Rail & Labor News from RWU
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Weekly Digest Number 22 - May 30th, 2023 | |
Welcome to the RWU Rail & Labor News! This news bulletin is produced and emailed out each Tuesday morning. We hope you find each week's news and information useful. If so, please share with co-workers, friends, and colleagues. If you like, you can sign them up to get all the news from RWU HERE. Or forward them the link. Note: If you read over this news bulletin each week, you will be sure to never miss the important news of what is going on in the railroad world from a worker's perspective!
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(Editor's Note: Great to finally see a big city daily newspaper report on the question of blocked rail crossings and their associated inconveniences and hazards to communities across the country. No doubt, Propublica's Topher Sanders' and Dan Schwartz' excellent expose of a few weeks ago is helping to propel this issue to the forefront.) | |
Note: If the hyperlink will not work for you, see the link below to a pdf of the article.
Nationwide, longer and longer trains are obstructing rural intersections, preventing paramedics from getting to emergencies, including a baby who died after his mom waited and waited.
By Andrea Salcedo, Luz Lazo and Lee Powell May 25th, 2013
Washington Post
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(Editor's Note: While this deal is ground breaking in that it provides engineers with a set schedule rather than working off of an unpredictable pool or extraboard, many engineers might find themselves working more days/hours under this plan. And working 11 days straight for your entire career is not exactly a gravy job. The members will decide in the coming weeks.) | |
UP, Train Engineers Reach ‘Historic’ Deal Addressing Work-Life Balance
Union Pacific and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) have reached a “historic” tentative agreement that seeks to give engineers a more predictable work schedule, the two groups said Wednesday. The agreement, which still needs to be ratified by union membership, calls for a schedule that would consist of 11 days on call and four days off. Implementation could take place within a year of ratification.
Joanna Marsh Wednesday, May 24, 2023
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(Editor's Note: It is important to remember that all through the staffing crisis of the last few years the Class Ones made record profits. So really - from their PSR narrow self-interested perspective - there is no staffing crisis. While workers, passengers, shippers and others may bemoan the shortage of workers, the carriers are not nearly as disturbed. Remember, they created it, and they are profiting from it.) | |
The Class I railroads are still far under the employment levels needed to provide exceptional rail service, let alone grow network capacity, an attorney representing seven freight rail unions argued in a Monday filing to the Surface Transportation Board.
Joanna Marsh Tuesday, May 23, 2023
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(Editor's Note: It may takes months or years for the truth to come out about the Norfolk Southern's "controlled burn" of toxic chemicals following the derailment at East Palestine, Ohio. It is starting to get interesting as new information comes to light.) | |
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"Everybody is lawyering up," source familiar with EPA's reaction tells SC. The agency echoed NS' "controlled burn" narrative for months—but now says it can't currently "provide a legal conclusion."
JORDAN CHARITON AND LOUIS DEANGELIS MAY 23, 2023
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(Editor's Note: Things are rolling. More and more states are adopting laws regulating train length, blocked crossings, crew size minimums, hotbox detectors and more. Let's hope all of this groundswell at the state level causes the feds to act.) | |
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May 25th, 2023
The just-signed transportation bill addresses other rail safety issues supported by the BLET Minnesota State Legislative Board, including: the addition of two new state rail safety inspectors; and state funding for the Northern Lights Express, which will expand passenger service between Minneapolis and Duluth.
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(Editor's Note: As the 10th anniversary of this terrible train wreck draws close, a series of events is planned for the commemoration. All those interested in taking part in any way should contact Gerri Songer 847-875-1567 or Fritz Edler 202-494-3848.) | |
(Editor's Note: Always, the idea of a "Team" sounds promising. But look out. The rail carriers have traditionally lured the union officialdom into these "team" safety efforts which aim to focus on workers' behavior instead of the REAL cause of ALL accidents and injuries - HAZARDS. That's why RWU says, "Don't blame the victim, eliminate the hazards!" The union officials need to focus on hazard elimination, period. Check out the RWU Campaign Against "Blame-the-Worker" Safety Programs.) | |
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By | May 23, 2023
In joint letter, leaders of all 12 unions agree to work with railroad management
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(Editor's Note: PSR simply accelerated a trend at play for years. Class One carriers handled 21% fewer carloads than moved in 2006. The statistics are terrible. The trend is ever downward and getting worse in 2023. Time for Public Ownership of the Railroads!) | |
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By Bill Stephens | May 26, 2023
Railroads are failing Americans and the U.S. economy by not keeping up with economic growth or the rise in truck tonnage, Oberman says. Over the past decade, volume excluding coal on the big four U.S. Class I railroads was up just 2%, while industrial production was up 3%, the overall economy grew 57%, and truck tonnage surged 26%. “These numbers should be an embarrassment to the entire industry,” Oberman says.
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(Editor's Note: RWU has long supported the idea that ALL workers have access to healthcare. Railroad workers would gain tremendously from Medicare for All. With health care costs off the table at bargaining, we would stand to win better contracts. See the RWU article citing Twelve Reasons for Rail Workers to support Medicare for All.) | |
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The Medicare for All Act builds upon and expands Medicare to provide comprehensive benefits to every person in the United States. This includes primary care, vision, dental, prescription drugs, mental health, substance abuse, long-term services and supports, reproductive health care, and more
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Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
May 22, 2023
The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) and Alstom, operator of GO Transit regional/commuter rail service in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, have reached a tentative agreement for more than 850 train operators, mechanics, on-board customer service representatives, warehouse personnel, maintenance workers and laborers.
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(Editor's Note: Hard to say if any new revelations about how it all came down will come out. There is a discrepancy between the printed manifest and the train on the ground. Hopefully NTSB will get to the bottom of this.) | |
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By | May 25, 2023
The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a two-day investigative hearing in East Palestine, Ohio, on June 22-23, as part of the ongoing investigation into the Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern Railway train and subsequent hazardous material release and fires.
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(Editor's Note: The world is forging ahead with these various types of low or no emission locomotives. North America is unfortunately slow to catch on.) | |
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Written by Alex Luvishis, Ph.D May 20, 2023
Today, four types of zero- or low-emission switcher locomotives are being developed. These are self-contained battery-electric, electric-battery (operating off overhead catenary or internal batteries) hydrogen fuel cell (HFC), and units with upgraded diesel engines using low-carbon renewable diesel or biodiesel
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(Editor's Note: The Why Facts Matter Collective, has made a very successful pro bono Public Service Announcement on recent rail issues. The segments are powerful 30 second clips to help build the movement for safe trains. Watch below.) | |
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Roots Action - Why Facts Matter presents a Public Service Announcement ..
Rail Disasters
Almost every rail disaster you ever hear about, was caused by something the railroads refused to fix. Two mile long trains with only two operators on board.... Let's re-think the future of America's railroads.
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Weekly Derailment Department | | | | |
