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 does this move by two of the largest railroads directly threaten the jobs of American locomotive engineers, it also undermines critical protections established under U.S. labor and transportation laws. It also poses a threat to border security.
In a disturbing recent development, an employee of Ferromex was arrested and charged with smuggling migrants into the U.S. on freight trains. Ferromex is Mexico’s largest freight railroad and is a partner with Class I freight railroads in the U.S.
Currently, train crews from Mexico are taking trains a few miles inside the border, but how far will they be allowed to go in the future?
All BLET members, regardless of where you live or how far from a national border, need to stand together and let Congress know: “Our national rail system has long served as a backbone of commerce and community across the country. It must not be compromised by efforts to erode labor standards or outsource safety-critical work to foreign labor, especially inside our own borders.”
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.