Chris Falaney
2023 Don Little Scholarship Applications
The BLET’s Illinois State Legislative Board is currently accepting applications for its Don Little Memorial Scholarship Fund, which was established in 2013. Up to Three (3) $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to applicants whose parent or guardian is a BLET member in...
Congratulations to the 2022 Don Little Memorial Scholarship Winners!
We proudly announce the two recipients of the 2022 Don Little Memorial Scholarships. Haley Dahl from Belvidere, IL and Jacob Harris from Pittsboro, IN. Congratulations!
Don Little Memorial Scholarship Fund
The BLET’s Illinois State Legislative Board is currently accepting applications for its Don Little Memorial Scholarship Fund, which was established in 2013. Two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to applicants whose parent or guardian is a BLET member in good...
Call To Action!
March 11, 2021 Brothers and Sisters, Once again, I am asking you to rise to the occasion, once again a call to action! The Illinois House Bill HB2524 – VEH CD- FREIGHT TRAIN LENGTH has been assigned to a committee and we MUST “slip” this committee as a proponent...
Train Length Legislation
February 16, 2021 Brothers and Sisters, First, a little news regarding some recent legislative developments within Illinois. SMART- TD has spear headed and introduced train length legislation in multiple states throughout the US. Small variations in the exact language...
Covid-19 Mishandling Reporting
Brothers and Sisters, Please exercise all caution during this COVID 19 pandemic emergency. I am asking you to report to me any practices at your respective railroads that are contrary to the recommendations of the CDC or Illinois Department of Public Health. I will...
Illinois Primaries March 17th 2020!
The Illinois primaries are upon us! (Tues. March 17th 2020) It is vital that we encourage every member, every friend, neighbor and family member to VOTE! Please educate them about our union’s endorsements and why we have selected them. Our State Legislative Board’s...
National Voter Registration Day 9/24
National Voter Registration Day National Voter Registration Day is a national holiday celebrating our democracy. It was first observed in 2012 and has been growing in popularity every year since. Held on the fourth Tuesday of September, National Voter Registration Day...
Illinois governor signs two-person crew bill
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, August 13 - Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a two-person crew bill into law on August 9, becoming the third state to pass such a railroad safety bill in 2019. Senate Bill 24, or the "Two Person Freight Train Act," provides that: "no...
Urgent: Act Now On Two-Person Train Crews, Mexican Cross-Border Issue!
BLET NEWS FLASH INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, July 24 - The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) is urging all members to contact their Representatives and Senators in Congress to support the union's two most pressing legislative issues: two-person train...
NORFOLK SOUTHERN PROMISES A SAFETY UPGRADE THAT CRITICS SAY FALLS SHORT OF WHAT’S NEEDED AFTER A FIERY TRAIN DERAILMENT IN OHIO
Norfolk Southern announced plans on Monday to improve the use of detectors placed along railroad tracks to spot overheating bearings and other problems in response to a fiery derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border a month ago. The announcement came the same day...
Locomotive Engineers Are Onboard For The Bipartisan Rail Safety Act of 2023
Locomotive Engineers Are Onboard For The Bipartisan Rail Safety Act of 2023 INDEPENDENCE, Ohio, March 3 — A bipartisan bill introduced on March 1 by three Republican and three Democratic senators is designed to toughen safety standards on America’s railroads. “Right...
Railroads offer paid sick days, schedule changes to retain employees
Railroads offer paid sick days, schedule changes to retain employees When railroad employees get sick, they're usually faced with a tough choice: use one of their limited personal days, head into work anyway or, if neither of those is an option, risk their job by...
Durbin Shows Support For Rail Employee Benefits Improvements
Our nation relies on the railroad to keep our economy running, and we should be providing rail workers with the benefits to reflect that. In my conversation with @AAR_FreightRail CEO Ian Jeffries, I emphasized that the rail industry must improve employee benefits....
2023 Chicago Federation of Labor Chicago Endorsements
2023 CFL Chicago Endorsements FINAL Click title to open PDF
STB rejects UP’s request for confidentiality in embargo case
STB rejects UP's request for confidentiality in embargo case The Surface Transportation Board has rejected Union Pacific Railroad's request to keep certain commercial information confidential in a case involving the Class I's use of traffic-control embargoes. Last...
Some Montana Rail Link engineers question contract with BNSF Railway
Some Montana Rail Link engineers question contract with BNSF Railway WASHINGTON — Some Montana Rail Link engineers have raised concerns about a loss or reduction of a range of benefits if regulators approve the early termination of the regional’s lease with BNSF...
Illinois commission OKs grade crossing projects in four counties
Illinois commission OKs grade crossing projects in four counties The Illinois Commerce Commission recently approved agreements for grade crossing improvement projects in four counties. Some project expenses will be covered by the state's Grade Crossing Protection Fund...
PSR’s impact on rail safety ‘inconclusive,’ GAO says
PSR's impact on rail safety 'inconclusive,' GAO says Implementation of precision scheduled railroading (PSR) at the nation's largest freight railroads has resulted in longer trains and reductions in staff and assets, but the strategy's impact on rail safety is...
It’s been a banner year for workers coming together to form unions
More than 43,000 workers across the country organized their workplaces this year. And those tangible results are getting noticed—a record 71% of Americans now approve of labor unions, up from 64% before the pandemic. People are seeing firsthand how the power of a...