BLET Division 766

Legislation introduced in Congress, with support from BLET, the Teamsters Rail Conference and the @Teamsters, would put into federal law the current requirement that railroad tracks are visually inspected twice a week and requiring ATI. Read more: blet.link/4bgyNEk

The @Teamsters Rail Conference today is stronger, more unified, and more influential than it has ever been,” said Mark Wallace, in his keynote report to delegates during the Rail Conference’s Sixth Quadrennial Convention on March 12. Read more: blet.link/4sJgld9

Rail workers and their families rely on the Railroad Retirement Board for access to their hard-earned retirement, sickness, & unemployment benefits. @TTDAFLCIO, @Teamsters, @AAR_FreightRail, & @ASLRRA urge Congress to give RRB sufficient resources to serve railroaders:

It is always better in a union! During the @Teamsters Rail Conference, I discussed the upcoming Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill with national rail leaders. I will be advocating for policies like my Secure Tracks Act which would help ensure that any track defects that put our safety at risk are identified and addressed right away. @BMWEDIBT @BLET @TransportDems @Labor_Caucus

The Teamsters Rail Conference thanks Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV, 1st District) for introducing the Secure Tracks Act. Railroads have been trying to replace the work of Teamsters track inspectors with “automated track inspection,” which is nothing more than a modestly improved version of an existing tool used by inspectors. The Secure Tracks Act would prevent carriers from endangering communities and killing jobs by requiring them to continue conducting safe numbers of visual track inspections. “If railroads implement their dangerous ATI agenda, it won’t just be our members who pay the price. It will be everyday Americans in whichever community bears the brunt of the next catastrophe,” said Tony Cardwell, President of the BMWED of the Teamsters Rail Conference. “With the Secure Tracks Act, we will ensure carriers are required to maintain the visual inspections that keep our communities safe. We thank Sens. Baldwin and Hawley and Rep. Titus for their commitment to union railroaders, and we look forward to working together to get this bill passed.”

Trains carrying hazardous materials run right through #OnlyinDistrictOne. As Ranking Member of the @TransportDems Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, I am introducing the Secure Tracks Act to help ensure that any track defects that put our safety at risk are identified and addressed right away. This common-sense legislation will save lives and protect our property and the environment. It is a win-win-win.

The BMWED-IBT commends Sens. @tammybaldwin and @HawleyMO and Rep. @repdinatitus for introducing the bipartisan Secure Tracks Act. Let’s pass it so every American can trust that expert human track inspectors are keeping the railroad tracks in our towns and communities safe.

It is a solemn day when a worker doesn't get the chance to come home. Our hearts are with the family, friends, and coworkers of fallen @BMWEDIBT Brother Jeremy S. Charles, who was struck and killed on the job yesterday morning. local21news.com/news/local/amt…

From the locomotive cab to the Nevada communities we roll through, #RailSafety is lived, not theorized. We appreciate the bipartisan push to bring the Railway Safety Act back. Rail labor has been clear: stronger safeguards matter. @SenCortezMasto @SenJackyRosen

Notch 8: A message to the membership from BLET First Vice President Gary Best. Read the message here: blet.link/4kOE09g

@GallantD23 @boringcompany Affordable rides and tourism access are positives. The full picture also includes total system cost, long term capacity, and how projects fit into regional transit that serves residents every day. Transportation investments work best when all of that is part of the conversation..

The Vegas Loop @boringcompany keeps costs low. Rides within the Las Vegas Convention Center campus are free for attendees. Trips to connected resorts like Resorts World, Westgate, or Encore cost only a few dollars. That affordability makes it easy for visitors to move from conventions to nearby hotels and casinos, increasing foot traffic and supporting local businesses. If You Like Smart, Practical Solutions That Support Nevada’s Economy, I’m Asking You To Stand With Me. Donate here: secure.winred.com/danielle-galla…

When trains derail, fire fighters are expected to make split-second decisions – often without the real-time information about the hazards onboard. The Railway Safety Act would change that. cbsnews.com/sacramento/new…

@JoeLombardoNV When #railsafety legislation is vetoed, the risk doesn’t disappear.. it’s pushed onto railroad workers, nearby communities, and first responders. That choice has consequences, and accountability begins with the veto.

When I took office, I set out to make Nevada business-friendly, and we delivered. In just three and a half years, we’ve cut and streamlined more than 900 regulations that were holding job creators back.  Under my Administration, we’re making it possible for businesses to succeed in Nevada.

@JosephMLombardo Public safety isn’t selective. When #railsafety legislation is vetoed, risks don’t vanish.. they’re transferred to workers, nearby communities, and emergency responders. Real safety policy prevents harm before it happens.

Nevadans elected me to put public safety first – that’s exactly what my Safe Streets & Neighborhoods Act does. Today’s bill signing makes clear we will not tolerate violence, exploitation, or lawlessness in Nevada, & we will always stand with victims & support law enforcement.

@AaronDFordNV @JoeLombardoNV Rail safety is a measure of #publicsafety. We recognize leaders who consistently support it. Aaron Ford has demonstrated that commitment. Joe Lombardo has not. freightwaves.com/news/nevada-go…

Under @JoeLombardoNV, Nevada has lagged behind the rest of the nation in job growth. Now, while small businesses and working families suffer, Lombardo is embracing Trump’s reckless tariff policies that are doing further harm to Nevada’s economy.

@heidikasama4nv @JoeLombardoNV Nevada Republicans praise community safety while continuing to ignore #railsafety.. the kind that decides whether towns survive a single failure. When government shields corporations instead of people, preventable harm becomes inevitable. That isn’t leadership, it’s abandonment..

I was honored to be invited to attend the signing of Governor @JoeLombardoNV's Safe Streets and Neighborhoods Act. I'm glad to have been able to support this bill in the Assembly and help protect our communities.

Rail funded by the public should serve the public, safely, transparently, & with strong labor standards - no matter who the riders are. As NV evaluates this, operational safety, workforce training, & public oversight should be central from the start. nevadacurrent.com/2026/01/29/nvs…

This week I met with @USDOTFRA Administrator David Fink to discuss rail safety. I was also glad to hear that he understands the importance of investing in passenger rail projects like @GoBrightline and the @Amtrak national network. We must continue the success of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to realize the full potential of next-generation passenger rail in the United States.

East Palestine wasn’t an accident so much as the predictable result of a system that learned to ignore the people closest to the work. Rail workers warned what happens when trains get longer, crews get thinner, inspections get shorter, & judgment is replaced by metrics that look good to investors but fail in the real world. Three years later, the language has softened, the promises have been recycled, & the balance sheets have recovered, but the underlying math hasn’t changed. When safety is treated as an expense instead of a responsibility, the bill always comes due somewhere else.. usually in a town that never consented to be part of the experiment.

This year marks three years since East Palestine. On Feb. 3, leaders of the BLET joined members of Congress, community leaders, and rail labor reps. at a bipartisan press conference to advocate for passage of the Railway Safety Act (HR 928). Read more: blet.link/4cfgpfB