Save Our Trains Michigan
Conductor
“The proposal to sack assistant conductors would mean leaving up to 600 passengers in seven separate coaches to fend for themselves in the event of an accident, fire or terrorist attack,” Thompson said. “I was shocked that Gunn and Laney referred to assistant conductors as ‘ticket collectors,’ even though they know full-well that assistant conductors are responsible for passenger safety and are the front-line of defense against terrorist threats.
“Repeatedly, the National Transportation Safety Board has cited the efforts of assistant conductors in saving lives following passenger train accidents,” Thompson said. “The conductor has a responsibility to assess accident damage, give instructions to the engineer and communicate with the dispatcher. The assistant conductor leads passengers to safety and helps the conductor coordinate assistance from emergency responders,” Thompson said.
“The Gunn-Laney attack on FELA follows a similar attack by freight railroads – and both will be beaten back by the UTU,” Thompson said. “FELA creates a powerful incentive not to cut safety corners. Safe railroads need not fear FELA.
“The attack on Railroad Retirement is reckless, unprovoked and an especially mean-spirited assault on working families,” Thompson said. “The Railroad Retirement Board has warned that without Amtrak participation, Railroad Retirement benefits to hundreds of thousands of current and future beneficiaries would have to be cut by 16 percent.
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“Repeatedly, the National Transportation Safety Board has cited the efforts of assistant conductors in saving lives following passenger train accidents,” Thompson said. “The conductor has a responsibility to assess accident damage, give instructions to the engineer and communicate with the dispatcher. The assistant conductor leads passengers to safety and helps the conductor coordinate assistance from emergency responders,” Thompson said.
“The Gunn-Laney attack on FELA follows a similar attack by freight railroads – and both will be beaten back by the UTU,” Thompson said. “FELA creates a powerful incentive not to cut safety corners. Safe railroads need not fear FELA.
“The attack on Railroad Retirement is reckless, unprovoked and an especially mean-spirited assault on working families,” Thompson said. “The Railroad Retirement Board has warned that without Amtrak participation, Railroad Retirement benefits to hundreds of thousands of current and future beneficiaries would have to be cut by 16 percent.
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