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CAPITOL HILL:
More than 100 members of Congress demand that the STB ensure rail worker jobs are protected in the event of line sales or leases if a UP-NS merger is approved
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Members of the U.S. House of Representatives are circulating a signed letter urging the Surface Transportation Board to protect railroad workers’ jobs if the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger leads to line sales or leases to Class II or Class III carriers. Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR) led the effort, and with assistance from the Teamsters Rail Conference, 102 members of Congress signed the September 3 letter (available here).
The letter is significant for members of the Teamsters Rail Conference because it reinforces the key job-protection concerns that BLET National President Mark Wallace and BMWED President Tony Cardwell raised during meetings with UP CEO Jim Vena last year, shortly after the merger was first proposed. The UP CEO did not commit to those protections and failed to adequately address union concerns about jobs, service, safety, or the effect on communities that would depend on the merged railroad.
After careful review by Teamster Rail Conference representatives, UP’s offer of “Jobs for Life,” in particular, was determined to be little more than a slogan, not real job protection.
“Their promise does not protect the jobs that exist today, let alone tomorrow,” President Wallace said. “It allows jobs to disappear through attrition, and it can force workers to move hundreds of miles or accept whatever work the company makes available. That may protect a person from the word ‘furlough,’ but it does not protect that worker’s job, home, or family.” Read his full statement here.
Railroaders have already seen the results of doing more with fewer people: limited personal leave, tighter attendance policies, fewer vacation opportunities, and increased discipline aimed at removing employees. Continuing down this path would be likely if the cost of this massive merger is paid for by eliminating jobs and placing even more work on those who remain. The jobs left will not be the kind of jobs anyone would embrace for a lifetime.
 “The Surface Transportation Board must look past the slogans and examine what this acquisition would actually mean for farmers, businesses, and especially workers, rail service, safety, and the communities this massive railroad could choose to serve — or abandon,” said Wallace. “We owe special thanks to Representative Val Hoyle (D-OR) for leading this letter and for standing with railroad workers and the customers who depend on reliable rail service. We also thank every member of Congress who signed the letter and called on the STB to closely examine the real consequences of the proposed UP-NS acquisition.”
Locomotive photos by Cory Rusch, BLET Division 659
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UP-NS MERGER:
Rail labor opposition to UP-NS merger grows as TCU/IAM and IAM District 19 join Stop the Rail Merger Coalition
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More opposition to the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger emerged this week, with additional rail unions joining the Stop the Rail Merger Coalition.
The Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM) and IAM District 19, both part of the IAM Rail Division, announced their opposition to the merger on September 2, and said that they would begin working with the Stop the Rail Merger Coalition.
The IAM Rail Division raised the same concerns brought forth by others in rail labor, including the Teamsters Rail Conference and the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen: that the unenforceable worker protections offered in connection with the proposed merger do not go far enough to protect against furloughs, abolished positions, relocation of work, facility closures, contracting out, or the gradual elimination of jobs through attrition and consolidation.
“When workers and affected stakeholders stand together, we are better positioned to demand real accountability and enforceable protections,” said TCU/IAM National President Matt Hollis.
The Teamsters Rail Conference, comprised of BLET and BMWED, sits on the Executive Board of the Stop the Rail Merger Coalition and was the first labor organization to join the coalition. The Stop the Rail Merger Coalition represents a broad cross-section of the U.S. economy. It is united against a merger that would reduce competition, increase costs, and weaken America’s supply chain.
Read the TCU/IAM and IAM District 19 joint press release here.
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RAIL SAFETY:
FRA enforces two-person crew rule following BLET reports of Union Pacific violations
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In two alarming incidents, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has found the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) in non-compliance with basic railroad safety rules. Railroad managers ordered two separate locomotive engineers to run trains without their assigned conductors in direct violation of Title 49 CFR 218.123, general train crew size safety requirements.
The first incident occurred in Elko, Nevada, on May 11, 2026, when a manager ordered a locomotive engineer to operate a train for 15 miles without a conductor in the cab. Similarly, on June 24, a manager ordered a different locomotive engineer to operate a locomotive by himself for 12 miles near Angleton, Texas.
BLET continues to lead on rail safety and protecting the men and women who work in the operating crafts. The two-person crew safety violations were reported to FRA by BLET’s Nevada State Legislative Board Chairman Emidio Gonzalez and Texas State Legislative Board Chairman Ben Wright.
The BLET thanked the FRA for investigating these incidents and enforcing this important rail safety standard. Last month, the FRA successfully defended the two-person crew rule before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
Photo by Cory Rusch, BLET Division 659
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COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UPDATE:
Members ratify first BLET-negotiated agreement with Carrollton Railroad
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Workers at Kentucky’s Carrollton Railroad have unanimously ratified their first BLET-negotiated contract. It marks a significant milestone for the Carrollton workers, who voted to join the BLET in late 2024.
The five-year contract provides back pay and general wage increases over the life of the contract (2025-2029) as well as enhancements to the paid vacation schedule, allowing members to earn more vacation days at an accelerated rate. The agreement also ensures that the Carrollton Railroad workforce cannot be merged into CSX’s seniority district without “New York Dock” protections (federally mandated labor protections that provide wages and other benefits resulting from a merger or acquisition), an important provision that the members wanted to secure in a union contract.
BLET’s Carrollton members belong to Division 16, the Brotherhood’s short line division. The negotiating team consisted of National Vice President James Logan and Grievance Chairman David Skirvin. Logan said negotiations originally began under the leadership of National Vice President Randy Fannon, who led the successful organizing drive at the property in 2024.
The Carrollton Railroad is a subsidiary of CSXT that operates between Louisville, Ky., and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Photo by Cory Rusch, BLET Division 659
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WASHINGTON, D.C.:
BLET members play a key role at 2026 Teamsters Women’s Conference
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BLET representatives at the 2026 Teamsters Women’s Conference, from left: Darice Gilliam, Audra Smith, Kelly Hamrick, and Chandra Hurd.
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Every year, Teamsters from across North America come together at the Teamsters Women’s Conference to share their experiences, learn from one another, and talk about the issues shaping their workplaces. Among those representing BLET at this year’s conference were Audra Smith, Legislative Representative of Division 94 (Gillette, Wyo.); Darice Gilliam, Arizona State Legislative Board Chair; Kelly Hamrick, Secretary-Treasurer of Division 482 (Washington, D.C.); and Chandra Hurd, Secretary-Treasurer of Division 662 (Los Angeles, Calif.).
At the 2026 Women’s Conference, Sister Gilliam was invited to represent BLET on a panel discussion about Teamster women working in nontraditional industries.
“I am incredibly grateful for the experience and even more grateful that I was able to share it with my BLET Sisters,” Gilliam said.
She is a second-generation locomotive engineer with 31 years of railroad seniority. She is a wife, mother, BNSF locomotive engineer, and Chair of the BLET’s Arizona State Legislative Board. She is the first woman to serve as a State Legislative Board Chair in BLET’s 163-year history.
The 2026 Women’s Conference was held in Washington, D.C., August 23-26, and brought together 1,500 members. Read more about the panel discussion here.
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Sister Gilliam, second from the left, explained what it was like to work for the railroad during a panel discussion at the Teamsters Women’s Conference last week.
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ILLINOIS:
Cory Martin reelected Chairman of BLET’s Illinois State Legislative Board
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Delegates, officers, and guests attending the Illinois State Legislative Board's 2026 quadrennial meeting.
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Brother Cory Martin of BLET Division 135 (Beardstown, Ill.) was reelected Chairman of the Illinois State Legislative Board at its 17th quadrennial meeting in Springfield, Ill., August 31-September 2.
The BLET Illinois State Legislative Board represents more than 3,000 active and retired members in 37 different BLET divisions. Home of the nation’s freight and passenger rail hubs, all seven Class I railroads operate within the state, and approximately 25 percent of the nation’s freight passes through Illinois. It is also home to Metra, the nation’s second-largest commuter rail system.
BLET National President Mark Wallace addressed delegates regarding several issues of national importance, including the growing strength of the BLET and Teamsters Rail Conference on Capitol Hill. BLET First Vice President Gary Best provided an update on BLET’s efforts to oppose the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger.
Also elected were: 1st Vice Chairman Brandon Stewart, Division 96 (Chicago); 2nd Vice Chairman Erica McVey, Division 45 (Carbondale, Ill.); 3rd Vice Chairman Chad Clayton, Division 644 (Galesburg, Ill.); and Secretary-Treasurer Charles Grigsby, Division 602 (Champaign, Ill.).
During the meeting, the Board presented a commemorative brass bell to Tim Drea, President of the Illinois State AFL-CIO. Led by Chairman Martin, the Illinois State Legislative Board worked extensively with President Drea last year to avert a fiscal cliff that would have drastically reduced service at commuter rail agency Metra and all of Chicago’s other public transit agencies.
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EAST PALESTINE, OHIO:
Was the derailment and fire more deadly than we thought?
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U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance has advocated for rail safety reforms since the 2023 derailment and chemical fire in East Palestine, Ohio. Photo by Rebecca Droke via Getty Images
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Three years ago, J.D. Vance was Ohio’s Senator when the Norfolk Southern disaster occurred in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 3, 2023. Today, Vance is still fighting to get to the bottom of health and environmental concerns affecting East Palestine residents stemming from the derailment.
This week, Vance and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin sent a joint letter to the head of the U.S. Inspector General asking for a “comprehensive, independent investigation” into the derailment and the subsequent “vent and burn” of vinyl chloride.
Vance’s August 28 letter reads in part: “Given continued concerns that have been raised, we believe a thorough review is warranted of the decisions made by the federal agencies and private entities involved in the response during and after the incident that may have affected human health, actions that were taken to ensure environmental protection, public information that was provided and relied upon, and determinations for the needs of long-term monitoring… The people of East Palestine and surrounding communities deserve confidence that decisions affecting their health and environment were made using Gold Standard Science.”
A copy of the letter is on Vice President Vance’s X social media page.
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ATTENTION ALL DELEGATES TO BLET’S SIXTH NATIONAL CONVENTION:
Last call for hotel reservations; Deadline is September 4
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The final deadline is Friday, September 4, for delegates to make their hotel room reservations for next month’s Sixth National Convention. After that date, there is no guarantee that rooms will be available. The convention will take place at the Horseshoe Hotel in Las Vegas, and reservations should be made through the National Division’s convention website — bletconvention.org.
Unlike previous national conventions, the BLET’s Sixth National Convention will be shortened by one day and will now be a three-day event. Delegate registration will take place on Monday, October 12, and the convention will be in session from Tuesday, October 13, through Thursday, October 15.
The following tentative schedule should help delegates make their travel arrangements (all times Pacific Daylight Time):
- Monday, October 12 — Delegate registration, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Welcome Reception at 6:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 13 — Convention Day, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 14 — Convention Day, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Convention banquet at 6:00 p.m.
- Thursday, October 15 — Convention Day, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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BEST WISHES FROM THE BLET NATIONAL DIVISION:
Have a safe and happy Labor Day 2026
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The BLET National Division extends best wishes to all BLET members and their families for a happy, healthy, and safe Labor Day 2026. The holiday is an important one for BLET and all of organized labor as it recognizes the many contributions that workers and labor unions have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.
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