Received this Press Release.

PR NEWSWlRE
Fri June 20, 2008 10:48 EDT
Union Pacific Railroad Blocks Track Inspectors From Safety Training UP Track Inspectors Denied Permission to Attend FRA Track Safety Class

KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Union Pacific Railroad (UP) has denied permission for several of its track inspectors in the Kansas City area to attend a union sponsored track safety class conducted by the Federal Railroad Administration, denying rail workers vital safety training that could help lower the chance of track-related train accidents.

An official from Union Pacific Railroad contacted the safety director for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division (BMWD) last week and took exception to the union sponsored safety training. The union explained that the program was intended to enhance the skills and knowledge of BMWED-represented track inspectors on railroads operating in the Midwest. UP management requested permission to attend the program with the inspectors, but the manager did not return the union's phone call to discuss management's request.

On the day of the program, BMWD learned that UP managers Joe Guatney and Sylvester E Mutz Jr. would not allow the track inspectors to attend even though UP was not asked to pay the inspectors' salary or expenses. The BMWD made arrangements to pay the salary and expenses of
all BMWD track inspectors in attendance.

"I find it outrageous that the Union Pacific would deny these track inspectors an opportunity to attend this FRA-conducted safety program," said Rick Inclima, BMWD Director of Safety. "Evidently, UP does not want its track inspectors to have unfettered access to FRA safety inspectors. For a railroad that claims to place a high priority on safety, its actions belie its safety rhetoric. "Between 2004 and 2007, UP had 3,514 reportable train accidents, including 1,214 train accidents attributed to track-related defects. During this same period, 21 UP employees were killed on duty, including five fatalities suffered by members represented by BMWED.

"Given these safety statistics, BMWD is appalled by the UP's action to block track inspectors from attending this program," Inclima said. "The public and our nation's lawmakers should also be appalled."

/CONTACT: Galen Munroe of Teamsters Rail Conference, +1-202-624-6904, gmunroeteamster.org

Now my Question. What is really going on here? I'm certainly not gullible enough to accept the Union's Press release at face value anymore than I would accept's management. And why would the FRA participate in a training class if management was being excluded?

Brandi

This has the potential of being a difficult topic. It seems to be mired in modern railroad management vs railroad unions relationships. It has a limited connection to railroad preservation, being much more about current activities.

Lets keep the list focused on railroad preservation

Thank You, Randy

As someone who has crossed a now historic picket line to volunteer on a locomotive I can say that how this plays out may have a historical impact on the future of railroading and even society. This tension between management and the brotherhoods have historical roots and historical events have had an impact on today’s relationship and how they inter-react. These events may set historical president that should be at least documented for future study.
Oh and that historic picket line I crossed was the one from the 1983 copper strike in which phelps dodge in the mining division became a non-union shop. SP 3420 was brought into the refinery as the strike was happening. You may not remember but a six year old girl lost her life in Arizona due to tensions in this strike. I later crossed the picket line in 1985 when the strike was still on in full form. While we were not harassed other people were and 3420 later performed at phelps dodge’s dedication of a ball park so families could spend time together in peace. The phelps dodge company and its unions have had a very hard relationship that included loading strikers into EP&SW box cars (the EP&SW was owned by phelps dodge) and depositing the strikers in the middle of no where New Mexico where the national guard was sent to rescue them.

It will be very interesting to see how this develops.