Rail & Labor News from RWU
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Weekly Digest Number 31 - July 30th, 2024 | |
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. Got a hot tip? Please forward the article and a link to raillabornews@gmail.com. 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! | |
Editor's Note: Intervening to stop a strike by invoking the Railway Labor Act and appointing a PEB is standard practice. Once the Board issues its recommendations, if the union is not happy to accept the terms, it is free once again to take "self-help" action. If at this point the White House and Congress intervene like they did in Fall 2022 to block the strike, this would be - as it was in 2022 - anti-union, anti-worker, and anti-democratic. RWU calls on Biden and Congress to stay the hell out of the process and let the workers decide if they should or should not accept the recs of the PEB and whether they should or should not take strike action! | |
Progressive Railroading / July 25
President Joe Biden yesterday established a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) to investigate collective bargaining disputes between New Jersey Transit and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), which represents the agency’s locomotive engineers. Under the Railway Labor Act, the PEB will conduct a hearing and make a recommendation for settlement within 30 days of the board’s creation. No work stoppages, and no changes in the conditions out of which the disputes arose (except by agreement of the parties), are permitted for 120 days following the board’s creation, National Mediation Board (NMB) officials said in a press release.
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Editor's Note: Yet another bill has been introduced around rail safety, and like the previous ones, will most likely be amended at the behest of the rail industry, and then die on the vine. With both parties clamoring for such legislation, why does nothing happen? The power of the rail industry - coupled with an ideology of "freedom" from regulation - combine to prevent passage. | |
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Freight Waves / July 23
Legislators used a Tuesday House subcommittee hearing on railroad safety to highlight a new rail safety bill. But committee members and witnesses including regulators, union representatives, and the House member representing East Palestine questioned the rail industry’s safety efforts. The revised bill, the Railroad Safety Enhancement Act, was introduced on July 11 and sponsored by U.S. Reps. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Seth Moulton (D-Mass.). Nehls highlighted four additions to the Railway Safety Act introduced in the Senate last year and eventually passed in modified form by the Commerce Committee.
- All Class I railroads would be required to join the Federal Railroad Administration’s Confidential Close Call Reporting System for two years.
- It requires states to notify first responders of the AskRail app, which provides information about train consists, and would create a pilot program to address connectivity problems for the app along the rail network.
- It would authorize an additional $1 billion for the Railroad Grade Crossing Elimination Program.
- It authorizes $100 million annually for an FRA grant program to install railcar telematics systems and gateway devices on cars carrying hazardous materials.
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Editor's Note: At a glance, there are no surprises here. FRA is basically reiterating the findings of the NTSB. The key here is that the FRA (theoretically) has the power to promulgate new rules and regulations upon the rail industry while NTSB's role is strictly advisory. | |
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Progressive Rail / July 22
The Federal Railroad Administration published its final accident investigation report on the Norfolk Southern Railway train derailment that occurred in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3, 2023. The FRA found that the derailment was caused by a roller bearing that failed due to overheating, consistent with the investigation findings of the National Transportation Safety Board. NS’s procedures and the inadequate staffing for communicating information from the hot box detectors to the train crew may have contributed to the accident.
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Editor's Note: Given the number of workers exposed immediately after the wreck, it is surprising to see just one sue the carrier NS. A class action suit may soon follow it would seem. | |
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NBC 21: WMFJ-TV / July 25
Claiming that Norfolk Southern put “profits ahead of safety,” one of the railroad’s employees has filed a lawsuit accusing the company of negligence by sending him to the site of the East Palestine derailment. Joseph Lee Roberts of Indiana filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court in Youngstown, OH claiming he had developed chemically induced asthma after he and other workers were exposed to vinyl chloride that some of the derailed cars had been carrying. Roberts also stated that Norfolk Southern sent employees to East Palestine to fix damaged track without being told what they would be exposed to or given protective equipment.
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Editor's Note: Typical of politician double speak, Vance is playing the game long played by representatives of both political parties; i.e. verbally lend support for issues that are of concern to the working class, then at best, do nothing to see legislation through to fruition, or at worst, work behind the scenes to sabotage the effort. As a co-sponsor of the bill and as the GOP VP pick, one might expect Vance would be able to shepherd this thing through Congress. Don't hold your breath. | |
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People's World / July 25
In the Senate, a bipartisan bill on rail safety initiated by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, is stalled by railroad industry lobbying and campaign cash from rail firms and Wall Street backers. Ohio’s other senator, Republican J.D. Vance, is a co-sponsor but has worked with lobbyists to weaken his bill. Vance has backtracked on measures of his bill that would have imposed penalties for corporations that ignore the law. He made a big publicity campaign about his original support for the rail safety bill but is keeping quiet now about his backing down on promises he made to the people of East Palestine shortly after a derailment there poisoned their town.
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Editor's Note: Like the predecessor proposed bill concerning rail safety legislation from 2023 (see article above), this effort appears doomed to failure as well. Why? For the same reason (see Editor's Note(s) in above articles(s). | |
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BMWED-IBT / July 24
The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters endorsed the bipartisan Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2024 led by U.S. Representatives Troy Nehls (R-TX) and Seth Moulton (D-MA). The Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2024 is a stronger piece of legislation than a similar Rail Safety bill currently being considered in the Senate. In addition, the House version of the Railroad Safety Enhancement Act solidifies two-person crew on most freight trains and strengthens rules on car and train inspections.
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Editor's Note: While RWU and railroad workers support the expansion of the freight rail industry, we do not support the unsafe and unhealthy practices of Class One carriers who use their mainlines in residential areas to block crossings and pollute neighborhoods by parking long cumbersome trains in them because they cannot or will not yard them. | |
West suburban residents say freight trains idle, releasing fumes, for hours and even days at a time
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ABC 7: WLS-TV / July 22
Residents in west suburban River Forest, Illinois say idling trains that sit for hours, and sometimes days, create loud noise and release engine fumes, causing them to have concerns for their health. "When you start smelling it, you start tasting it," said Clay Hulen. "More importantly, is the diesel fumes that are spilling out of the locomotive," says Hulen. "Just recently we had a six-day consecutive idling train."
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Editor's Note: Under the microscope after the last few years of bad publicity, the big rail carriers are making noise now that they are interested in "performance and growth." How serious this effort is and how long it will last until the next wave of "PSR" downsizing takes hold on Wall Street remains to be seen. We are skeptical to say the least. | |
T&E headcount is up from a year ago, but below 2019 as railroads dial in performance, growth: Analysis
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ABC 7: WLS-TV / July 22
Residents in west suburban River Forest, Illinois say idling trains that sit for hours, and sometimes days, create loud noise and release engine fumes, causing them to have concerns for their health. "When you start smelling it, you start tasting it," said Clay Hulen. "More importantly, is the diesel fumes that are spilling out of the locomotive," says Hulen. "Just recently we had a six-day consecutive idling train."
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Editor's Note: This is an important conference which pertains to the safety and wellbeing of those impacted by corporate greed in their daily lives and environment. It is recommended that as many people as possible, railway workers or not, attend this conference. More details are included in the poster below. | |
Is Your Community A SACRAFICE ZONE? Toledo Conference on August 3 | |
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Justice for East Palestine Residents and Workers Coalition
A Conference on Corporate Caused Disasters
Saturday, August 3rd
9:30 AM
Kent Branch Library
3101 Collinwood Blvd
Toledo, Ohio
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Editor's Note: Imagine the Class One carriers in the U.S. announcing that they will invest $20 billion in safety enhancements to the rail system in the coming year! Not happening anytime soon. | |
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International Railway Journal / July 24
FOLLOWING a spate of train crashes in recent months, India’s finance minister, Ms Nirmala Sitharaman, has approved spending of Rs 1.09 trillion ($US 20.5bn) on measures to improve safety by Indian Railways (IR) in 2024-25. While Sitharaman made no specific mention of the rail sector in her budget speech on July 23, official documents reveal that funding for IR will be Rs 2.62 trillion, up from the previous record of Rs 2.4 trillion in 2023-24. The Indian government will provide Rs 2.52 trillion in budgetary support for IR, while Rs 100bn will come from extra-budgetary resources.
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Editor's Note: Workers in Portugal were "allowed" to go on strike nationwide last week. Unfortunately this was not the case in the freedom loving US of A in 2022. Will the White House and Congress stay out of the most recent possibility of a strike at New Jersey Transit? We will find out in a month or so (see lead article above). | |
Trade Union News / July 24
Following a big strike on July 22, Portugal's state -owned railway, Comboios De Portugal, management resumed negotiations and progress was made towards an agreement. The strike on July 22nd, following a strike on June 28th, and a plenary session on June 11th, showed that solutions by Comboios De Portugal have to be global. All workers are necessary for the company to function. The high level of adherence resulted in a major disruption to the service provided and the stoppage or significant reduction in activity in all areas of the company
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Editor's Note: Earlier in July, the Public Rail Ownership (PRO) group sponsored a webinar in which RWU members explained why public ownership of the U.S. railroads is not only viable and practicable, but would greatly benefit rail workers, shippers, passengers, trackside communities and the U.S. economy. | |
Public Rail Now / July 24
On the Public Rail Now webinar last Wednesday, Maddock Thomas, our campaign researcher, discussed findings from his recent white paper, "Putting America Back on Track: The Case for a 21st Century Public Rail System." Our national organizer, Adam Barrington, facilitated the webinar and Q&A, and the campaign is eager to keep this conversation going.
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Editor's Note: There is not a railroad worker alive that doesn't wish to see this kid punished severely for this heinous crime. But while we call for his hide, we must remember that 99% of "rail buffs" out there taking pictures and watching our trains are not only responsible citizens, they can act as extended eyes and ears and warn/caution of danger. They often avidly support rail expansion and development as well. Don't let a few assholes prejudice you to all of these people. | |
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NBC News / July 25
A Nebraska teenager has been charged with two felony counts of criminal mischief after he was accused of causing a BNSF train to derail on April 25th, 2024 He recorded the crash and later posted the video on YouTube. The 17-year-old was charged in Lancaster County Juvenile Court on Wednesday, but prosecutors have filed a motion to have the case transferred to adult court. He is accused of tampering with a rail and causing two locomotives and five loaded cars to derail in Bennet, Nebraska.
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NEWS FROM AROUND THE LABOR MOVEMENT | |
Editor's Note: Here is our erstwhile ally Truckers Movement for Justice on the move once again in West Texas engaged in some creative organizing to win basic rights, health and safety for exploited truckers. | |
More Perfect Union / July 24
Haliburton is forcing Texas truckers to wait 32+ hours in their trucks with no restrooms and no pay. Now truckers are furious — and they're revolting.
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Editor's Note: The movement among unions to stop the war in the Middle East continues to grow, led by Auto workers, Teachers, Postal workers, Painters, and Electrical workers. | |
United Electrical Workers / July 23
A group of 7 unions has sent a letter to President Biden calling on him to “immediately halt all military aid to Israel”. The letter states that the unions “believe that immediately cutting US military aid to the Israeli government is necessary to bring about a peaceful resolution to this conflict.” The unions that signed on to the letter include the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), American Postal Workers Union (APWU), International Union of Painters (IUPAT), National Education Association (NEA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Auto Workers (UAW) and United Electrical Workers (UE).
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Editor's Note: Pro-business politicians have their sights now set on OSHA, and hope to destroy what workplace health and safety protections we have, all in the name of ending "government red tape and regulation." Anyone who has worked in a safety sensitive position and understand the hazards and dangers posed to workers knows this House hearing is full of shit. | |
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Confined Space / July 23
Watch a House Education and Workforce Committee hearing held on July 24th for “Safeguarding Workers and Employers from OSHA Overreach and Skewed Priorities.” Employers have opposed every OSHA standard issued over the last 50 years: “OSHA standards are inflexible, one-size fits all, job killing, small business killing overreach that cost the American people billions of dollars every day.” Yet somehow, since OSHA’s creation, the nation has survived. And workers are safer.
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WEEKLY DERAILMENT DEPARTMENT | | | | |
