WASHINGTON, D.C., September 24 — Our Brothers and Sisters at the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED) of the Teamsters Rail Conference, who build and maintain railroad tracks and bridges, are forced to endure inhumane living conditions if they work at Norfolk Southern railroad. Norfolk Southern is the only railroad corporation in the United States that still houses maintenance of way workers in camp cars. Yet, Norfolk Southern Supervisors of maintenance crews are given individual rooms in nearby motels.
Every other Class I rail road maintenance crews are also housed in nearby motels. Only Norfolk Southern continues the inhumane practice of housing workers in cramped, filthy camp cars, with no indoor toilets.
View this video to see for yourself the disgusting conditions these proud workers have to live.
The camp cars of Norfolk Southern house up to eight men per car, giving each worker approximately 50 square feet of space, per person, less than a cell at a Supermax prison, which has 84 square feet per person. Plus, the jail cell comes with an indoor toilet.
Now, the lobbyists of Norfolk Southern are pounding the pavement on Capitol Hill, trying to convince lawmakers to strip out language in House Bill 2095, the 2007 Rail Security Bill. The bill currently contains language that eliminates camp cars.
Let’s fight to keep the elimination of camp cars in the House bill. Send a letter, asking your representative to help get rid of those disgusting and degrading Northern Southern camp cars now!
You can take action on this alert via the web here.
If you haven’t yet, please sign up for Teamster Alerts at http://www.teamster.org/ Look for the sign-up box at TEAMSTERS TAKE ACTION form on the top, right side of the home page.
We encourage you to take action by October 31, 2007.
TELL NORFOLK SOUTHERN – TEAR DOWN THOSE CAMP CARS