NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — A Union Pacific machinist here was ordered rehired with back pay in a ruling by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) that found Union Pacific violated the worker’s rights under the Federal Rail Safety Act of 2007. OSHA ruled that in firing the machinist, after he had reported a work-related [...]
Funds created for victims of Kelso collision
April 1, 2011
A memorial fund has been established for the three killed in a collision between a shuttle-van and freight train in Kelso, Wash., March 23. A second fund was established to assist a UTU-member and conductor critically injured in the accident. Killed in the collision at a private highway-rail grade-crossing were BNSF conductor-trainee Christopher Loehr, 28; [...]
Obama taps BNSF CEO, AFL-CIO president
February 24, 2011
WASHINGTON — President Obama Feb. 23 named BNSF CEO Matt Rose, AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka and United Food and Commercial Workers’ Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Hansen to the White House Council on Jobs and Competitiveness. The three join a long list of mostly business executives and bankers on the council. Its task is to recommend ways to [...]
UTU members approve Nebraska Central pact
February 8, 2011
UTU Local 367 represented employees of Nebraska Central Railroad, which includes all crafts, have ratified a wage, rules and working conditions agreement with an 80 percent plurality. The five-year agreement provides for a signing bonus, wage increases, a minimum-hours guarantee and improved working conditions. Assisting Local 367 in the negotiations were UTU International Vice President John [...]
Railroads 2010: How sweet it was
January 28, 2011
How did major railroads perform in 2010? Reviewing their calendar-year and fourth-quarter profit statements, one wouldn’t know they were operating in the midst of a nationwide recession. Profits soared, stock dividends were raised and operating ratios improved. (Operating ratio — a railroad’s operating expenses expressed as a percentage of operating revenue — is considered by [...]
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 injured UTU member who reported his workplace injury to the Federal Railroad Administration. The [...]
UTU to FRA: ‘Say no’ to Mexican safety checks
December 9, 2010
