Rail Industry News
AAR: Carloads up, intermodal down for week ending September 17
While U.S. carloads rose for Week 37 (ending Sept. 17, 2022), intermodal volume fell, bringing total traffic down compared with the same week last year, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on Sept. 21.
BNSF says it can’t be sued by Amtrak crash victims
BNSF Railway has asked a federal court to rule that those who have sued over the June derailment of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief must settle matters through arbitration rather than lawsuits, and asked that state suits be placed on hold while the arbitration question is decided at the federal level.
UP to announce Q3 2022 results on October 20
Union Pacific Corporation will release third quarter 2022 financial and operating results on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022, at 7:45 a.m. ET.
Chicago’s CREATE lands $70 million federal grant for Westside project
Chicago’s CREATE Program will receive $70 million in federal funding for a $170 million project to modernize a 2-mile stretch of Union Pacific track on the city’s west side, the partners in the Chicago Region Environment and Transportation Efficiency Program have announced.
Class Is log U.S. employment surge for August 2022
Year over year, the number of transportation (train and engine) employees was up 3.5%.
Coal mining companies complain about rail service, particularly in the East
Mines have had to curtail production due to poor rail service that’s only getting worse even as demand for coal rises, the National Mining Association told the Surface Transportation Board in a letter last week.
Business groups take aim at chronic rail disruptions
But business groups argue that there is more to be done to address poor rail service, which they say has magnified red-hot inflation.
1,000 Teamsters rally at Amazon HQ to call out company for exploiting workers, harming communities
One thousand Teamsters and local community supporters held a massive rally today outside of Amazon’s corporate headquarters in Seattle to demand the company end its union busting tactics and dangerous labor practices. The rally coincided with the Teamsters Women’s Conference, being held in Seattle this week.
NTSB releases preliminary report on fatal UP accident in August 2022
A preliminary report has been issued regarding the deadly train derailment in the Lower Valley in August.
UP conductor alleges he suffered injuries during transport to train
He claims the Union Pacific employee driving the transport, failed to wait for a train to clear the vehicle crossing, reversed course and went around the train and slammed into a telephone/light pole.
There may not be a strike at freight railroads, but the service is still terrible
The fact that there is not a freight railroad strike happening this week is a huge win for the US economy and its still struggling supply chain.
As stopgap to relieve crew shortages, CSX seeks transfers to Water Level Route terminals
In system notices sent last week, CSX said it was seeking train and engine crews to temporarily transfer to Buffalo, Syracuse, and Selkirk, N.Y., as well as West Springfield, Mass., and Philadelphia.
Rail customers ask Congress to reauthorize STB
Although they welcomed the new tentative agreement between the railroads and labor unions, the industry’s customers are calling on Congress to help resolve other freight-rail problems that continue to harm the U.S. economy and prolong the U.S. supply-chain crisis.
Opinion: Cheap at twice the price
And I think railroad management has to recognize the bargain it gets, and adjust its scheduling, staffing and service requirements to enhance the ability of this bargain resource to do what it has done over the past forty years—deliver the goods.
Incoming CSX CEO talks about improving service, engaging labor
Hinrichs has served as president of Ford Motor Co.’s automotive business, handling its global operations as well as the Ford and Lincoln brands.
No injuries reported as NS train derails in Southern Illinois
Twenty-six cars of a Norfolk Southern train derailed Monday morning between the towns of Albers and New Baden, leading to an extensive response from authorities that included a hazardous-materials team as a precautionary measure. No injuries were reported.
Editorial: Rail workers’ struggle shows the power of organized working class
Top level government officials, even the president himself, were compelled to make the grievances of railroad workers their top priority. This is testament to the huge power that the working class holds when it is organized and willing to fight.
A rail strike averted reminds us that there is power in a union
The short story behind the now-averted railroad strike is this: The largest freight railroad carriers in the country were willing to cripple the transportation infrastructure of the United States rather than allow their workers to take the occasional day off to see a doctor or attend to their families.
Death on a train: A tragedy that helped fuel the railroad showdown
Aaron Hiles, a locomotive engineer, told his wife he “felt different,” though he couldn’t say exactly how. He made an appointment to see a doctor, his family said. But then his employer, BNSF, one of the largest freight rail carriers in the nation, unexpectedly called him into work.
U.S. railroad worker fight for pay, benefits could be model for other deals
While not directly applicable to ongoing negotiations at U.S. West Coast ports and upcoming talks at United Parcel Service, the rail workers’ potential win could embolden other workers who have toiled through the COVID-19 pandemic while watching employers reap record profits, labor experts said.
BLET News
Coordinated Bargaining Coalition welcomes face-to-face mediation over national contract negotiations
The Coordinated Bargaining Coalition (CBC) Rail Labor Unions are preparing for in-person mediation sessions before the National Mediation Board (NMB) in Washington D.C., May 24-26. The Unions hope this will help to settle their ongoing national contract dispute.
John Esterly elected Ohio State Legislative Board Chairman
John S. Esterly of BLET Division 34 (Columbus, Ohio) was elected to his first full term as Chairman of the Ohio State Legislative Board at its 17th quadrennial meeting held in Columbus, Ohio, April 24-26, 2022.
Statement by BLET National President Dennis Pierce on BNSF’s announced changes to its Hi-Viz punitive attendance policy
BNSF Railway’s newly announced changes to its Hi-Viz attendance policy are little more than fluff. Hi-Viz has been an abject failure.
Ballots to be mailed May 18 in tentative BLET-DM&E agreement
Ballots will be mailed on May 18 to eligible members regarding the BLET’s tentative on-property agreement with the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern Railroad (DM&E), National President Dennis R. Pierce announced today.
Ryan Snow reelected to third term as Chairman of California SLB
Ryan K. Snow was reelected by acclamation to his third term as Chairman of the California State Legislative Board during its 9th quadrennial session held in San Diego, California April 26-28, 2022.
Take Action: 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, S3953B was introduced in the State Senate and a companion bill, A1287B, was introduced in the State Assembly.
BLET to host Town Hall meetings in Little Rock, St. Louis
The first meeting will be held on May 10 at 10:00 a.m. in Little Rock, Arkansas. The second meeting will be held on May 11 at 10:00 a.m. in St. Louis, Missouri. All BLET members in the area are encouraged to attend.
Ballots to be mailed in tentative BLET-DM&E agreement
The tentative agreement provides General Wage Increases (GWIs) of 24.75% (27% compounded) for the life of the contract (January 1, 2020 to January 1, 2024). There are no major work rule changes and no health care concessions contained in the tentative pact. Online voting will be conducted by TrueBallot, Inc.
BLET to mark 159th anniversary on May 8
On May 8, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) will mark its 159th anniversary. The BLET and its members are proud of our heritage as the oldest labor union in North America.
The Coordinated Bargaining Coalition again calls on NMB to proffer arbitration
Due to the NCCC’s refusal to negotiate a fair agreement in good faith, all CBC Unions again request that the NMB proffer arbitration to the parties to stop the endless delays by the rail carriers.
