(The International Brotherhood of Teamsters issued the following press release.)
WASHINGTON — The Teamsters Union and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) today joined forces to draw attention to potential disasters in waiting — unmanned locomotives. Union Pacific and other railroad companies are replacing trained, professional engineers with remote controlled operations, putting communities at risk.
“The government must not ignore public safety and the rights of railroad workers,” said James P. Hoffa, Teamsters General President. “Railroading is a craft, whose professional functions cannot be surrendered to a machine.”
The FBI has warned the public of possible terrorism on the rails, as railroads are major transporters of nuclear waste, hazardous materials and explosive chemicals. In the previous three months alone, accidents on unmanned trains have occurred in New York, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Washington, and Illinois. Railroad companies are operating remote controlled trains despite a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) safety advisory that states:
“FRA had limited data on which to base an objective safety analysis and must therefore proceed prudently.”
“The government says it has limited data on which to act, but that is just wrong,” Hoffa added. “There is plenty of data available, as the string of serious accidents proves. The FRA is supposed to serve as the industry’s watchdog, but their eyes are closed.”
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States and Canada.