UP: Employment data must be public; Ancora responds to Oberman’s criticism
The Surface Transportation Board denied Union Pacific Railroad’s request to keep certain required, temporary employment-data reporting confidential.
Berkshire boosts pay of Warren Buffett successor to $20 million
Berkshire Hathaway said Warren Buffett raised the pay of his designated successor Greg Abel to $20 million last year, as the conglomerate posted a record operating profit.
A year after CPKC merger, Chicago-area mayors see more frequent and longer trains
One year into a hotly contested railroad merger, suburban leaders report lengthy and more frequent freight trains, and they’re preparing for a future deluge.
Ancora’s safety white paper can’t withstand a simple fact check: Analysis
Ancora is stuck on the misinformation highway with a safety white paper that makes several claims that can’t hold up to scrutiny.
Judge allows East Palestine residents lawsuit against Norfolk Southern to proceed
A class action suit accusing Norfolk Southern of negligence over the train derailment that released toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, last year can go forward, a federal judge determined Wednesday.
AAR reports rail traffic for the week ending March 9, 2024
Total carloads for the week ending March 9 were 214,585 carloads, down 3.7 percent compared with the same week in 2023, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 258,077 containers and trailers, up 13.5 percent compared to 2023.
Union Pacific CEO defends safety practices without mentioning key critic
Jim Vena’s opening remarks Wednesday at the J.P. Morgan 2024 Industrials Conference could easily be seen as a rebuttal to one man: Amit Bose, the chairman of the Federal Railroad Administration.
Buttigieg scolds railroads for not doing more to improve safety since East Palestine
In a new letter to the freight railroads’ main trade group, Buttigieg said too often regulators encounter resistance when trying to get the industry to do more to improve safety.
BNSF eliminates management jobs amid uncertain freight outlook
BNSF Railway eliminated several hundred management positions at its headquarters and across the system last week as part of a belt-tightening move.
Are railroad layoffs compromising safety and service?
Recent layoffs by Class 1 railroads Union Pacific (UP) and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) have not only raised alarms that safety may be compromised but shippers are complaining service has been poor. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recently weighed in.
Va. governor vetoes bill requiring two crew members on trains
Virginia’s legislative effort to require two crew members on all trains died after the governor vetoed the legislation on Friday.
Bill to end cuts to railroad unemployment insurance advances in Senate
The Senate Budget Committee has unanimously voted to advance a bill that would permanently exempt railroad workers’ unemployment and sickness insurance benefits from sequestration cuts, and end current cuts.
More BNSF employees laid off in Lincoln in second round of furloughs
More BNSF workers in Lincoln may have lost their jobs after another round of furloughs were announced. At least 10 conductors were set to be furloughed from their positions in Lincoln on Wednesday.
Vent and burn of tank cars in East Palestine was not justified, NTSB testifies
The decision to blow open five tank cars and burn the toxic chemical inside them after a freight train derailed in Eastern Ohio last year wasn’t justified, the head of the National Transportation Safety Board told Congress Wednesday.
NTSB needs more funding for rail and air safety probes, chair says
The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board will tell the Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday the agency needs more funding and warn cuts could put probes into aviation and rail accidents at risk.
NS alone should pay for cleanup of East Palestine derailment, judge says
Norfolk Southern alone will be responsible for paying for the cleanup after last year’s fiery train derailment in eastern Ohio, a federal judge ruled. The decision issued March 6 threw out the railroad’s claim that the companies that made chemicals that spilled and owned tank cars that ruptured should share the cost of the cleanup.
NTSB investigating collision, derailment involving three NS trains in Pa.
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board continued work Sunday to determine why three freight trains collided and derailed near Steel City, Pa., on March 2.
Latest freight railroad layoffs and Wall Street pressure renew concerns about safety and service
The latest rail layoffs this week, combined with an investment fund’s ongoing campaign for control of Norfolk Southern, are renewing concerns among unions and regulators about the effects all the cuts might have on safety and service.
Mass furloughs reported at BNSF operations in 4 states
The furloughs were announced Tuesday, with 362 workers reportedly losing their jobs, according to the Transportation Trades Department (TTD) with the AFL-CIO.
Rail safety bill heads to governor’s desk in Virginia
As the federal government considers requiring two crew members on all trains, similar legislation to increase rail safety statewide passed both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly.
BLET News
“No one should die at work,” VP Verna tells House rail safety roundtable
On March 13, the House Transportation & Infrastructure Rail Subcommittee hosted a roundtable discussion to examine safety issues in the railroad industry. BLET Vice President & National Legislative Representative Vince Verna represented BLET. During his...
Get Involved: Unions are Not a Spectator Sport
This fall, the BLET will hold elections for all Local Division Offices. The process kicks off with nominations being held at each Division’s first regular meeting in September. All eligible members are encouraged to run for office. The IBT Constitution provides that...
End of An Era: Amtrak General Chairman Mark Kenny retires
Division 11 Member Mark B. Kenny retired on December 31, 2023, bringing an end to more than a quarter century as Chairman of the Amtrak/KCS/VRE/Caltrain General Committee of Adjustment. Brother Kenny was elected to seven consecutive terms as General Chairman (1998,...
Registration now open for BLET’s Kansas City regional meeting
Registration is now open for the BLET’s Western Regional Meeting, which will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, the week of June 3, 2024. Guests will stay at the Marriott Kansas City Downtown (200 West 12th St., Kansas City, MO, 65105, telephone: (816) 421-6800)....
Arkansas: BLET members ratify new contract with Missouri & Northern Arkansas
On March 20, a majority of BLET members ratified a new contract with the Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad (M&NA) by a vote of 42-10. The on-property agreement governs rates of pay, benefits, and work rules for approximately 57 operating employees. The...
Utah: BLET members ratify new agreement with Utah Railway
BLET members ratified a new five-year contract with the Utah Railway on March 20. The agreement was ratified by a vote of 30-6. It governs rates of pay, benefits and work rules for approximately 42 operating employees. General wage increases will total 41% (46.7%...
BLET mourns the sudden loss of D.C. Office staffer Carlos Barrett Sr.
The BLET and IBT family were shocked and heartbroken by the sudden passing of Carlos Barrett Sr, who was tragically killed on March 15 in a hit-and-run accident in Prince George’s County, Maryland. He has worked as the Administrative Assistant at the BLET National...
Annual meeting: BLET General Chairmen’s Association
The BLET’s National General Chairmen’s Association (NGCA) held its annual meeting at BLET National Division Headquarters on March 20. The General Chairmen exchanged important information regarding the upcoming round of national contract negotiations and conducted...
New Jersey: Ray Vigil reelected State Legislative Board Chairman
Brother Ray Vigil was reelected Chairman at the New Jersey State Legislative Board’s quadrennial meeting on March 12, 2024. A Norfolk Southern locomotive engineer, Brother Vigil is a member of BLET Division 226 (Newark, N.J.). He was elected 1st Vice Chairman in 2020,...
Celebrating Women’s History Month: Eliza Murfey invented early train axle lubrication technology
Eliza Murfey was an 1800s American inventor who focused on the mechanics of railroads. She created a device, called packing, that was used to lubricate a train’s axles with oil. This helped to reduce derailments caused by seized axles, an important safety innovation....
