Rail Industry News
CN paid top executives big bonuses last year, first time since 2018
CEO JJ Ruest received a bonus of $2.32-million in 2021 as part of a total compensation package of $13.55-million.
Indiana fire chief calls out NS, says blocked crossings a safety issue
Elkhart County Commissioner Brad Rogers and Jackson Township Fire Chief Bill Dunlap issued a joint statement Monday and said the issue of blocked crossings has become a very real public safety hazard as emergency vehicles are now forced to divert around blocked crossings on an increasing basis.
Rail unions refusing advance payments in favor of a new deal
All the major railroads now plan to offer their employees up to $600 a month in advance of raises they expect to pay once the current two-year-old national contract talks are eventually settled. But a coalition of unions that represents more than 105,000 railroad workers said Monday they’ll refuse the payments partly because workers would be on the hook to repay some of the money if the eventual raises aren’t big enough to cover the payments. The unions want the National Carriers’ Conference Committee that represents more than 30 railroads to negotiate a contract instead.
UP defends PSR amid service struggles
Service issues Union Pacific experienced in the first quarter weren’t due to precision scheduled railroading but to crew shortages, executives told investors during UP’s first-quarter 2022 earnings call Thursday.
STB eyes emergency service rules revision
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) is seeking comments by May 23 on a proposal to amend its emergency service regulations “to provide relief for shippers in situations that require immediate relief.”
U.S. Supreme Court to weigh states’ jurisdiction over out-of-state companies
The court on Monday granted a petition for review by Virginia resident Robert Mallory, who is seeking to revive a lawsuit against his former employer, Virginia-based Norfolk Southern Railway Co, claiming he developed colon cancer because of asbestos exposure on the job.
Houston businesses say blocked train crossings are costing them money and customers
The problem is so dire that on Thursday evening, the East End Chamber organized a community meeting bringing together representatives from Union Pacific, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, and lots of upset residents as well as business owners.
Union Pacific EVP Rocker sells $1 million in company stock
Union Pacific Co. EVP Kenyatta G. Rocker sold 4,018 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, April 21. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.00, for a total transaction of $1,004,500.00.
Lawsuit takes aim against Union Pacific after cancer-causing chemicals found in Houston’s Fifth Ward
A draft to take a company to court brings mixed feelings to Kashmere Gardens neighbors looking to break the cycle of health problems.
Q&A: Railroad Retirement age reductions
While railroad employees with less than 30 years of service may retire at age 62, their railroad retirement benefits are subject to early retirement (“age”) reductions if they retire before attaining their full retirement age.
BLET ad takes aim at BNSF, UP leadership ahead of stockholder meetings
In a reflection of escalating tension between Class I railroads and their union workers — both as national contract negotiations drag on and because of friction arising from Precision Scheduled Railroading — the BLET has taken out a newspaper ad aimed at shareholders of Union Pacific and BNSF Railway parent Berkshire Hathaway.
CSX Q1 2022 earnings soar despite lower volume
CSX’s first-quarter 2022 financials included whopping increases of 21% in net earnings and 26% in diluted earnings per share, despite a drop in volume.
CSX announces Q1 2022 financial results
Revenue reached $3.41 billion for the quarter, increasing 21% year-over-year, as an overall revenue-per-unit increase of 24% more than offset a 2% decline in volume.
UP, CSX aim to solve workforce woes to move petroleum, coal and more
Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz said: “Shame on us. We did not have the crew availability for when something went wrong.”
AAR reports rail traffic for the week ending April 16, 2022
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 489,801 carloads and intermodal units, down 8.1 percent compared with the same week last year.
Analysis: Let the railroad service blame game begin
Executives from the big four U.S. railroads — BNSF Railway, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific — will take turns in the hot seat next week during two days of Surface Transportation Board hearings on widespread service problems.
BNSF, FRA automated track inspection dispute in federal court
BNSF has filed a Petition for Review with the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, naming the Federal Railroad Administration, FRA Administrator Amit Bose and the USDOT, of the FRA’s March 21, 2022 order (Docket Number FRA-2020-0064 – Request to Expand Automated Track Inspection Program) denying BNSF’s request “to expand an existing waiver of certain requirements of 49 C.F.R. § 213.233 to permit BNSF to broaden its implementation of automated track inspection technologies.”
SMART-TD agrees to “advance payments” from CSX
CSX also said it “notified its other labor organization representatives that it intends to reach agreements to provide identical payments to all unionized employees.”
Union Pacific reports first quarter 2022 results
Union Pacific Corporation today reported 2022 first quarter net income of $1.6 billion, or $2.57 per diluted share. This compares to 2021 first quarter net income of $1.3 billion, or $2.00 per diluted share.
Union Pacific says track congestion hurting ability to meet demand
Total operating revenue in the quarter rose to $5.86 billion, from $5 billion last year.
BLET News
Two-person crew bill passes Wyoming House; goes to Senate
The state of Wyoming’s House of Representatives passed a bill today requiring a minimum crew size. House Bill No. HB0079 would require two crewmembers in the cab of locomotives throughout the state, and would establish financial penalties of up to $10,000 for railroads that willfully violate the proposed law. The bill now moves on to the State Senate.
2020 spouse eligibility audit is in progress now; Your response needed by March 31, 2020
Beginning January 1, 2020, The Railroad Employees National Health and Welfare (GA-23000) Plan and the National Railway Carriers and United Transportation Union (NRC/UTU) Health and Welfare (GA-690100) Plan (collectively, the “Plans”) began conducting a spouse eligibility audit, administered by Railroad Enrollment Services. The purpose of this audit is to ensure that only eligible spouses are covered by the Plans. As part of this audit, employees are required to submit documentation verifying that they are still married to the spouse listed in the Plans’ records.
SMART-TD President’s Message: Facing crew challenges, SMART-TD and BLET will act in solidarity
The following statement by SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson was published on February 20, 2020.
BLET reaches tentative agreement with Delaware & Hudson
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative agreement with the Delaware & Hudson Railway (D&H). Ballots have been mailed to active members of the BLET employed by the D&H who are eligible to vote in the ratification of this agreement.
DOT clarifies marijuana testing rule
Please read the below notice from DOT regarding Cannabidiol (CBD), a naturally occurring substance found in cannabis derived from the hemp plant. The notice also can be accessed as a PDF file via the link at the end of this News Flash.
Nebraska SLB Town Hall Meeting to be Held on February 23rd, 2020
In conjunction with the Nebraska State Legislative Board’s Quadrennial Convention, there will be a Town Hall on Sunday February 23rd, 2020 at 6:30pm at The Embassy Suites Hotel, 1040 P Street, Lincoln, NE 68508.
BLET President’s Message: A look back at 2019, gearing up for 2020
By Dennis R. Pierce, BLET National President The following message from BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce has been excerpted from the January 2020 issue of the Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen News.
BLET members ratify new contract with Great Western Railway
By a unanimous vote, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with the Great Western Railway of Colorado (GWR).
RRB announces 2020 Pre-Retirement Seminars
The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has announced is schedule of Pre-Retirement Seminars for 2020.
BLET pursues two-person crew bill in New York
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) is mobilizing its members in the State of New York to lobby in favor of a statewide two-person crew bill. Earlier this month, Senate Bill S7151 was introduced by Sen. Timothy M. Kennedy (D-63) and a companion bill, A9090, was introduced in the State Assembly by Assemblyman William Magnarelli (D-129).
