IAM District 19 officers and staff from several railroads participated in a newly developed course called the General Chairmen Critical Skills Program. The 11 attendees from across the country were instructed by Winpisinger Center staff and various guest speakers who came to brief the members on information and tactics they have found useful over the years.

The new course idea for development came from the President and Directing General Chair Andrew Sandberg and Assistant President and Directing General Chair Juan Estrada.

“This new course is very detailed as it focuses on real issues the General Chairmen and officers may come to see while working in the field, and I thank Brother Estrada for his work on the program,” said Josh Hartford, IAM Special Assistant to the International President for the IAM Rail Division.

The weeklong course had various department heads, such as IAM Assistant Legislative and Political Director Ty Richardson, IAM Communications Director Jonathan Battaglia and IAM General Council Carla Siegel.

Sandberg mentioned how thankful the District 19 team is for the assistance of Hartford, who was instrumental in moving the program forward.

IAM District 19 General Chairman Heath Jacobs participated in the class and gives us this report.

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IAM Rail Division leaders and members joined allies in labor for a historic, long-sought announcement from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) establishing a minimum requirement of two-person crews for most Class I freight and passenger railroad operations:

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) conducted a lengthy study and heard over 13,000 comments on the rule, including from the IAM Rail Division.

“This is fantastic news for all IAM members as safety is always a top concern for them in the rail industry,” said Josh Hartford, IAM Special Assistant to the International President for the IAM Rail Division. “We must now push for the Railway Safety Act and encourage all members and families to contact their legislators in Congress.”
TELL YOUR SENATORS: Pass the Railway Safety Act 

“This was a historic fight in the rail industry,” said Don Grissom, TCU/IAM National Vice President and Carmen General President. “We need regulations, and we need it now for safe trains in this county!”

“I want to recognize so many of the workers represented here who have been fighting for safe crew sizes for some time,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We are proud to stand with the workers in the supply chain of the American railroad and American infrastructure.

Speaking for over 10 minutes in a packed room of Railroad unionists, Buttigieg closed by saying, “Congress needs to pass the Railway Safety Act!”

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One year has passed since the tragic derailment of Norfolk Southern’s train in East Palestine, leading to severe toxic contamination that has profoundly impacted the community and its workforce. Residents and workers now grapple with deteriorating health conditions compounded by diminishing healthcare coverage. The cost of life-saving medical treatment has become an overwhelming burden for many, often reaching into the thousands of dollars.

IAM District 19 recently joined labor leaders, union members, environmental justice groups, community organizers, and supporters from across the nation joined together with local residents in the newly established Justice for East Palestine Residents and Workers Coalition. Their central aim is to urge President Biden to utilize the Stafford Act and declare East Palestine a major disaster area. Such a declaration would release essential federal resources required by residents and ensure emergency healthcare for everyone.

The conference featured panels consisting of residents, labor, and environmentalists. IAM District 19 President and Directing General Chairman Andrew Sandberg was featured on the labor panel.

READ: ‘If I don’t talk no one’s going to know’: Stories of pain from East Palestine move coalition members to action Pittsburgh Union Progress

“Corporate greed has taken over here. Railroad companies prioritize profit above all else,” said Sandberg. “Over the past five years, they’ve laid off approximately 2,000 to 3,000 machinists from major companies like Norfolk Southern, CSX, BNSF, and Union Pacific. Yet, it’s never sufficient. They continuously slash maintenance budgets, leading to incidents like the one we’ve witnessed here. Neglecting maintenance has dire consequences, and unfortunately, this is the outcome.”

The coalition is also supporting stronger railway safety protections through the Railway Safety Act, which would prohibit railroad carriers from imposing impractical deadlines on railcar and locomotive inspectors. This ensures inspections are conducted thoroughly and diligently, promoting overall rail safety for communities.

“We stand with the residents and workers of East Palestine, advocating for justice and urgent action,” said IAM District 19 Assistant President Directing General Chairman Juan Estrada. “By urging President Biden to invoke the Stafford Act and declare East Palestine a major disaster area, we seek to unlock vital federal resources and guarantee emergency healthcare for all. Together, we strive for a future where every individual’s well-being is safeguarded and prioritized.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – March 14, 2024 – The American Train Dispatchers Association (ATDA) will stage a protest outside the inaugural match at the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The protest will coincide with the professional women’s soccer game between the Kansas City Current and Portland Thorns.

Date: Saturday, March 16, 2024
Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 
Location: 1460 E. Front St., Kansas City, Mo. 64120
Purpose: ATDA members and allies will protest CPKC’s refusal to provide paid sick leave to ATDA members.

The protest arises from CPKC’s reluctance to amend the stringent agreement language inherited from former Kansas City Southern (KCS). CPKC, established in 2023 after acquiring KCS for $31 billion, has refused to provide ATDA members paid sick leave despite publicly claiming that they have a commitment to the Kansas City community and an overall commitment to public safety.

“CPKC appears to overlook the essential role our members play not only in the success of this company but the community in which our members live,” said ATDA President Ed Dowell. “It’s unjust and unsafe to deny our hard-working members paid sick leave to help them recover from illness or care for a sick family member. ATDA urges CPKC to reconsider its stance, recognize its employees’ rights, and fully commit to employee and public safety.”

The protest seeks to underscore the disparity between CPKC’s professed values and its actions, emphasizing the importance of equitable treatment for all workers in the community.

ATDA has informed the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA), representing the competing teams, about the planned protest outside the stadium.

The American Train Dispatchers Association is an AFL-CIO-affiliated craft union representing CPKC employees who safely and efficiently control trains and on-track equipment and protect signalmen, maintenance of way employees, and other on track workers.  The Organization is headquartered in Cleveland, OH.

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U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is calling out the Association of American Railroads, a leading industry trade group representing the nation’s major freight railroads, for continuing to put profits over people and communities.

In a letter to the group, Buttigieg highlights that major freight railroads are blocking meaningful reforms, like the bipartisan, IAM Rail Division-supported Railway Safety Act, despite rising freight accident rates. Freight rail carriers have even laid off workers recently, contributing to already low staffing levels.

TAKE ACTION: Tell your Senators to Pass the Railway Safety Act

“This reputation for being too much focused on short-term profitability is fueled by the fact that the industry is pushing for these workforce cuts and weaker regulations while it is already extremely – some would say ridiculously – profitable,” writes Buttigieg.

The Class I freight carriers are reporting preliminary profits of almost $25.2 billion in 2023, Buttigieg cites.

The IAM Rail Division, IAM International President Brian Bryant and other IAM leaders and allies recently rallied in Los Angeles for passage of the Railway Safety Act, which would mandate vital safety measures, such as:

• Prohibits railroad carriers from imposing time constraints on rail car and locomotive inspections, providing major work-life improvements for our Carmen and Machinists crafts.

• Ensures that our highly-skilled and qualified Carmen and Machinists are the ones conducting inspections (such as locomotive and pre-departure railcar inspections), rather than relying on operating crews or other untrained crafts.

“The time for delay and talk is over for the freight rail carriers,” said Josh Hartford, IAM Special Assistant to the International President for the IAM Rail Division. “The Republican members of the Senate who are teaming up with the robber barons of the rail industry to stop the Railway Safety Act must listen to their constituents. IAM Rail Division members, and rail workers across the nation, demand action now.”

TAKE ACTION: Tell your Senators to Pass the Railway Safety Act

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IAM International President Brian Bryant has appointed longtime TCU/IAM leader Brian Shanahan as IAM Railroad Coordinator, effective March 1, 2024. Shanahan, who previously served as a TCU/IAM National Vice President, was first initiated into the union as a clerk on METRA (Northeast Illinois Commuter Rail) in June 2008.

Shanahan was appointed to the Local 829 Board of Trustees as a Protective Committeeman in 2010 and elected Vice President of that Local in 2010. He became Local Chairman in January 2013 and was promoted to Assistant National Representative to Unit 155 in July 2016. He has served as TCU/IAM National Representative since 2017 and was elected as a TCU/IAM National Vice President effective Jan. 1, 2021, and re-elected at the 2022 TCU/IAM Convention.

“Brian has proven that he can excel at any opportunity that comes his way,” said Josh Hartford, Special Assistant to the International President for the IAM Rail Division. “These are the leaders that myself and the Executive Council are looking to empower, so that our members get the best representation every step of the way.”

Shanahan’s tenure in TCU/IAM included overseeing clerical and intermodal workers at nearly a dozen rail carriers.

In 2021, Shanahan was tasked by TCU/IAM National President Artie Maratea to spearhead the union’s Organizing Department. He’s currently a member of the Illinois High Speed Rail Commission and was also appointed to the Will Kankakee Regional Development Authority by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Shanahan will work with others in the IAM Rail Division to ensure continuity in union operations at all levels within the IAM Rail Division.

“Brian has gone above and beyond as a trustable leader, mentor, and true unionist when it comes to the IAM members he serves,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant.

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WASHINGTON – The Shop Craft Unions at Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway are urgently calling upon the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to initiate unannounced focus inspections on all locomotives and rail cars owned and leased by BNSF Railway, and immediately issue non-compliance orders requiring BNSF to fix all found defects before being permitted to use such equipment, citing concerns over numerous defects that are allegedly being ignored and neglected by BNSF management.

The letter comes on the heels of BNSF’s recent announcement of over 362 furloughs in the Shop Craft Unions, further exacerbating concerns over safety and maintenance practices. The defects and recent extreme cuts to the workforce pose serious safety risks to railroad operations and personnel.

Many furloughed employees may be forced to accept positions with lower pay and fewer benefits, potentially disrupting their lives and livelihoods.

In a letter addressed to FRA Administrator Amit Bose, the Shop Craft Unions at BNSF highlighted their ongoing efforts to address safety and maintenance issues within the railroad industry. The letter referenced a meeting held on December 19, 2023, during which the Shop Craft Unions presented evidence of significant workforce reductions within the mechanical departments of Class I freight railroads, including a staggering 41% decrease in employees since 2015.

Reports received by the Shop Craft Unions indicate that BNSF managers that have been under pressure to perform work without an adequate number of workers, may have instructed workers to release locomotives and rail cars for service that have not been adequately inspected or repaired, effectively disregarding federally mandated safety inspections and fabricate of inspection reports, purportedly as part of cost-cutting measures aimed at maximizing shareholder profits.

“BNSF’s actions represent a reckless disregard for the safety and integrity of our nation’s railways,” said the Shop Craft Unions. “BNSF has recently admitted in public filings that they would not be in compliance with federally mandated safety inspections, and we continue to be informed that BNSF has numerous FRA defects on their locomotives and rail cars. There is no shortage of profits for BNSF, and there is no shortage of work to be performed on BNSF equipment. There is simply an obscene shortage of workers and disregard for people at BNSF. By prioritizing cost-cutting over safety, BNSF is placing its employees and the public at risk. In light of these developments, we have urged the FRA to take immediate action to ensure the safety of BNSF operations. Random audits and focus inspections are essential to holding BNSF accountable and preventing further compromises to safety.”

The Shop Craft Unions at BNSF are calling upon the FRA to prioritize the well-being of railroad workers and the integrity of railroad operations by promptly conducting inspections of BNSF locomotives and rail cars located at or in transit to all BNSF Locomotive Maintenance Inspection Terminals (LMITs).

###

The Shop Craft Unions are, in alphabetical order: The Brotherhood of Railroad Carmen Division, TCU/IAM (BRC), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) , the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers (IBB), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the National Conference of Fireman and Oilers, Local 32BJ/SEIU (NCFO), the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Mechanical Department (SMART MD), the Transportation Communications Union (TCU) and the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU).

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IAM District 19, the IAM Rail Division, and their allies took to the streets recently in Los Angeles to call on immediate action to protect communities from the recent scourge of railway accidents.

View Rally Photos here.

The coalition called on the Senate to pass the bipartisan Railway Safety Act (S. 576), which would mandate vital safety measures and take a significant step toward safeguarding railway employees and the public.

“The freight rail industry’s primary focus is profit, often at the expense of safety for workers and communities,” IAM International President Brian Bryant said at the rally. “Congress must pass comprehensive legislation to address long-standing safety problems in the freight rail industry.”

U.S. Reps. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) and Nanette Barragán (D- Calif.) spoke at the rally and reaffirmed their support.

The Railway Safety Act would prohibit railroad carriers from imposing impractical deadlines on railcar and locomotive inspectors. This ensures inspections are conducted thoroughly and diligently, promoting overall rail safety for communities.

“Rail safety affects not only rail workers but all people, communities big and small, and cities like Los Angeles,” said Josh Hartford, IAM Special Assistant to the International President for the IAM Rail Division. “The Railway Safety Act will begin to hold railroads accountable.”

The legislation also mandates that only highly skilled and qualified personnel are authorized to perform inspections, specifically for locomotives and pre-departure railcars. This eliminates the risk of relying on operating crews or untrained individuals, contributing to enhanced safety in rail transportation. 

Other featured speakers and attendees included IAM Western Territory General Vice President Gary R. Allen, IAM District 19 President and Directing General Chairman Andrew Sandberg, the Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM), the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, the California Federation of Labor, the Transportation Trades Department, the Brotherhood of Railway Signalmen, the American Train Dispatchers Association, SMART-TD Union, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1227, and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.

The post Rail Workers, Labor, and Elected Officials Rally for Rail Safety appeared first on IAMAW.

The IAM Human Rights Department has taken on its own identity within the IAM, with the sole purpose of advancing equality and justice. 

This February, the IAM Human Rights Department is featuring accomplished IAM members of the Black community in celebration of Black History Month. 

IAM members being honored for Black History Month are among the many trailblazers in our union.

Kiona Davis
Nominated by: IAM Rail Division

Kiona Davis is a 15-year member who currently serves as Local 498’s newly elected Local Chairperson at Canadian National’s (CN) largest locomotive repair facility across the United States in Homewood, Ill. 

Davis began her railroad career at Amtrak’s Locomotive Service Center in Chicago and immediately joined Local 2600 as the Representative for Amtrak’s “Safe To Safer” program. After her tenure at Amtrak, Davis joined CN two years ago, continuing her involvement with her new local helping members however she could. 

Davis takes pride in being a mentor to new members and engages with them as soon as they enter the shop. Davis ensures our members feel welcomed and provides them with the proper education regarding our union. The Rail Division commends Davis for always taking the initiative, being such a great mentor to fellow members and a prime example of what solidarity really means.

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Members of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) Rail Division, IAM District 19, affiliates of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, and community allies will gather for an informational picket outside Union Station, 800 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA. The members will gather to advocate for the passage of the Rail Safety Act to help keep the Los Angeles community safe. The proposed legislation aims to enhance safety measures for railway employees and communities while transporting goods and passengers.

Please RSVP here

Date: Thursday, Feb. 22 
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Location: Union Station, 800 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA. (In the square located in front of the entrance).
Purpose: IAM Rail Division members, IAM District 19 and allies will be holding an informational picket to draw attention to the importance of the Rail Safety Act, which introduces crucial safety measures to protect workers and communities.

The bipartisan Railway Safety Act (S. 576) focuses on vital safety measures and creates a significant step toward safeguarding railway employees and the public. It also would prohibit railroad carriers from imposing impractical deadlines on railcar and locomotive inspectors. This ensures inspections are conducted thoroughly and diligently, promoting overall rail safety for communities. 

Additionally, the legislation mandates that only highly skilled and qualified personnel are authorized to perform inspections, specifically for locomotives and pre-departure railcars. This eliminates the risk of relying on operating crews or untrained individuals, contributing to enhanced safety in rail transportation. 

Please RSVP here

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