Transportation News

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150 workers die daily from injury, disease

WASHINGTON – In 2011, 4,693 workers were killed on the job, according to a new AFL-CIO report, “Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect.” That is an average of 13 workers every day. In addition, another estimated 50,000 die every year from occupational diseases – an average of [...]

Court rules to overturn NLRB union poster rule

The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled on Tuesday against the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and their ruling that workplaces must display posters about union organizing, bargaining and protests. The law would have insisted that more than six million private employers post a [...]

Bill proposes ignition interlock for N.Y. bus drivers

A bill in the New York Legislature is proposing that ignition interlocks be placed on all school buses. The ignition interlock would detect alcohol on the driver’s breath and would refuse to start up if alcohol is detected. This bill was prompted by several accidents in [...]

Bus employers ask to have hours of service law cut

SEPTA and Port Authority employers are awaiting a decision to be made by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) on whether or not they can continue to ignore state law and keep drivers on the clock for shifts lasting up to 18 hours. SEPTA drivers can work up [...]

Norfolk Southern worker killed in mudslide

OLD FORT, N.C. — A railroad worker who was killed early May 6 in a mudslide, was the father of three children and always had a smile on his face, his wife said. Joe Drewnoski, 33, of Waynesville, died on Old Fort Mountain early Monday morning while inspecting track after a mu [...]

FRA cautions rails about flat switching operations

WASHINGTON – The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) May 3 issued an industry-wide safety advisory to warn about safety hazards associated with flat switching operations on railroads. Since 2009, six railroad employees sustained fatal injuries placing themselves between uns [...]

LaHood gives Amtrak $30M for Sandy repairs

WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood May 3 announced he is providing $30.2 million to Amtrak to repair damage caused by Hurricane Sandy along its heavily-traveled Northeast Corridor. The funding comes from the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 and is [...]

N.C. SLD: Let’s focus on workplace safety

By Ron Ingerick,North Carolina State Legislative Director –  The deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, and the deaths of workers and first responders there should be a wake-up call for all of us here. Last year, in North Carolina, 148 of our hardworking siste [...]

Amtrak marks 42 years of service with funding plea

Amtrak marked 42 years of service on May 1 with a plea for more money from Congress. CEO Joe Boardman said Amtrak remains a “vital part” of the nation’s transportation system, but can’t continue to fulfill its “national mission” without mor [...]

Oregon working to pass pro-union legislation

The state of Oregon’s House and Senate have been working to pass bills that are labor-friendly. Most recently, H.B. 3342 passed through the House and has made its way into the Senate. If passed, the bill would outlaw public sector union-busting. Public employers will no [...]