Rail Industry News
STB chairman wants NS to explain deteriorating service
Surface Transportation Board Chairman Marty Oberman wants Norfolk Southern to explain how it intends to improve service amid deteriorating performance metrics and rising complaints.
Two hurt in Norfolk Southern derailment in Georgia
According to Norfolk Southern, two crew members riding in the lead locomotive, which overturned along with seven other train cars, were taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries before being released early Sunday morning.
UP employee injured in accident near Houston
Crews in Houston’s east end were called to the scene of a crash involving a train and a semi-truck. A Union Pacific employee on board the train was injured and transported to the hospital.
Fort Worth factory reinvented itself after railroads stopped buying new locomotives
The facility, formerly known as GE Transportation, is one of two in the nation that assembles locomotives.
FRA announces rechartering of RSAC, adding new voting members to increase diversity of perspectives
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced today that the charter of the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) has been renewed for a two-year period.
Major flooding in British Columbia leads to CP, CN track outages
Canadian Pacific and CN have had to suspend service in parts of British Columbia since Nov. 14 after heavy rains, severe flooding and subsequent mudslides wreaked havoc on infrastructure in the province.
Canadian working group responding to B.C. flooding
The governments of Canada and British Columbia have established a joint Supply Chain Recovery Working Group to help restore the flow of goods through the province after devastating floods cut off Vancouver from rail and road service on Nov. 16.
CP aims to restore service in B.C. next week after devastating mudslides
Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. says it plans to restore service on washed-out tracks in southern British Columbia by midweek after torrential rain and mudslides ground train traffic to a standstill.
Teamster members elect new International officers for 2022-2027
The O’Brien-Zuckerman Teamsters United slate has been elected to lead the international union for the next five years.
Hoffa: House passage of Build Back Better Act is a boon for working families
The following is a statement from Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on the House’s approval today of the Build Back Better Act (BBBA), which invests in hardworking Americans by helping them to better support their families.
Mountain railways: Ground zero for Canadian climate change
If there are no atheists in foxholes, then there should now be no climate skeptics left among Canadian railroaders, as they move rapidly on what they do best: rebuild to keep the trains running.
Medicare Part B Premiums for 2022
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that the standard monthly Part B premium will be $170.10 in 2022, an increase of $21.60 from $148.50 in 2021.
Get the latest labor news from the Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters updates the news section of its website each day with the latest regarding the Teamsters, domestic and global labor and trade issues, state and living wage battles, social justice, the War on Workers, and many other important...
Safety Board and CP Rail blocked criminal probe into deadly mountain crash, lawsuit alleges
A lawsuit, filed in Vancouver last week, alleges the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) caved to threats by CP Rail and muzzled its lead investigator in an “elaborate and aggressive” strategy to keep the RCMP from probing the company’s role in the crash.
AAR reports rail traffic for the week ending November 13, 2021
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 502,613 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.7 percent compared with the same week last year.
Bus driver charged after train crashes into school bus in Virginia
Virginia State Police have cited a Rockingham County school bus driver after a train crashed into a bus on Wednesday afternoon.
Flood-damaged Vancouver, southern B.C. railways expected to remain impassable for days
Rail lines owned by Canadian National Railway Co. and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. run along the Fraser River, which spilled its banks and cut off roads, bridges and tracks in this week’s heavy rain and flooding.
CP: Debt offerings for CPKC transaction
In two separate offerings, one in Canada, one in the United States, Canadian Pacific (CP) is issuing several billion dollars in debt to “indirectly fund, in part, the cash consideration required for the acquisition of common and preferred stock of Kansas City Southern (KCS) in connection with the CP-KCS transaction to create Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), North America’s first transnational Class I railroad.
Metra Board approves 2022 budget
The Metra Board of Directors last week approved a 2022 operating budget of $900 million and a 2022 capital program of nearly $261 million.
Federal study highlights Milwaukee and Madison as key hubs in high-speed rail network across Midwest
The Midwest Regional Rail Planning Study mapped out the most promising routes for development over the next 40 years. Madison and Milwaukee stood out to planners as critical links for the success of a line connecting Chicago to the Twin Cities. Madison transportation director Tom Lynch said he would like to see such a line in the Madison area.
BLET News
BLET’s DC State Legislative Board concludes 4th Quadrennial Meeting
On July 25, 2017, the BLET’s District of Columbia State Legislative Board held its 4th Quadrennial Meeting at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Keith Kerley elected by acclamation to serve as CSXT-Western Lines General Chairman
Keith Kerley was elected by acclamation to serve as General Chairman of the BLET’s CSXT Western Lines General Committee of Adjustment at the GCA’s quadrennial meeting in Gatlinburg, Tenn., on July 19, 2017.
RRB announces dates of fall informational conferences, pre-retirement seminars
The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has announced a schedule of dates for the agency’s fall 2017 informational conferences and pre-retirement seminars.
BLET Education & Training Dept. announces Training Schedule for Fall 2017
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen’s Education & Training Department is announcing its Fall Training Schedule for 2017, and all officers and members are encouraged to register as soon as possible.
Bartela appointed BLET Special Representative
Richard C. Bartela Jr., a member of BLET Division 382 (Buffalo, N.Y.), has been appointed as a Special Representative by BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce effective July 1, 2017.
Last call for Myrtle Beach regional meeting
The deadline to register for rooms has been extended from July 14 to July 20 for those interested in attending the BLET’s regional meeting in Myrtle Beach, S.C., August 14-18, 2017.
National negotiations update: Coordinated Bargaining Group Unions say contract negotiations take a “step backwards”
As part of our ongoing effort to conclude national contract negotiations, the Coordinated Bargaining Group (CBG) met with the nation’s freight rail Carriers (NCCC) for three days during the week of June 26th. These efforts were part of our ongoing mediation process, mandated by the Railway Labor Act when the parties have been unable to reach a voluntary agreement, and managed by the National Mediation Board.
Members ratify first-ever union contract with WNYP
In late May, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) achieved a significant milestone with the ratification of their first-ever union contract with the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad. It was ratified by an overwhelming majority of those casting a ballot.
New accidental death and dismemberment insurance benefits provided by BLET
The BLET National Division provides all active and retired members with an Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) benefit at no cost to the member. The National Division is pleased to announce that as of June 1, 2017, this benefit is now being provided through Berkley Accident and Health Insurance Company, a top-rated insurer with an AM Best Financial Strength Rating of A+ (Superior). As of July 1, 2017, the $4,000 AD&D policy previously provided by the BLET, through American Income Life (AIL), will be terminated.
BLET members vote to authorize strike at Wheeling & Lake Erie
One hundred percent of voting BLET members working for the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway (WLE) have voted in favor of withdrawing from service should the union and the railroad fail to reach an agreement to settle their contract dispute under processes set forth in the Railway Labor Act (RLA).
