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UP blames weather and construction for problems this week

DALLAS – The Union Pacific Railroad changed its tune from blaming workers to citing the weather and construction projects for its most recent woes.

For the last two weeks, UP has blamed its union workers for not working enough. But in the carrier’s latest filing with the Surface Transportation Board (STB), UP said tornadoes and construction projects last week hurt its efforts to end one of the worst railroad freight traffic jams in U.S. history.

UP told the STB that the already excessive number of train cars it has stopped up on its tracks increased last week blocking more sidings and slowing average train speeds.

UP said there was lots of congestion on its central corridor. Three trains were knocked over by tornadoes, the carrier said. Average train speed slipped to 13.9 mph. There were 107 blocked sidings. UP said its West Coast operations were improving.

Supreme Court rules in favor of non-union workers

WASHINGTON – Non-union workers cannot be forced to go through arbitration to challenge fees they are required to pay a union under an agency-shop agreement, the Supreme Court ruled this week 7-2.

The Court said in a case involving Delta Airlines non-union pilots that such workers cannot be required to submit to arbitration before taking their case to court.

The union’s contract with Delta includes an agency ship agreement that requires nonmembers to pay the union a service charge to help pay the costs of contract negotiations. Agency shop requirements require nonmembers to help finance a union’s expenses in representing workers on pay and working conditions. However, nonmembers cannot be forced to pay for a union’s political activities.

Cleveland officials not talking about Conrail split up plan

CLEVELAND – Cleveland officials are keeping closed lips about the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) rejection of its plan for the carve up of Conrail.

The environmental committee recently recommended that the STB reject Cleveland’s alternative plan for Conrail and instead recommended most of what CSX and Norfolk Southern wanted to do.

Suburban mayors, however, are saying they hope to strike a deal with CSX and NS in the coming days.

However, Congressman Dennis Kucinich said that if an agreement is not worked out in the next few days "we still have time for a legal fight. Kucinich, a democrat, is a former Mayor of Cleveland.

CSX makes key operational appointments

JACKSONVILLE – CSX has named Emory A. Hill general manager for its Great Lakes Service Lane, which will be based in Willard, Ohio, with an administrative office in Strongsville, Ohio.

The Great Lakes Service Lane is one of four new ones being created as a result of the acquisition of Conrail.

Succeeding Hill as general manager of the Baltimore Service Lane will be William P. Merriwether.