BLET News
911 call center says is misidentified crossing before derailment of Chicago bound Amtrak train
(Source: Associated Press, November 21, 2023) A 911 call center on Monday took some responsibility for an Amtrak train derailment last week in southwestern Michigan, saying it misidentified a crossing and contacted a different railroad to warn that a car was stuck on tracks. As a result, the train’s engineer had no warning about the stranded vehicle…
Read MoreUnions are the strongest in decades, nearly a million Americans got double digit raises in 2023 as a result
(Source: CNN, November 21, 2023) Nearly 900,000 Americans sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner this week will have unions – and the double-digit pay increases they won – to thank. That’s how many unionized workers have won immediate pay hikes of 10% or more in just the last year, according to an analysis by CNN. Full story: CNN
Read More2022 BLET Bylaws available online
An electronic copy of the 2022 edition of the BLET Bylaws is now available in the Members’ Area of the Brotherhood’s website. The Bylaws book is available as a PDF and reflects changes adopted by delegates to the BLET’s Fifth National Convention. A password is required to access the Members’ Area to view and download…
Read MoreAGs want railroads to improve hazmat info for first responders
(Source: Progressive Railroading, October 31, 2023) A coalition of 13 attorneys general is calling on federal regulators to adopt a federal rule that would require railroads to make available information on hazardous material loads to emergency responders. Full story: Progressive Railroading
Read MorePlanned UP maintenance-of-way furloughs spark controversy
(Source: Trains.com, November 1, 2023) The head of the track workers’ union has warned federal regulators that Union Pacific aims to furlough up to 1,350 maintenance-of-way employees next month and will push the remainder of this year’s planned trackwork projects into 2024 as a cost-saving measure. Tony Cardwell, president of the BMWED, claims that UP’s…
Read More