Bipartisan Legislation Includes Several
Teamsters Priorities to Strengthen Rail Safety
WASHINGTON, July 23,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters are proud to
endorse the bipartisan Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2024
(H.R.8996) led by Representatives Troy
Nehls (R-TX) and Seth Moulton
(D-MA). This legislation includes several Teamsters priorities,
such as requiring a qualified engineer and conductor on most
freight trains and providing essential equipment to roadway workers
to ensure protections from being struck by trains and other
railroad vehicles while working on track.
"The Teamsters Union proudly support the Railroad Safety
Enhancement Act, and the essential requirements it includes," said
Teamsters General President Sean M.
O'Brien. "Our rail members come to work every day to face
employers who not only don't care about their safety but are
actively taking steps to put them and the public at higher risk.
Particularly following East Palestine, we are done waiting for the
railroads to fix their own problems—the only path forward is
strong, bipartisan Congressional action."
For years, the Teamsters and its affiliated railroad unions, the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the
Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWED), have demanded
rail safety legislation to address degrading conditions in the
industry. The Teamsters consistently must fight against the
railroads' persistent prioritization of profits over safety for
members and the communities that freight trains operate through.
Following the East Palestine disaster, the need for comprehensive
legislation has only become more evident.
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters
represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto
Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow
us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at
Facebook.com/teamsters.
Contact:
Matt McQuaid, (202)
624-6877
mmcquaid@teamster.org
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SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters