Transportation News

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UTU member loses foot in Tenn. rail accident

MILLINGTON, Tenn. – A UTU-represented trainman employed by Canadian National Railway subsidiary Illinois Central was seriously injured here early Sept. 5 when reportedly struck by a passing train on a mainline while performing duties on an adjacent track. Millington is a subu [...]

Democratic, GOP platforms compared

In comparing the platforms of the Democratic and Republican parties, Steven Greenhouse of The New York Times says the GOP platform “calls for numerous steps that could significantly weaken America’s labor unions — public-sector and private-sector ones — and help speed organiz [...]

Ga. & Fla. shortline members voting on new pact

Turner UTU-represented maintenance-of-way employees on Georgia & Florida Railway are voting through Sept. 22 on a tentative new agreement — their first since voting “UTU, yes.” Negotiations were led by UTU International Vice President Paul Tibbit and UTU [...]

UTU members ratify pacts on EJ&E, TP&W

Wier UTU-represented employees of Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway and Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway have ratified new five-year agreements. Negotiating assistance on both railroads was provided by UTU International Vice President Dave Wier. On EJ&E, the ratifie [...]

Senators seek review of rail safety

WASHINGTON – Three senior Democratic senators have asked the General Accountability Office – informally known as the congressional watchdog – to review the state of railroad safety and how the Federal Railroad Administration, state rail safety agencies and other stakeholders [...]

No defense for violating worker rights

Even when railroads return workers to their jobs with full back pay after wrongly terminating them for suffering a workplace injury, significant monetary sanctions may still be imposed by the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Case in [...]

Vote your job security, paycheck Nov. 6

Important links: Find your early vote location Voters’ Rights Voter information news: Why Obama-Biden deserve your vote Nov. 6 The unscripted Mitt Romney speaks his mind Democratic, GOP platforms compared Republicans, Romney & Ryan agree: Kill Amtrak Romney will del [...]

Republicans, Romney & Ryan agree: Kill Amtrak

The Republican National Convention has made it official and in writing – the Republican Party, its presidential candidate Mitt Romney and its vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan are in agreement to end all federal funding for Amtrak and high-speed rail. Romney previously si [...]

Previsich elevated to UTU No. 2 post

John Previsich has been elevated from International vice president to assistant president by the UTU Board of Directors, succeeding Arty Martin, who retires Sept. 1. UTU International President Mike Futhey said of Martin’s departure, “It is difficult to lose a talent like Art [...]

Romney will deliver on his promises

By International President Mike Futhey –  There is an old political saying: “If you stop lying about me, I’ll stop telling the truth about you.” When it comes to Mitt Romney, we don’t have to tell the truth about him. He already is telling the truth about himself. Here [...]