Rail Industry News
Unions turn to arbitration in dispute over BNSF attendance policy
BNSF’s two largest unions will ask an arbitrator to throw out the railroad’s strict new attendance policy instead of appealing a court order preventing them from striking.
North American rail volume down 4% through first 11 weeks of 2022
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) now has 11 weeks of rail traffic data for 2022 (ending March 19).
CSX asks STB to toss NS request for trackage rights over CPKC
CSX contends that the NS-KCS Meridian Speedway joint venture unfairly restricts rail competition, which raises antitrust concerns.
TTD applauds DOT’s announcement of $2.9 billion in federal funding for major infrastructure projects
Major infrastructure projects, which are often multi-modal and multi-jurisdictional, are long overdue and desperately needed.
Wabtec to modernize 330 NS locomotives
Wabtec Corporation announced today an additional multi-year order from Norfolk Southern to modernize 330 locomotives as part of its continued partnership.
O’Brien-Zuckerman, IBT General Executive Board begin five-year term
Sean M. O’Brien was sworn in today as the new General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman and the newly-elected General Executive Board also took the oath of office.
CP Rail implies workers are overpaid, but its CEO’s pay has increased 920%
After threatening to lock-out workers last week CP Rail claimed that average compensation for its employees increased 43% between 2007 and 2020. But according to 2020 shareholder reports, the CP Rail CEO’s total compensation increased by 920% during the same time period – from $1.8 million in 2007 to $16.8 million in 2020.
Workers back on the job after TCRC, CP Rail agree to binding arbitration
CP Rail and TCRC announced Tuesday that they have agreed to final and binding arbitration to end a work stoppage that began on the weekend.
Two years after COVID, Amtrak lags, VIA rail hopes
Amtrak’s service recovery has stalled, while VIA Rail is looking forward to something of a comeback under difficult circumstances later this spring; a comeback that has already begun in part.
UP train derails in county where most U.S. derailments have happened since 2019
A UP train derailed in San Bernardino County, Calif., on March 21, and the area could be considered the most dangerous when it comes to these types of rail accidents in the country
Iowa towns negotiate with CP over train traffic
Cities along the Mississippi River and CP officials are talking about ways to measure and address the impact of its proposed merger with KCS.
Judge won’t dismiss BNSF lawsuit claiming illegal sewer tax by town of Cicero
The town of Cicero, Illinois, can’t derail a lawsuit brought by BNSF accusing Cicero of illegally attempting to tax and interfere with rail service.
Work stoppage at Canadian Pacific is over
The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) and Canadian Pacific (CP) have agreed to final and binding arbitration. In such a process, both parties agree to accept the arbitrator’s decision as final.
Investigation finds “near-urgent” track defect went unrepaired before CN derailment
A “near-urgent” track defect was detected but not repaired several days prior to the June 2021 derailment of a Canadian National train at a remote location on the railroad’s Chetwynd Subdivision in British Columbia, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada said in an investigation report released Monday.
House transportation committee mourns death of former chair Don Young
U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) members late last week expressed their sympathies upon learning that former committee Chair U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) died on March 18. He was 8
Quad-City river towns continue to negotiate with CP over impacts of KCS merger
The consolidation could triple the train traffic in the Iowa Quad-Cities.
1 injured after UP train derails east of Los Angeles
A Union Pacific freight train carrying lumber derailed in Southern California on Monday, sending 13 rail cars and three locomotives off the tracks. A contractor who was helping with cleanup efforts was injured
Work stoppage at CP in Canada
Shortly before the lockout was announced, the Teamsters Union expressed its desire to continue bargaining. Unfortunately, the employer chose to put the Canadian supply chain and tens of thousands of jobs at risk.
CP work stoppage could hit U.S. agriculture
Canadian Pacific covers much of the U.S. Midwest and is a large shipper of potash and fertilizer for agriculture. It also carries grain from the U.S. to its northern neighbor for domestic use and exports.
Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa retires
The accomplished era of James P. Hoffa as General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters is coming to an end on Tuesday when he retires from the union after 23 years as its top leader.
BLET News
Semenek reelected to third full term as CP Rail General Chairman
General Chairman Peter M. Semenek was reelected by acclamation at the CP Rail-U.S./Metra Northern District/Indiana Southern/Dakota Minnesota & Eastern General Committee of Adjustment’s quadrennial meeting in Las Vegas, June 10-11, 2019.
Urgent: Act Now On Two-Person Train Crews, Mexican Cross-Border Issue!
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) is urging all members to contact their Representatives and Senators in Congress to support the union’s two most pressing legislative issues: two-person train crews and foreign crews operating trains into the United States at the southern U.S./Mexican border.
BLET kicks off Clearwater regional meeting
More than 300 members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and their families convened here this morning for opening ceremonies of the BLET’s second regional meeting of 2019.
Fleischmann elected New York State Legislative Board Chairman
Brother William J. Fleischmann, BLET Division 752 (Rensselaer, N.Y.), was elected by acclamation to serve as Chairman of the New York State Legislative Board at its quadrennial meeting in Lake George, N.Y., July 12-13, 2019.
Victory in New Jersey
Rail Labor scored a major victory for railroad workers in New Jersey on June 26 when Governor Phil Murphy signed the “New Jersey Transit Corporation Employee Protection Act” into law. The law prohibits NJ Transit from asserting sovereign immunity to escape rail worker lawsuits under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) and other federal rail statutes.
BLET kicks off St. Louis regional meeting
More than 300 members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and their families convened here on the morning of June 25 for opening ceremonies of the BLET’s first regional meeting of 2019.
Two-person crew bill (S. 1979) introduced in United States Senate
A two-person crew bill was introduced in the United States Senate on June 26. The Safe Freight Act (S. 1979), a companion bill to H.R. 1748 in the U.S. House of Representatives, would promote rail safety by mandating at least two-person crews on all freight trains in the United States. The bill was introduced by Senators Edward J. Ma
BLET members ratify new contract with M&NA short line
On June 20, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with the Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad. The agreement runs through 2023 and provides for improved wages and benefits for approximately 70 operating employees. Members will receive a signing bonus as well as a significant wage increase upfront and through the life of the contract. Most significantly, the agreement contains no harmful work rule changes to either the engineer or trainman crafts.
BLET reaches tentative contract with SEPTA
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) has reached a tentative agreement with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) governing rates of pay and benefits for more than 200 locomotive engineers.
Rail safety expert to address BLET members
A safety expert in the field of workplace distraction will address members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) during the closed portion of its St. Louis regional meeting on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 25.
