Transportation News

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Amtrak names station honoring Joe Biden

WILMINGTON, Del. — Amtrak is naming its refurbished station here in honor of Vice President Joe Biden, who regularly commuted between Washington and his home in Wilmington for most of his U.S. Senate career that spanned almost 25 years. The official name will be the Jos [...]

Contribute to preserve collective bargaining

By International President Mike Futhey In state after state, anti-union right-wing extremists are targeting labor unions for destruction. It started with public-employee unions, but that’s not the end game. The end game is destruction of all labor unions in America. Ext [...]

Attend a workplace democracy rally

If you wish to attend a rally in support of public-employee collective bargaining rights and workplace democracy, contact your state legislative director. The UTU National Legislative Office, in conjunction with the AFL-CIO, is keeping each state legislative director updated [...]

Amtrak privatization not a ‘silver bullet’

WASHINGTON — At a hearing of the House Rail Subcommittee March 11 into prospects for privatizing portions of Amtrak, rail labor and Amtrak sounded a warning that intercity rail passenger operations in the U.S. cannot succeed or continue without a an adequate, consistent [...]

Japan’s catastrophe will impact U.S. rails

The natural disaster that hit Japan will have both a positive and negative impact on U.S. rail jobs, although it is too early to determine more precise impacts or their timing. The Journal of Commerce, quoting the U.S. Grains Council, reports that many of Japan’s agricu [...]

Metrolink pioneers system safety program

LOS ANGELES — Metrolink has entered into a partnership with the University of Southern California’s engineering school to create an advanced rail system safety certification program to, in its words, “pioneer efforts to standardize system safety leadership p [...]

‘He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother’

COVINGTON, Va. — The Jackson River, a tributary of the James, meanders east through the hollows of west-central Virginia. Flowing under CSX tracks in Covington, some 200 miles west of Richmond, the Jackson is only about two-feet deep — which partially save the lif [...]

UTU GC Draskovich honored by NMB

UTU General Chairperson Rich Draskovich (Union Pacific, GO 953) has been recognized by the National Mediation Board (NMB) for “a special achievement” in helping reduce the agency’s backlog of rail-labor grievances. In presenting the award, NMB Chairman Harry Hogla [...]

Our strength is in our PAC and numbers

By Assistant President Arty Martin The attack on public-employee collective bargaining rights by right-wing extremists is intended to destroy labor unions. Union busting is something expected in the private sector; that’s why we have laws to level the playing field, with most [...]

Wisconsin governor: ‘Mobilizer of the Year’

As expected, the Republican-controlled Wisconsin House of Representatives March 10 approved state senate passed legislation revoking collective bargaining rights for public employees. The bill now goes to Republican Gov. Scott Walker who promises to sign it into law. Noting t [...]