Freight railroads have begun informing customers they are returning to business as usual, after halting some operations in preparation for a work stoppage. Commuter operators are returning to normal plans, as well.
A stoppage was averted when railroads and unions reached tentative labor agreements early this morning following a marathon bargaining session [see “Freight railroad strike averted …,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 15, 2022].
Norfolk Southern, which had taken the most aggressive approach to preparations — halting acceptance of intermodal and automotive traffic, along with embargoing hazardous materials along with other Class I railroads — informed customers that it has reopened all gates to intermodal traffic “effective immediately.” It also has resumed filling reservations on pool intermodal equipment.
Union Pacific has informed customers it has cancelled its embargoes on hazardous, security-sensitive, and time-sensitive cargo and is “working with customers to address any backlog of their shipments.”
BNSF railway said in a statement that it will “continue normal operations. The actions we had begun to take on a small subset of certain commodities, like hazardous and security-sensitive materials, as well as Temperature-Controlled Intermodal, to ensure the security of your freight, have been lifted. Additionally, pending gate restrictions at certain intermodal and automotive facilities will not go into effect.”
Chicago’s Metra, in a message to passengers, says all scheduled services will continue. “Please accept our apologies for this week of uncertainty and anxiety, and our thanks for your patience and understanding. The late Thursday evening trains that had been cancelled by BNSF and Union Pacific in anticipation of a strike will now run as scheduled.” A similar message was posted by Metrolink in Los Angeles.
— Updated at 12:37 p.m. CDT with BNSF statement.
We’ll see …..
The “attendance policy” and other employee lifestyle issues that the SMART and BLE unions are very concerned about might not have been fully addressed with this agreement. Also, the “tentative agreement(s)” need to be ratified by the various unions.
Meanwhile, the damage has been done, in terms of cancelled Amtrak L.D. trains, commuter operations up in the air, delayed freight, embargoed haz-mat materials etc. Clearing up the freight backlogs and delays will take time to clear up ….
Meanwhile the bitterness and resentment between rail management and labor will continue and is not resolved by this “tentative” agreement ….
Stop it!
Try to imagine how Trump would have managed this. Did he ever handle anything in a tempered, business like way? For sure, he would have supported business positions. Contingency plans, compromise, professionalism, and leadership. This is how our country is SUPPOSED to function. The McConnells and McCarthys and Cottons and Taylor-Greenes gnash their teeth with resentment, the Biden Administration scores another big win for competent government. It’s getting easier every day to vote for Democrats.
YES!!
True
Yes, how our country is SUPPOSED to function. NOT! : 1. Open borders, free flow of drugs, sex trafficking, extortion, terrorists. 2. Runaway inflation. 3. Rampant violent crime, cities becoming unlivable, homeless everywhere fouling the streets. 4. Free speech suppressed, FBI and IRS weaponized. 5. Education system teaching hate for America and racial division. I could go on. Amtrak Joe will take his victory lap.