Shipping and Logistics
BNSF Railway Unions Threaten to Strike
Written by David Schollaert
January 16, 2022
BNSF Railway union members have taken steps towards a work stoppage over a new attendance policy introduced during national negotiations by the railroad company.
Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation union (SMART-TD) – who collectively represent roughly 17,000 members at BNSF – are prepared to strike in protest of the Hi-Viz attendance policy, scheduled to take effect on Feb.1.
“This unprecedented BNSF policy repudiates direct and clear contract language, and in application, will attempt to force our members to report for duty without regard for their medical condition as we struggle to come out of a pandemic,” said Dennis Pierce, BLET’s national president, and Jeremy Ferguson, SMART-TD’s president.
The new policy introduced by BNSF establishes a points-based system that, according to the unions, can be used to penalize employees who take time off from work. The unions argue that the pending policy contradicts numerous collectively bargained agreements currently in place throughout the BNSF system.
Union leaders also argue that the latest change policy will take away any ability their members have to “avoid working fatigued.” They also contend that measures in the new policy will “stand to enact irreparable harm to an industry where safety is so critical.”
BNSF has publicly said that it “has not changed its attendance guidelines in more than 20 years” but that the new system “is designed to provide employees with real-time information and greater flexibility, so they can make informed decisions about their work schedules.”
The railroad claims that the policy update is consistent with practices across the transportation industry, while helping the company “safely and efficiently serve” its customers and the communities. The change is to “adapt to meet today’s competitive freight environment,” said BNSF.
The strike is still pending at least two-thirds majority approvals from the local jurisdictions. A work stoppage that disrupts rail transport would be another blow to the steel industry, which is already struggling with various bottlenecks.
By David Schollaert, David@SteelMarketUpdate.com
David Schollaert
Read more from David SchollaertLatest in Shipping and Logistics
Wittbecker: Challenges ahead for container freight in 2025
In 2024, volatility with a capital “V” has been the rule. That will remain high heading into 2025.
Reibus: November flatbed rates cool after October bump
Following the short-lived East Coast port labor strike in October, we now turn toward the Jan. 15 deadline to reach a long-term agreement.
Reibus: Flatbed, dry van rates ticked up post-hurricanes
After closing the third quarter -3.84% on a y/y basis, our first look at fourth-quarter flatbed spot rates puts us virtually flat y/y, coming in at -0.68%.
Leibowitz: Thorny issues remain as ILA-USMX talks kicked into 2025
On Thursday, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the US Maritime Alliance (USMX), representing carriers and port operators on the East and Gulf Coasts, announced a three-and-a-half-month extension of the recently expired collective bargaining agreement. The extension kicks the can down the road until Jan. 15, 2025, after the 2024 election and the certification of the results on Jan. 6.
Ports strike over as longshoremen reach tentative pact with employers
The International Longshoreman's Association (ILA) union and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) reached a tentative agreement on wages on Thursday evening. The move ends a strike at East Coast and Gulf Coast ports that began on Tuesday and that had threatened significant supply-chain disruptions.