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Better appeals route urged for conductor certification

January 12, 2011 WASHINGTON — As the Jan. 1, 2012, effective date for conductor certification approaches, the UTU and Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen are urging the Federal Railroad Administration to revise certain portions of the proposed certification rules. Chief amo [...]

Republican T&I Committee members named

January 12, 2011 WASHINGTON — Republicans have finalized appointments to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, which will be chaired in the upcoming Congress by John Mica (R-Fla.). Members include Minnesota’s Chip Cravaack, who defeated Democrat Jim Oberstar in [...]

Tags committee members, republican, T&I committee

FRA urging states to improve crossing safety

January 11, 2011 WASHINGTON — With 220,000 public and private highway-rail grade-crossings in the United States, train and engine workers are no strangers to dare-devil drivers attempting to beat the train. Through the first nine months of 2010, there were more than 1,300 train-vehicle [...]

Obama again names NMB, STB nominees

January 6, 2011 WASHINGTON — President Obama has renominated two Republicans to key transportation posts after the Senate failed to take action on the nominations last year. Nominated to the three-person National Mediation Board, for a term expiring July 1, 2013, is Republican Thomas M [...]

Tags beck, NMB, Obama, STB, Surface Transportation Board, Thomas M. Beck

We’ll keep pressing to improve, protect

January 4, 2011 By James StemUTU National Legislative Director January brings a new session of Congress and the start of state legislative sessions across the country. Our UTU legislative team in Washington and our state legislative directors will be on guard protecting the interests of our [...]

Tags funding, Jay Rockefeller, John Mica, legislation, privatization, RSIA, safety, state legislative directors

UTU working to improve Rail Safety Act

December 27, 2010 By James Stem, UTU National Legislative Director The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA) was not all that rail labor wanted in a safety bill, but it was a good start, and contains much of what we have long sought. Work still needs to be done, including an end to limbo [...]

Tags H.R. 6519, James Stem, Rail Safety Act, Rail Safety Improvement Act, RSIA, safety

Senate failed to act on NMB, STB nominees

December 23, 2010 WASHINGTON — Two Obama administration nominations of Republicans to key transportation regulatory positions — one to the National Mediation Board; the other to the Surface Transportation Board — were returned to the White House by the Senate this week withou [...]

Tags National Mediation Board, NMB, nominees, senate, STB, Surface Transportation Board

Former McCain operative nominated to STB

December 21, 2010 WASHINGTON — A former John McCain operative has been nominated by President Obama to fill a Republican seat on the Surface Transportation Board. The nomination requires Senate confirmation. It is not clear whether there is sufficient time for the lame-duck Congress to a [...]

Federal cellphone ban for bus drivers

December 20, 2010 WASHINGTON — A national ban on cell-phone use by bus drivers has been proposed by the U.S. DOT. It is expected to be put in place before March. Bus drivers already are banned by federal regulation from texting while working. “Every time a commercial truck or bus d [...]

OSHA puts its own ‘hickory stick’ to BNSF

December 17, 2010 A UTU member will be collecting more than $95,000 in penalties assessed against BNSF by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) for the railroad’s violation of the Federal Rail Safety Act. OSHA found BNSF guilty of intimidating and harassing an injure [...]

Tags BNSF, employer retaliation, Federal Rail Safety Act, G0-009, Local 1532, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, Ronald Helm, whistleblower