Rail Industry News
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.
Ken Hall retires as General Secretary-Treasurer of the Teamsters
After a decade in office, Ken Hall, General Secretary-Treasurer of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, is retiring upon the completion of his term next Tuesday, March 22, 2022.
PATH’s $1 billion improvement plan set to deliver longer trains, new cars
Before the pandemic turned commuting upside down, PATH embarked on a $1 billion improvement program in June 2019.
BNSF can’t use federal rail law to end truckers’ biometrics class action over fingerprint scans to enter rail yards
A federal judge once again put the brakes on BNSF’s efforts to derail a biometrics class action by invoking the Railroad Safety Act and other federal laws.
CN adapting to huge demand shifts in north/south rail movement
Drought, offshore import shortages, and labor disruptions are among several factors CN Rail is juggling as the railway continues to work in overdrive to ensure products and commodities get to where they need to be.
AAR reports rail traffic for the week ending March 12, 2022
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 496,134 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.7 percent compared with the same week last year.
U.S. railroads report traffic decrease in latest week
U.S. railroads logged a 4.7% decrease in volumes for the week ending March 12 compared with the same period in 2021, according to Association of American Railroads (AAR) data.
CP set to shut down if labor talks fail
CP has issued a 72-hour notice to the TCRC of plans to lock out employees early March 20 if the union’s leadership and the company fail to negotiate a settlement or agree to binding arbitration.
Railroads take pivotal California labor law case to Ninth Circuit
A consortium of railroad operators sued the state of California claiming its 2014 law requiring employers to offer sick leave to workers should not apply to railroads for a variety of reasons.
STB to CP-KCS: Clarify data from proposed merger filings
The STB on March 16 asked merger partners CP and KCS to address an apparent “inconsistency in the calculation of traffic density numbers” that were submitted to the STB and to the STB’s Office of Environmental Analysis regarding their proposed combination.
Metra opposes CP-KCS merger in regulatory filing
Chicago-area commuter rail operator Metra has come out against the Canadian Pacific-Kansas City Southern merger.
Study on creating passenger train system across Tennessee gains Senate support
The study, to be completed by the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR), would be due to the Legislature’s transportation committees by July 1, 2023.
CP will lock out 3,000 engineers and conductors if they don’t have a deal with TCRC by Sunday
Calgary-based CP Rail said in a release Wednesday that it has issued 72-hour notice to the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference of its plan to lock out employees at 00:01 eastern time on March 20 if the union and the company are unable to come to a negotiated settlement or agree to binding arbitration.
Railroads and shippers argue over reciprocal switching proposal
Railroads warn of dire operational consequences and sole-served shippers say they need relief from high rates and poor service.
BNSF, J.B. Hunt agree to expand shipping capacity
Partners J.B. Hunt and BNSF Railway Co. on Wednesday said they plan to add thousands of shipping containers and improve rail equipment at key facilities to address capacity issues in the intermodal marketplace.
Buttigieg discusses Texas high-speed rail project
As more people flock to Texas and its metro areas swell, the state could benefit from robust passenger rail, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday.
Keeping vehicles and people off Brightline tracks
The recent spate of accidents involving humans and vehicles on Brightline’s tracks between West Palm Beach and Miami between November 2021 and February 2022 highlights two of the biggest obstacles facing Brightline’s success as a scheduled, reliable passenger railroad.
TCRC has yet to issue strike notice against CP in Canada
While Canadian Pacific workers in Canada have authorized a strike that could have begun as soon as tonight, their union has yet to provide the 72-hour notice necessary before walking out.
BLET News
Labor Day 2019
By Dennis R. Pierce, BLET National President Unions are an important part of the fabric of our nation and their importance is acknowledged each year on Labor Day. Unionized workers built this great country, including members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.
Two BLET families win 2019 Union Plus scholarships
Union Plus recently awarded $170,000 in scholarships to 108 students representing 34 unions, including two winners from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.
Denson reelected Arkansas State Legislative Board Chairman
Brother D.W. (Wayne) Denson was reelected by acclamation to his second term as Chairman at the Arkansas State Legislative Board’s triennial meeting in North Little Rock, Ark., August 13-14, 2019.
BLET to host Secretary-Treasurer class in December 2019
The BLET Education and Training Department will conduct a training class for Secretary-Treasurers from December 8-13, 2019, at the BLET National Division headquarters in Independence, Ohio.
GTW General Chairman John Karakian elected by acclamation to eighth straight term
General Chairman John M. Karakian was reelected by acclamation to his eighth consecutive term of office at the BLET’s CN-Grand Trunk Western (GTW) General Committee of Adjustment quadrennial meeting in Novi, Mich., on August 14, 2019.
RRB announces fall/winter 2019 Pre-Retirement Seminars
The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has announced is schedule of Pre-Retirement Seminars for September-December 2019.
Four rail hazmat training classes available in late 2019, early 2020
The Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program is hosting four rail worker training sessions in late 2019 and early 2020. The dates are as follows: October 20-25, 2019; January 12-17, 2020; February 2-7, 2020; and March 15-20, 2020.
Illinois governor signs two-person crew bill
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a two-person crew bill into law on August 9, becoming the third state to pass such a railroad safety bill in 2019.
Overwhelming majority ratifies new contract with SEPTA
By an overwhelming majority of more than 96 percent, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) ratified a new contract with SEPTA on July 30.
Teamster 2020 survey to identify top issues
Working Americans are facing numerous challenges. Despite top line economic numbers that may look favorable, many workers’ paychecks are not growing. Add to that concerns surrounding pensions and health care benefits, and uncertainty looms for the U.S. middle class.
