Rail Industry News
Why the labor dispute doesn’t seem to matter to railroads
The railroads are most certainly watching midterm elections that will alter current congressional majorities, and they have their eye focused on the U.S. Supreme Court. It is virtually impossible to believe that the lineup of a conservative-leaning SCOTUS will support reregulation, price controls or more rail service oversight.
CP, TCRC arbitration ends with new two-year contract
Canadian Pacific Railway Limited today announced a new two-year collective agreement with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) – Train and Engine following binding arbitration.
CN to STB: CP acknowledges divestiture of KCS line would increase competition
CN states how its proposal for the divestiture of KCS track to CN between Kansas City, Missouri, and Springfield and East St. Louis, Illinois, would — in CN’s view — create greater competition through the development of a new single-line service between eastern Canada, Detroit, Chicago and Kansas City.
CP-KCS merger gets clearance from Committee on Foreign Investment in U.S.
Canadian Pacific Railway Limited today announced it has received the required regulatory clearance from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) for the proposed combination of CP and Kansas City Southern (“KCS”).
Kansas residents say railroads “just don’t care” after years of blocked crossings
After years of being blocked in their homes by trains for hours on end, a small Butler County neighborhood says that no matter what they do or who they call, nothing ever changes.
Railroads ignore train crew complaints at their own peril: Analysis
The union-management pot, which is normally set on simmer, is boiling over at the big four U.S. Class I railroads. And it’s prompting railroaders — even those with 10, 15, or 20 years of experience — to pull the pin before they’ve reached retirement age.
Freight rail unions and carriers running out of time to avoid strike that could cripple national supply chain
Currently, The United Rail Unions and a group representing the seven Class 1 freight carriers (National Railway Labor Conference) are waiting on a non-binding recommendation from a Presidential Emergency Board, summoned by President Biden in an attempt to hold off a strike.
California high-speed rail wins $25 million U.S. grant, seeks $1.3 billion more
California’s High-Speed Rail Authority said Thursday it won $25 million in new federal grant funding to advance its project beyond 119 miles under construction, while pursuing an additional $1.3 billion award.
Crew members sue NS over 2021 derailment
Two Norfolk Southern Railway employees who were controlling a train that derailed on East Carson Street in Baldwin in December are suing their company.
Cleanup continues in Galesburg following August 2 BNSF derailment
The State Street railroad crossing in East Galesburg remains closed until further notice after a BNSF freight train carrying 18 cars derailed here Aug. 2.
City of Palestine seeks rehearing after federal court rules for UP over employment provision
The city of Palestine and Anderson County are asking for the United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit in New Orleans, to rehear a motion seeking declaratory relief filed by Union Pacific.
AAR reports rail traffic for the week ending August 6, 2022
For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 496,526 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.6 percent compared with the same week last year.
FRA Administrator Bose: Safety is first
Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose didn’t elaborate on the Rule of 2 that his agency recently put forth for the public to weigh in on, but he made it clear as he spoke on the second day of the SMART Leadership Conference that the lines of communication at his agency are open.
North Platte union leader: UP policies leading Bailey Yard veterans to quit
Bailey Yard workers are more prone to give up on railroading after three years of layoffs followed by COVID-19, a North Platte rail union leader told an AFL-CIO virtual “town hall” last week.
Davenport aldermen approve $10 million agreement in CP-KCS merger
If a merger between two North American rail companies is approved by a federal board, Davenport will receive up to $10 million from the new company under an agreement aldermen unanimously approved Wednesday.
Carloads, intermodal down for the week ending August 6, 2022
U.S. carloads and intermodal traffic declined for Week 31 (the week ending Aug. 6, 2022), the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported on Aug. 10, with intermodal dropping more than carload.
Preliminary NTSB report says maintenance equipment turned in front of Amtrak train in July collision
Video from a locomotive camera shows that the operator of a Union Pacific maintenance-of-way vehicle turned in front of an Amtrak train and fouled the track just prior to a July collision in Oakland, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report on the July 15 accident.
Mining, rail capacity keeps supply tight as world shows new demand for coal: Analysis
Recent circumstances have shown that coal still plays an important part in worldwide energy, enticing coal producers to try and beef up production.
CSX, NS and port push to keep Amtrak proceeding on track
Deliberations at the Surface Transportation Board over whether Amtrak should be allowed to reestablish Gulf Coast service between Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans are still ongoing, and all the parties appear to be holding fast to their convictions over the best way to address Amtrak’s request.
Rail workers rally to demand new pact
As the nation’s railroad worker unions presented their details for a new contract with the freight railroads to a Presidential Emergency Board, rank-and-file workers rallied with their leaders in Galesburg, Ill., to demand one. And they picked up wide labor and political support.
BLET News
Unions counter Metra COVID vaccine mandate
CLEVELAND, Ohio, November 24, 2021 — The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) have responded to the suit Metra filed...
Thanksgiving 2021
By Dennis R. Pierce, BLET National President On behalf of the BLET Advisory Board, I wish you all a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
BLET, SMART-TD join to fight Amtrak on COVID mandate
The BLET and SMART-TD are challenging Amtrak over its actions in implementing its COVID-19 vaccine policy without the bargaining mandated by the Railway Labor Act.
Vaccine cases with two Rail Carriers consolidated in Illinois court
On November 17, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois consolidated multiple lawsuits that had been filed in the Illinois federal court, including ones by the BLET and two other rail unions challenging two Class I carriers’ implementation of COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
GA-46000 Lifetime maximum adjusted for 2022
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, November 19 — The lifetime maximum benefit for the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Benefit Plan (also known as ERMA or GA-46000) will increase from $175,700 to $182,700 on January 1, 2022. At the end of 2001, Labor and...
Former BLE International President Ronald P. McLaughlin, 1929-2021
Former BLE International President Ronald P. McLaughlin passed away peacefully in his sleep at the age of 92 on November 12, 2021. He served in the union’s highest office from 1991-1996.
Save these dates for BLET meetings in 2022
BLET members and officers are reminded of the dates for the BLET regional meetings coming up next year.
President Biden signs infrastructure bill that boosts Amtrak funding, addresses freight rail safety
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, November 16 — On November 15, President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) into law. The bill contains significant funding enhancements for Amtrak and addresses key safety issues in the freight industry. The...
Veterans Day 2021
By Dennis R. Pierce BLET National President INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, November 11 — On this Veterans Day, we are proud and humbled to honor our veterans and pay tribute to their sacrifices that have made our country free and strong. Veterans Day is an important day of...
Pierce reelected CRLO Chairman
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce was reelected by acclamation as Chairman of the Cooperating Railway Labor Organizations (CRLO) during October 28’s CRLO business meeting. The CRLO is a group of 12 Rail Labor unions that sit together to oversee the collectively...
