May 1st was International Labor Day and, as US union membership in 2022 reached an all-time low, it is more important than ever to remind people about the dangers the marginalization of organized labor creates. Nowhere is this better seen than in the East Palestine train derailment earlier this year.
On February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern train carrying harmful chemicals including vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ethers derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. Three days later, authorities started a controlled fire to burn the hazardous chemicals to prevent a potential explosion. Since the derailment, East Palestine residents reported having headaches, nausea and cases of chemical bronchitis. Additionally, the union that represents Norfolk Southern railroad workers claims those charged with the cleanup were becoming sick and not being provided with the necessary personal protective equipment.
In the aftermath of the derailment, the states most affected took some action, but no significant changes occurred federally. In March, Ohio sued Norfolk Southern to “make sure it pays for the cleanup and environmental damage [it] caused” as well as future monitoring of groundwater and soil in East Palestine and the surrounding areas. Additionally, a Pennsylvania House Committee recently passed a bill that would expand the state’s role in railroad safety enforcement and create specific “safety benchmarks” for trains in Pennsylvania including orders for the state’s Public Utility Commision to “develop standards for the reporting and tracking of hazardous materials on trains.”
What makes this accident even more tragic, besides the lack of action after the derailment, is the systematic dismissal of concerns brought up by railroad workers and unions across companies. A leaked audio reveals a manager for Union Pacific, one of the largest rail companies in the US, telling a carman that it was “OK to skip inspections” because it delayed other cargo, and, therefore, profits, as she expressed concern over pushback for tagging broken bearings. Further, the carman said she and other workers were not trained to inspect and repair railcars, forcing her to teach herself and suggested that something similar was common practice in other major railroad companies.
At Norfolk Southern, a union leader mentioned “a time allotment” the company has for inspections. Another transportation union, SMART, warned of the possibility of an accident like the one in East Palestine two years before it happened and said similar accidents will occur if profit continues to be prioritized over safety.
During former President Trump’s time in office, railroad safety regulations regarding train-brake rules and hazardous materials were cut back. The federal government, even under a self-described “pro-Labor” president, continues to place profits over worker safety. In November 2022, four rail unions rejected a new contract, but under the Railway Labor Act, passed in 1926, Congress forced the unions to accept the terms and forbid them from striking. Prior to congressional action, President Joe Biden urged them to pass legislation to immediately adopt the contract because the consequences of a rail shutdown would significantly harm the economy.
The East Palestine derailment was preventable if the government listened to the labor unions and workers. Favoring companies and profits is directly harming Americans. We, as concerned citizens, must put pressure on companies to listen to unions and on the federal government to reinstate and improve railroad safety regulations.
