BLET News
Can you spare less than two minutes to vote?
The following is a statement from BLET Missouri State Legislative Board Chairman Brian Kelley in support of the Tentative National Agreement.
Duplicate ratification ballot schedule for Thanksgiving weekend
Voting continues on the question of approving the Tentative National Agreement until 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, November 30th. Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, the National Division Office will be closed on Thursday, November 23rd and Friday, November 24th.
Dehart reelected NS-Northern Lines/CFE General Chairman
Dewayne L. Dehart was reelected to his second term as General Chairman of the BLET’s Norfolk Southern-Northern Lines/CF&E General Committee of Adjustment at the GCA’s quadrennial meeting in Indianapolis, Ind., September 30-October 2, 2017.
CSX Northern Lines members urged to vote YES on Tentative National Agreement
The following is a statement from CSX Northern Lines General Chairman Bill Lyons encouraging his members to vote in favor of the Tentative National Agreement.
BLET members to keep Health FSA plan for 2018
Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) will keep the Health Flexible Spending Account (Health FSA) through 2018 thanks to high enrollment levels in the money-saving plan.
GA-46000 Lifetime maximum adjusted for 2018
The lifetime maximum benefit for the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Benefit Plan (also known as ERMA or GA-46000) will increase from $157,800 to $162,500 on January 1, 2018.
Why I’m voting YES on the Tentative National Agreement
The following is a statement from Kelly Lowery, Vice Local Chairman of BLET Division 475 (Smithville, TX) in support of the Tentative National Agreement.
UP-Western Line members urged to vote YES on Tentative National Agreement
The following is a statement by retired General Chairman Bill Hannah, Union Pacific-Western Lines GCA, encouraging members to vote in favor of the Tentative National Agreement.
Why I’m voting YES on the Tentative National Agreement
The following is a statement from Brother Cliff Horton, a member of BLET Division 212 (Sweetwater, TX), in support of the Tentative National Agreement.
UP-Western Region members urged to vote YES on Tentative National Agreement
The following is a statement from Union Pacific-Western Region General Chairman Steven A. Leyshon encouraging his members to vote in favor of the Tentative National Agreement.
Why I’m voting YES on the Tentative National Agreement
The following is an email to National President Dennis R. Pierce from Brother James E. Armes of Division 42 (St. Louis, Mo.).
Why I’m voting YES on the Tentative National Agreement
The following is a statement from Brother Randy Gorzell, Local Chairman of BLET Division 197 (San Antonio, TX) in support of the Tentative National Contract.
CSXT-Eastern Lines members urged to vote YES on Tentative National Agreement
The following is a statement from CSXT-Eastern Lines General Chairman Gary Best in support of the Tentative National Agreement.
Why I’m voting YES on Tentative National Agreement
The following is an email from Brother Paul Fancett of Division 5 (Los Angeles) in support of the Tentative National Agreement. He shared it with the BLET National Division and it is being reproduced with his permission.
Officers of BLET Division 48 endorse Tentative National Contract
The President and Local Chairman of BLET Division 48 in St. Louis, Mo., have endorsed the Tentative National Contract and are encouraging their members also to vote YES on the deal.
Reminder: Replacement ballots available for Tentative National Agreement
Ballots for the BLET’s Tentative National Agreement were mailed to members on November 9, 2017, and those who haven’t received theirs by now should contact the National Division for a replacement ballot.
UP-Central Region BLET members urged to vote YES on Tentative National Agreement
By Ronnie E. Rhodes, General Chairman On October 6, I attended a meeting in Cleveland where the current Tentative National Agreement was reviewed by all the BLET General Chairmen. I supported the National President’s decision to put this agreement before the membership for a ratification vote. I want you to be informed when your ballots arrive so I will lay out the facts in an attempt to help you make an informed decision.
All CBG union members urged to vote YES on Tentative National Agreement
The following is a statement from BLET Pennsylvania State Legislative Board Chairman Ken Kertesz urging all Coordinated Bargaining Group (CBG) union members to vote YES on the Tentative National Agreement. Brother Kertesz is a former Vice General Chairman on the Delaware & Hudson/CP Rail General Committee of Adjustment.
North Little Rock Brothers support Tentative National Contract
A group of members from North Little Rock, Ark., has written to express their support of the BLET’s Tentative National Agreement. These Brothers are Union Pacific locomotive engineers.
NS-Northern Lines General Chairman applauds Tentative National Agreement
The following is a letter from Norfolk Southern-Northern Lines/W&LE/CF&E General Chairman Dewayne Dehart in support of the Tentative National Agreement.
Daily Headlines
CPKC hazmat train derails in NW Minnesota
For the second time within two months, a train carrying hazardous materials has derailed in Minnesota. Canadian Pacific (CPKC) says 24 cars on a freight train went off the rails Wednesday.
Amtrak CEO to testify before House panel at June 6 hearing
U.S. passenger railroad Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner will testify on June 6 before a U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure railroads subcommittee.
First step toward improving rail service is treating employees better, CSX CEO says
Railroads have to mend frayed relationships with customers, employees, Congress, and regulators, CSX Transportation CEO Joe Hinrichs told a shipper conference last week.
New York senate passes series of rail safety bills
Following a nationwide legislative trend in the wake of February’s derailment and toxic-chemical release in East Palestine, Ohio, the New York state Senate has passed a series of bills seeking to regulate the way railroads operate in the state.
STB chairman: Class I railroad strategies are inviting stronger regulation
Surface Transportation Board Chairman Martin J. Oberman told a shipper conference that Class I railroad behavior over the past few years – mass layoffs, crew shortages, and poor service – may require a new approach to regulation.
TCRC members ratify new contract with CN
The TCRC is pleased to announce the ratification of their new collective agreement affecting approximately 6,000 Locomotive Engineers, Conductors and Yard Workers employed with CN Rail in Canada.
Federal transit officials reject MBTA’s proposed safety plan
The Federal Transit Administration has ordered the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to resubmit a safety work plan it shared with the federal agency at the beginning of May.
Some states enact two-person crew law for rail safety
While the Bipartisan Rail Safety Act has yet to be made into law, some states are enacting their own safety laws, one of them being the two-person crew requirement that unions fought for, but did not get, in the recent 2023 negotiations.
Amtrak’s new Acela fleet not ready for service just yet
The new trains were supposed to enter service in 2021, and the railroad says the delay is because testing isn’t going smoothly. It comes down to Amtrak’s old tracks.
Independent testing finds dangerous chemicals at East Palestine family’s farm
Linda and Russell Murphy live a little under three miles from the train derailment site, so they didn’t qualify for any EPA testing, but they took matters in their own hands and hired an independent company to conduct testing.
