Transportation News
MLK advocated economic opportunity, trade unions
By Calvin StudivantAlternate Vice President, Bus Department As we follow the demonstrations of the 99 percent against the greed and wealth of America’stop one percent, I am reminded of a 1967 speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in which Dr. King advocated a transformation “f [...]BNSF worker dies in Texas yard accident
AMARILLO, Texas – A BNSF maintenance-of-way employee was killed here Jan. 9 after being struck by a rail car, according to media reports. One report said the accident occurred as a rail grinder was being moved in a BNSF yard. The Federal Railroad Administration is investigati [...]Former Ind. State Director Carrico dies
James F. Carrico Sr., 61, former Indiana State Legislative Director of the United Transportation Union, died Jan. 4. A member of Local 333 at North Vernon, Ind., Carrico entered rail service as a conductor with CSX in 1974 following discharge from the U.S. Army. He was a grad [...]No serious crew injuries in Indiana train wreck
VALPARAISO, Ind. – Members of the UTU Transportation Safety Team have joined investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Railroad Administration here following a collision and derailment involving three CSX trains Jan. 6. Valparaiso is some 60 [...]Marie Weisbarth, mother of Jeff, dies
Marie C. (Armagno) Weisbarth, mother of UTU International Director of Membership Services Jeff Weisbarth, has died. She was 83. Memorial contributions may be made to the Kidney Foundation of Ohio, 2831 Prospect Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115.
FRA seeks new passenger train safety rules
Improvements to existing passenger train emergency systems regulations have been proposed by the Federal Railroad Administration. The improvements are aimed at helping passengers and passenger-train crew members better locate and operate emergency exits during evacuations, an [...]
Indiana commencing new assault on labor unions
A new assault on labor unions is commencing in Indiana, with the Republican-controlled legislature setting their No. 1 2012 priority on passing right-to-work legislation that would permit workers covered under collective bargaining agreements to opt out of paying union dues. [...]