Transportation News

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Union-busting efforts face glare of sunlight

Former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis coined the term, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” Indeed, sunlight cast by labor-union members on the dark-of-night action by political extremists in the Wisconsin legislature is having a meaningful impact in Wiscons [...]

PTC installation could be trimmed 10,000 miles

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration suggests scaling back by 10,000 miles a federal mandate that positive train control (PTC) be installed on some 140,000 miles of freight and passenger track no later than Dec. 31, 2015. The 10,000 miles represents track over which fr [...]

Amtrak privatization scheme voiced in House

WASHINGTON — Two House Republicans with transportation oversight authority — House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) and Rail Subcommittee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) — want to transfer ownership of Amtrak’s No [...]

Melanoma: Early detection a life saver

It’s almost summer. The sun is higher in the sky. We spend more time outdoors. Thus, we invite skin cancer — the most common form of cancer in America. And dark skin does not mean you are immune. More skin cancer cases are diagnosed each year than breast, prostate [...]

Tentative pact for Great Lakes flight attendants

A tentative four-year agreement covering flight attendants employed by Great Lakes Airlines and represented by UTU Local 40 has been negotiated with the carrier. The agreement has been circulated for ratification, with votes to be counted May 17. The UTU represents some 300 f [...]

CSX wreck claims 2; member loses limbs on BNSF

MINERAL SPRINGS, N.C. — CSX conductor Phillip E. Crawford Jr., 33, and locomotive engineer James Gregory Hadden, 36, were killed early May 24 in a rear-end collision here involving two CSX freight trains, according to news reports. Mineral Springs is some 30 miles south [...]

Learn leadership skills at regional meetings

Thinking of election to union office in the future? Want to improve your skills representing members? Or maybe you just want to gain a better understanding of labor law, grievance handling, transportation regulation and transportation safety? UTU regional meetings are crafted [...]

At 97, former UTU president still leads fight

Former UTU International President Al Chesser (1972-1979) is now 97 years old, and the fire in his belly in support of organized labor has never dimmed. The following was written by Chesser in response to creation by President Mike Futhey of the Collective Bargaining Defense [...]

RRB 2010 earnings forms to be mailed in June

The Railroad Retirement Board will mail to railroad workers in June their annual Certificate of Service Months and Compensation (Form BA-6), showing creditable railroad service and compensation for 2010. If you do not receive this Form BA-6 by July 1, or if you find the infor [...]

Safety warning in railcar razor blade incident

A safety warning has been issued by the Association of American Railroads after a razor blade was found “strategically placed in the eye of the airbrake release rod” on a hopper car set out at an industrial plant in Baton Rouge, La. Although the razor blade was fo [...]