WASHINGTON, June 21, 2023 – The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), representing nearly 1.4 million members across the United States, are calling on Congress to immediately pass the bipartisan Railway Safety Act (S. 576).
READ: 2 craft unions press senators to act on rail safety bill FreightWaves
“With its comprehensive approach, the Railway Safety Act focuses on vital safety measures, as it creates a significant step toward safeguarding railway employees and the public,” write IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr. and IBEW International President Kenneth W. Cooper in their joint letter to Congress. “By supporting this legislation, you will help foster a safer working environment for our members while ensuring the efficient and reliable transportation of goods and passengers across the country.”
The Railway Safety Act includes the following important safety measures to protect workers and communities:
- Prohibits the railroad carriers from imposing impossible time constraints on railcar and locomotive inspectors.
- Ensures that highly skilled and qualified workers are the ones conducting inspections (such as locomotive and pre-departure railcar inspections), rather than relying on operating crews or other untrained crafts.
Read the complete letter here.
The IAM was founded as a railroad union in 1888, and represents more than 35,000 railroad workers across the country. These members include the IAM’s original craft, the locomotive Machinists, and various rail crafts represented by our merged affiliated, the Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM) and their Brotherhood of Railway Carmen Division (BRC).
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) represents 820,000 active and retired members who work in a wide variety of fields, including construction, utilities, manufacturing, telecommunications, broadcasting, railroads and government.
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