CLEVELAND, May 12 — In comments to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regarding its preliminary National Rail Plan, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen declared its support for the plan envisioned by the FRA, but demanded that jobs created under the Plan must go to America’s railroad workers.
“The workers currently employed by our nation’s railroads are among the most highly trained and skilled employees in the world,” National President Paul Sorrow said. “They are entitled to a safe work environment and the National Rail Plan should not interfere with their ability to keep and expand their work.”
The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA) directed the FRA Administrator to develop a Preliminary National Rail Plan (PNRP or Preliminary Plan) to address the rail needs of the Nation. The PRIIA also directed FRA to provide assistance to States in developing their State rail plans in order to ensure that the Federal long-range National Rail Plan is consistent with approved State rail plans.
The Preliminary Plan lays the groundwork for developing policies to improve the U.S. transportation system. Its goals are: to improve safety, to foster livable communities, to increase the economic competitiveness of the United States, and to promote sustainable transportation. A copy of the Preliminary Plan is available at:
http://www.fra.dot.gov/Downloads/RailPlanPrelim10-15.pdf
“The BLET urges FRA to require the jobs covered by the National Rail Plan be safeguarded for railroad workers, and ensure these workers are protected by federal laws relating to railroad workers, including the Railway Labor Act, Railroad Retirement Act and the Federal Employers Liability Act,” wrote BLET Vice President and National Legislative Representative John Tolman in Brotherhood’s written comments on the Plan.
“The BLET supports the goals set forth by the Federal Railroad Administration in developing a National Rail Plan. Its inclusion in the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act is consistent with the desire by the BLET for long-term planning and financing of passenger rail by federal, state and local governments.”
The FRA announced that it will hold five public outreach meetings to solicit input to support further development of the nation’s first National Rail Plan. The dates and locations for the meetings are as follows:
May 19 — Kansas City, MO
May 20 — Atlanta, GA
May 26 — New York, NY
June 3 — Salt Lake City, UT
June 4 — Portland, OR
A copy of the BLET’s comments submitted to the DOT Docket Clerk regarding this issue is available for download from the BLET website at:
https://www.ble-t.org/pr/pdf/national_rail_plan_comments.pdf