BLET NEWS FLASH

Rail unions urge FRA to act regarding spread of coronavirus

https://www.ble-t.org/pr/news/newsflash.asp?id=12312

CLEVELAND, Ohio, March 6 - The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the SMART Transportation Division (SMART-TD) jointly petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on March 6 to take action in responding to the rapidly spreading COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the United States.

"With at least 231 patients treated in 22 states, and at least 14 deaths at the present time ... we and other rail labor Organizations take this issue very seriously, and we have been monitoring it closely," wrote BLET President Dennis R. Pierce and SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson in a letter to FRA Administrator Ronald J. Batory.

The two union presidents pointedly questioned the FRA's lack of an action plan to help address the potential spread of the coronavirus among rail workers.

"As you are likely already aware, over the last several weeks multiple departments within the Department of Transportation . have issued guidelines to employers on how to approach this issue, along with statements and guidelines focused on educating and protecting the crew members, passengers, and consumers who may be impacted by this deadly disease," the union presidents wrote. "To our knowledge, the FRA has overlooked, or perhaps outright disregarded, its responsibility to get involved with this matter."

The union presidents urged FRA to issue guidelines directed at U.S. rail carriers, employees and passengers similar to those issued by other departments within the DOT.