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☆ What the proxy fight at Norfolk Southern means for railroad safety
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The fight has split the railroad’s unions, who disagree which management team – the current Norfolk Southern leadership or one proposed by activist investor Ancora Holdings – would be best for safety and the railroad’s employees. Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw, third from left, listens to testimony during a hearing held by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on March 22, 2023 in Washington, DC. The committee heard testimony on "Improving Rail Safety in response to the East Palestine Derailment." BLET said that Orr’s appointment shows that Norfolk Southern is committed to additional use of PSR, no matter which side wins the the proxy fight. On February 3rd, a Norfolk Southern Railways train carrying toxic chemicals derailed causing an environmental disaster.

Persons: Alan Shaw, Amit Bose, Win McNamee, Bose, ”, “, Jeremy Ferguson, Shaw, “ Shaw, Jerry Sturdivant, John Orr, BLET, Michael Swensen, Jim Barber, Glass Lewis, Ancora Organizations: New, New York CNN, Norfolk, Norfolk Southern, Ancora Holdings, PSR, Federal Railroad Administration, Senate Commerce, Science, Transportation, Shaw, SMART, of Locomotive Engineers, Trainmen, NS, Canadian Pacific, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Way Employees, Norfolk Southern Railways, Teamsters, UPS, CSX, Union Pacific Locations: New York, Norfolk Southern, Atlanta, East Palestine , Ohio, Norfolk, East Palestine, Washington ,, Canadian Pacific Kansas, Palestine, ”, NS

☆ New freight crew rule tests rail industry's clout, one year after East Palestine disaster
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Ryan Anastasio | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

One year after the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment created an environmental disaster, the Biden administration on Tuesday unveiled new regulations intended to shore up freight rail safety. Drone footage shows the freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, U.S., February 6, 2023 in this screengrab obtained from a handout video released by the NTSB. Yet the new rule stops short of the kind of rail safety updates that the Biden administration and members of Congress had originally envisioned as a response to the East Palestine disaster. Making any major updates to rail safety will require congressional funding that has not yet been approved. The stalling of the Railway Safety Act also underscores the power of the freight rail industry's Washington lobbying shop, the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Persons: Pete Buttigieg, Biden, Vince Verna, Buttigieg Organizations: Federal Railroad Administration, NTSB, Norfolk Southern, Railway, of Locomotive Engineers, Trainmen, Association of American Railroads, CNBC, CSX, Union Pacific, AAR, ARA, Transportation Department Locations: States, United States, Palestine , Ohio, East Palestine , Ohio, U.S, East Palestine, Norfolk, Palestine, Ohio, Washington

☆ Norfolk Southern CEO received 37% raise following derailment
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw received a 37% increase in compensation last year, even after the company’s railroad was involved in a financially and ecologically disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Shaw received $13.4 million in total compensation in 2023, up from $9.8 million in 2022. His base salary rose $200,000 to $1.1 million, and his stock and option awards rose $2.2 million to $10 million. Shares of Norfolk Southern (NSC) fell 22% in the two months following the accident, but the stock has since recovered most of its value, and its current share price is slightly above its pre-derailment level. The opposition investor group said the company’s new slate of board members won’t stop it from pushing its slate of eight candidates.

Persons: Alan Shaw, Shaw, Shaw’s, “, Jim Barber Jr, Richard H, Anderson, Mary Kathryn “ Heidi ” Heitkamp, “ Mr, ” Organizations: New, New York CNN, Norfolk, Norfolk Southern, of Locomotive Engineers, Ancora Holdings, CNN, UPS, Amtrak, Delta Air Lines Locations: New York, Norfolk Southern, East Palestine , Ohio, Ohio, East Palestine, Norfolk, ” Norfolk Southern, North Dakota

Some railroad unions want more scrutiny of the safety of remote control operations major railroads have used for years in and around railyards without significant problems. Remote control train operators might have only a month or two of training before taking the controls, although the length of training varies by railroad. Safety statistics on railroad crashes are unclear because Federal Railroad Administration reports don't break out those involving remote control trains from incidents involving trains operated by engineers and conductors. Grissom said his union has had three members die in incidents involving remote control trains since 2015. He said Anderson's death, combined with fiery derailments that have happened across the country this year, reinforce the need for stronger railroad safety regulations.

Persons: Don Grissom, Brotherhood of Railway Carmen, ” Grissom, Grissom, hasn't, Fred Anderson, carmen, Anderson, Bryan Tucker, didn't, Eddie Hall Organizations: CSX, Brotherhood of Railway, National Transportation Safety, Federal Railroad Administration, NTSB, of Locomotive Engineers, Railroad Administration, Norfolk Southern Locations: OMAHA, Neb, railyards, Walbridge , Ohio, Jacksonville , Florida, Norfolk, East Palestine, Ohio

☆ UK unions suspend London Underground strikes next week
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] People stand outside Victoria Underground station that is closed while London Underground workers strike over pay and terms, in London, Britain, August 19, 2022. REUTERS/Henry NichollsLONDON, July 21 (Reuters) - Two British trade unions on Friday called off strikes on London's underground train network which had been planned to take place next week, citing progress in talks on pensions and working conditions. The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union had been planning to take industrial action between July 23 and 28. "After a week of intense negotiations, we have made real progress in making sure our members’ working conditions and pensions are protected," Finn Brennan, ASLEF organiser, said in a statement. "Our campaign to defend jobs, conditions and our members pensions will continue in the coming weeks and months," Lynch said.

Persons: Henry Nicholls LONDON, Finn Brennan, Mick Lynch, Lynch, William James, Farouq Suleiman, Jason Neely Organizations: London Underground, REUTERS, National Union of Rail, Transport Workers, Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers, Firemen, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, British, Maritime

Kids in Hammond, Indiana, are forced to climb over and through stopped trains block their way to school. Jamie Kelter Davis for ProPublicaState lawmakers have tried to curb blocked crossings by restricting the lengths of trains. Spielmaker, the Norfolk Southern spokesperson, said: "We work with first responders on a daily basis to assist however we can. A favorable court opinion could allow other states to finally enforce their laws on blocked crossings. Among those who hope to voice their concerns about the blocked crossings are rail workers themselves who worry about the kids.

☆ UK train drivers target FA Cup final, Eurovision with fresh strikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ASLEF said the strikes would take place on May 12, May 31 and June 3. As well as the FA Cup final, the action will likely impact those travelling to the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, taking place between May 9 and 13. "Consequently, we have today announced three more days of strike action." "More strike action is totally unnecessary and will only heap more pressure on an industry already facing an acute financial crisis," an RDG spokesperson said. "We urge the ASLEF leadership to re-join us at the negotiating table and work with us to find a solution."

☆ Despite East Palestine toxic train disaster, railroads still want single-person crews
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The rail safety legislation, introduced in Congress Wednesday with bipartisan support, would include a prohibition on single-person crews. There is no such existing law or federal regulation requiring both an engineer and a conductor to be on a train. The Association of American Railroads confirmed that its position in favor of one-person crews has not changed. “No data shows a two-person crew confined to a cab is safer, and train crew size should continue to be determined through collective bargaining,” a statement from UP. But it might have one or two provisions which are deal breakers for the unions, such as allowing single-person crews.

☆ Norfolk Southern is giving over a thousand times more money to shareholders than to derailment victims
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The company spent $3.4 billion on share repurchases last year, and $3.1 billion in 2021, bringing its recent share repurchases to $6.5 billion. Billions to shareholdersIn March 2022, Norfolk Southern (NSC) announced a new $10 billion share repurchase plan. Norfolk Southern did not respond to questions Wednesday on whether it expects to change its share repurchase plans in the wake of the derailment. Other freight railroads are also reporting improving profits, and have joined Norfolk Southern in massive share repurchases. Like Norfolk Southern, both UP and CSX spent more on share repurchases than they did on total employee compensation.

☆ Labor showdown looming at NJ Transit, one of nation’s largest commuter railroads
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But NJ Transit is adamant they won’t negotiate at all,” said Jim Brown, president of the New Jersey Transit portion of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. “NJ Transit is currently engaged in active and ongoing mediation. Those rules unique to commuter railroads can mean it can take three times as long for a strike to be allowed. A freight rail strike would have kept about 30% of the nation’s freight from moving and been a crippling blow to the nation’s economy and supply chain. Phil Murphy’s press office declined to respond on the state of negotiations at NJ Transit when asked for a comment by CNN late last year, referring all questions to NJ Transit.

☆ Bernie Sanders, White House pressure railroads on paid sick leave for union workers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

a member of the committee, demanded railroad carriers offer workers at least seven paid sick days. "If they think that those [Senate members] who voted for seven days sick pay that they forgot, they got it wrong. A House amendment that guaranteed comprehensive sick leave passed the House but failed in the Senate. After the vote, Sanders and more than 70 members sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging his administration to take action to guarantee paid sick days for rail workers. The failed vote on paid sick leave led union leaders to remind politicians that votes have election consequences.

☆ Union Pacific: Major railroad posts record earnings, spends more on share repurchases than on its employees
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Union Pacific, one of the major freight railroads that successfully fought off union demands for paid sick days for workers during contentious labor negotiations in 2022, reported another year of record earnings Tuesday. The company, along with CSX, Norfolk Southern and Burlington Northern Sante Fe, narrowly avoided a strike by its unionized workers when Congress imposed new contracts on about half of its union members in December. The new labor contracts gave its employees an immediate 14% increase in pay, including back pay. And signing bonuses for union members that were paid in January will show up when the company’s first-quarter results are reported in April. While overall operating expenses for 2022 rose $2.5 billion, that was outweighed by revenue rising $3 billion to a record $24.9 billion for the year.

☆ Some flight attendants have their attendance tracked by a game-like 'point system' that they say values efficiency over health
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Hannah Towey | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

During a year marked by labor strikes and protests, flight attendants and rail workers told Insider that these points-based attendance policies create an industry culture that values efficiency over employee health and well-being. But workers say the point systems form the foundation of punitive attendance policies that force them to work while sick or dangerously fatigued. At American Airlines, flight attendants have pushed back on the system for years. "I don't think you'd speak to one flight attendant who thinks the point system is necessarily fair, or balanced," Anthony Cataldo, an American Airlines flight attendant of 33 years, told Insider. So we're on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year," a BNSF railway conductor of over a decade told Insider.

☆ Some flight attendants and rail workers have their attendance tracked by a game-like 'point system' that they say values efficiency over health
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Hannah Towey | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

☆ America may dodge a crippling rail strike. Here’s how we got here
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

The House approved two pieces of legislation Wednesday, one to impose the tentative agreements that members of four of the unions have already rejected, keeping 115,000 rail workers on the job and averting a strike. More than just sick daysThe fact that this is still an issue more than two months after an 11th-hour tentative deal was reached goes beyond the issue of paid sick days. All 12 rail unions agreed to the tentative deals that generated so much opposition. But he said the issue of sick days will not be going away. Senator Bernie Sanders, a close ally of the labor movement, tweeted “At a time of record profits in the rail industry, it’s unacceptable that rail workers have ZERO guaranteed paid sick days.

☆ Biden urges Congress to pass legislation to avert nationwide rail strike
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Zoë Richards | Zoë Richards Is The Evening Politics Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

President Joe Biden on Monday called on lawmakers to quickly approve a labor deal that would avert what he called a “potentially crippling national rail shutdown” as early as Dec. 9. The tentative agreement, which Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the House would vote on this week, aims to prevent a freight strike just two weeks before Christmas, but it has divided workers at two of the country’s biggest rail unions. Shortly after Biden’s statement, Pelosi said the House would soon consider the tentative agreement. The deal would provide a 24% pay raise for rail workers over five years and bump the average pay up to $110,000 by 2024, the Association of American Railroads says. Four out of a dozen unions representing rail workers have rejected the tentative agreement, but just one union’s decision to strike would require all 12 to honor it, bringing the system to a halt.

☆ British transport cleaning staff to strike over pay - union
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Henry NichollsLONDON, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Cleaners will become the latest set of transport workers to strike over pay in Britain, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union said on Saturday, adding to a wave of industrial action sweeping the country. The RMT said its members, working as cleaners throughout the transport network, had voted to hold their first national strike action. It said over 1,000 contracted out cleaners working for the likes of Churchill, Atalian Servest and Mitie (MTO.L) were eligible to strike. The RMT wants the cleaners to be paid 15 pounds ($18.14) an hour, with sick pay, holiday entitlement and better pensions. Railway workers, nurses, doctors and teachers, as well as emergency services, postal services and telecoms workers have either been on strike or plan action.

☆ Rail workers are 'enraged' and feel 'mistreated,' says a union president. It could end in a holiday season strike that would send shockwaves through the US economy.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Hannah Towey | Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Rail workers might go on strike in December, potentially rattling the supply chain and the whole economy. BLET narrowly voted to ratify an agreement with management, but another major union voted to reject. Ultimately, if any union goes on strike, other rail unions likely will not cross the picket line. Rail workers voted in record numbers after feeling "alienated," "enraged," and "mistreated, all for the sake of profit"The Transportation Division of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD), which has over 28,000 eligible voting members, narrowly voted down the proposal. If any union does strike, Pierce said, "no other union is going to cross that picket line in the railroad biz."

"There's a lot of anger about paid sick leave among the membership" who kept goods flowing during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Seth Harris, a professor at Northeastern University. Labor unions have criticized the railroads' sick leave and attendance policies and the lack of paid sick days for short-term illness. There are no paid sick days under the tentative deal. Unions asked for 15 paid sick days and the railroads settled on one personal day. Railroads have slashed labor and other costs to bolster profits and are fiercely opposed to adding paid sick time that would require them to hire more staff.

Train and engine service members of the transportation division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) narrowly voted to reject the deal. Three other unions that rejected the deal have already agreed to extend a strike deadline until early December. Labor unions have criticized the railroads’ sick leave and attendance policies and the lack of paid sick days for short-term illness. Beginning on Dec. 9, SMART-TD would be allowed to go on strike or the rail carriers would be permitted to lock out workers, unless Congress intervenes. The Biden administration helped avert a service cutoff by hosting last-minute contract talks in September at the Labor Department that led to a tentative contract deal.

☆ Rail workers at biggest unions split on contract, strike potential unclear
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Eli M. Rosenberg | Eli Rosenberg Is An Investigative Tech Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Workers at two of the country's biggest rail unions split over a tentative contract their leaders had hashed out with freight rail companies — leaving open the possibility of a debilitating rail strike in the middle of the holiday season. The 28,000-member SMART-TD union, which represents rail conductors, voted no on the contract, after one of their divisions voted it down. A strike could also impact the country’s commuter rail system, with the potential to halt service entirely on some lines serviced by freight rail workers and cause backlogs and traffic snarls on others. The National Carriers’ Conference Committee, which represents rail companies in the bargaining process warned about the economic threats of a strike. The Association of American Railroads, the trade group which represents the rail companies, estimates losses of $2 billion a day.

☆ Railroad Unions Split Over Labor Contract
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Esther Fung | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A potential labor strike by railroad unions could disrupt some supply chains as soon as early December. One of two of the country’s largest railroad unions said Monday their members voted to reject a new wage deal brokered by the White House, moving closer to a labor strike that could disrupt some supply chains as soon as early December. The unions representing engineers and conductors, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and SMART Transportation Division were the final two out of the 12 unions reporting the ratification of votes in a protracted labor dispute.

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the transportation division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) -- representing about half of all unionized rail employees are set to report results. The standoff between U.S. railroad operators and their union workers disrupted flows of hazardous materials such as chemicals used in fertilizer and disrupted U.S. passenger railroad Amtrak service in September. The Biden administration helped avert a service cutoff by hosting last-minute contract talks in September at the Labor Department that led to a tentative contract deal. The unions represent 115,000 workers at railroads, including Union Pacific (UNP.N), Berkshire Hathaway Inc's (BRKa.N) BNSF, CSX (CSX.O), Norfolk Southern (NSC.N) and Kansas City Southern. Labor unions have criticized the railroads’ sick leave and attendance policies and the lack of paid sick days for short-term illness.

New York CNN Business —America faces a growing risk of a crippling national freight rail strike in two weeks after rank-and-file members of the nation’s largest rail union, which represents the industry’s conductors, rejected a tentative labor deal with freight railroads, the union announced Monday. The nation’s second-largest rail union, which represents engineers, ratified its own contract. But the failure of the conductors to ratify their own deal is another setback to efforts to avoid a crippling nationwide rail strike. Both unions reached tentative deals in September in a marathon 20-hour negotiating session just hours before their earlier strike deadlines. Although 64.5% of members who ride the locomotives with the engineers supported the deal, 50.87% members of train and engine service members of the union voted against ratification.

☆ Large rail union SMART-TD votes to reject labor deal as national strike moves closer
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

SMART-TD, one of the largest railroad labor unions, voted down a tentative agreement with rail management, raising the likelihood of a strike in December. The BLET, the other largest union, voted to ratify the labor deal but said it will honor the picket line. But BMWED announced it would extend its cooling-off period if one of the larger unions voted not to ratify the tentative labor deal. SMART-TD, BMWED and BRS represent more than 50% of all rail labor. A strike would affect all of the major rail operators, including Union Pacific , Norfolk Southern and CSX .

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