Rail Blog
Conrail Rail Workers Ratify New Contract with Significant Pay Increases
Posted OnJune 26, 2025 byConrail TWU members in Detroit, Philadelphia, and New Jersey voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new five-year contract, delivering a 17.5% wage increase, with Journeyman Carmen making over $100,000 a year by contract’s end. “This is a big win for TWU railroad workers,” said TWU International President John Samuelsen. “This new contract locks in real wage…Read More…
TWU Persistence Pays Off, Amtrak Graduates First Apprentice Class in 31 Years
Posted OnMarch 31, 2025 byFor years, Rail Division Director John Feltz pressured Amtrak officials to revive a long-shuttered apprentice program that provides critical training to become a Journeyman Carman, only to be told he was “beating a dead horse.” “My response was, ‘I’ll beat that horse until it comes back to life,’” Feltz said at the first graduation…Read More…
Victory! Onboard Workers at Brightline Vote to Join the TWU
Posted OnJanuary 14, 2025 byOnboard Attendants and Lead Attendants on the Brightline railroad in Florida voted today, Tuesday, January 14, 2025, to join the Transport Workers Union of America. The National Mediation Board announced the election results in Washington, D.C., after weeks of balloting and an aggressive anti-union campaign by the privately-owned company. Brightline has about 100 Onboard…Read More…
Unemployment and Sick Benefits for Rail Workers to Get a Boost
Posted OnDecember 11, 2024 byBig Win for unemployed, sick, and injured railroad workers that restores benefits unfairly slashed over a decade ago The newly released text of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act includes language that boosts unemployment and sick benefits to eligible railroad workers by 5.7%. Railroad workers who are laid off or sidelined by a long-term illness or…Read More…
The TWU Beats Brightline as National Mediation Board Rejects Brightline Delay Tactics
Posted OnNovember 12, 2024 byThe Transport Workers Union of America won a significant victory on Tuesday over Brightline’s attempt to delay a union election for Onboard Service Workers at the Florida railroad. The TWU’s arguments stating that Brightline is a railroad and subject to the Railway Labor Act for the purposes of forming a union were upheld in…Read More…
Florida Elected Officials Support Brightline Workers Organizing With the TWU
Posted OnSeptember 30, 2024 byEight members of Congress representing Florida’s entire Democratic U.S. House delegation sent a statement of support for Brightline Florida workers’ right to organize. The statement comes as the company continues to fight an ongoing unionization effort among on-board attendants and lead attendants to join the Transport Workers Union. The lawmakers, led by Rep. Debbie Wasserman…Read More…
Brightline Florida Workers File for a Union – Starting the Path for a Voice on the Job
Posted OnAugust 8, 2024 byThe Transport Workers Union of America is helping to organize on-board rail workers at Brightline Florida, with an overwhelming majority filing for recognition on Thursday with the National Mediation Board. On-board workers at Brightline are critical for the operations of the nation’s only privately owned intercity passenger railroad and reached out to the TWU…Read More…
TWU Wins Largest Wage Increase for On-Board Workers in Amtrak History, With Paid Family Leave
Posted OnJuly 30, 2024 byThe Transport Workers Union of America secured the largest wage increase for Amtrak workers in the agency’s 53-year history after on-board service workers overwhelmingly voted to ratify a new seven-year contract on Tuesday. The new contract includes a 34 percent compounded wage increase over seven years. The agreement covers July 1, 2022 through December…Read More…
New Freight Rail Safety Bill Would Make Trains Safer
Posted OnJuly 24, 2024 byThe Transport Workers Union is backing a new House bill that would impose new regulations on freight rail in response to the East Palestine, Ohio, derailment. Reps. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) introduced a bill, The Railroad Safety Enhancement Act of 2024, that expands on existing rail safety proposals drafted in the last year. The…Read More…
New Jersey Transit workers ratify new 3-year contract with pay raises and qualify-of-life improvements
Posted OnMay 31, 2024 byTransport Workers Union of America members at Local 2001 working for New Jersey Transit voted to ratify a new three-year contract that includes pay raises and additional time off. The new contract was ratified with 80 percent of votes in favor for the unit representing 180 Car Inspectors, Car Mechanics and Coach Cleaners. The…Read More…