BLET News

(Source: Freight Waves, April 1, 2020) CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Union Pacific and CSX said the coronavirus pandemic is creating huge uncertainties that could translate into “material” financial impacts on the companies’ financial results, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Full story: Freight Waves Wednesday, April 1, 2020

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, March 31 — Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) President Dennis R. Pierce and SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy R. Ferguson sought clarification from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) after the agency granted 60-day emergency waiver requests to railroads on March 25, ostensibly to maintain their operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. “As…

(Source: CNBC, March 30, 2020) NEW YORK — A pint of good beer up in Canada will probably cost you about $5 bucks. You can now get a barrel of oil for less than that. Full story: CNBC Tuesday, March 31, 2020

(Source: Teamsters Canada press release, March 30, 2020) MONTREAL — The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) is taking issue with CN’s seeming lack of concern for its transportation workers. Union officials are being overwhelmed with complaints from their members that adequate precautions are not being taken to protect the workers from the spread of COVID-19. The…

(Source: American Journal of Transportation, March 30, 2020) WASHINGTON, D.C. — From an investors’ perspective, North American railroads have had a pretty good run over the last thirty years. After decades of being characterized as inefficient, unprofitable and slow to adapt, railroads seemingly overnight became a business-media darling. How did it happen? Well, most rail…