Railroad Workers United (RWU) is angered and offended by President Trump’s
illegal firing of Surface Transportation Board member Robert Primus on August
27th. We condemn this action and demand Primus’ immediate reinstatement.
The official reason cited - that his position is being eliminated - is utter
nonsense. The Board was established more than three decades ago as an
independent federal agency, tasked with providing regulatory oversight of the
nation’s railroads, and was designed by legislation to function with a total of
five members. Under the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act of
1995—the law that established the STB—Board members can only be removed
for cause: specifically, inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.
Primus had an exemplary record while serving at the STB. He had been an
outspoken voice for the rights and wellbeing of shippers, passengers, and
railroad workers. Primus was known for his outspoken views, including criticism
of the Class One carriers when they failed to provide adequate customer
service to the nation’s shippers, did not live up to their commitments to
Amtrak, or disrespected railroad workers. Primus was the lone member of the
STB to vote NO on the most recent Class One rail merger, the 2023
amalgamation of the Canadian Pacific and the Kansas City Southern.
It is obvious to railroad workers what is going on here. Powerful corporate
interests are at work undermining the government institutions that were set up
to regulate and oversee the actions of those same powerful interests. It is no
coincidence that the STB will soon be hearing the case of the proposed
mega-merger of the Union Pacific and the Norfolk Southern. The STB has the
final word as to whether or not this merger is allowed to proceed, based upon
its weighing of the evidence if such a merger is in the interests of shippers,
passengers, workers, industry, the nation’s economy, and the rail industry itself.
In the interest of the law, the integrity of our government institutions, and the
ability of the STB to function and to make informed decisions affecting the rail
industry in the coming years, we demand that Robert Primus be reinstated.
Statement adopted by the RWU Steering Committee 9/3/2025

Editor's Note: The FRA just canned RSAC... the only official space where railroaders, unions, suppliers, and regulators hashed out safety policies as equals. No explanation, no warning.. just a termination letter in the mail, traded in for the pretext of a “refresh” that reeks of contempt. RSAC wasn’t a rubber-stamp, it was a lifeline for frontline perspectives to shape real safety. Now that lifeline’s cut. When workers are erased from safety conversations, accidents stop being anomalies, they become inevitabilities. If FRA wants “refresh,” we insist on real safety, not cynical political theater

FRA disbands Railroad Safety Advisory Committee

Trains Magazine / August 13th The Federal Railroad Administration today disbanded its Railroad Safety Advisory Committee as part of a broader Department of Transportation push to bring federal advisory panels in line with a presidential executive order. “These committees are long overdue for a refresh. Many have not held a single meeting in over a year, while others have not produced recommendations or advisory reports. Worse, some committees have lost sight of the mission, and have been overrun with individuals whose sole focus is their radical DEI and climate agenda,” a Department of Transportation spokesman said. “By updating the FACA committees’ membership, President Trump and [Transportation] Secretary [Sean] Duffy are refocusing these committees on what matters.” The Transportation Trades Division of the AFL-CIO, an umbrella group representing railroad labor unions, said it was alarmed by the decision to disband the FRA panel.

Editor's Note: Great to see that OSHA is still able to levy big fines against rail corporations who violate the law and rail workers rights. Tragically however, once a rail worker wins a case such as this, the carrier generally appeals to the courts and drags the case out, sometimes for years. We will try to keep tabs on what happens to this one.

US Department of Labor orders railroad company to reinstate worker, pay over $300K in back wages, damages, attorney’s fees

Department of Labor / August 6th

A federal whistleblower investigation found that Union Pacific Railroad Co. violated the Federal Railroad Safety Act by terminating a railroad engineer after the employee reported and sought medical care for a work-related injury. 

The department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has ordered Union Pacific to reinstate the employee, and pay back wages, interest, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorney’s fees, totaling over $300,000.   

OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program enforces 25 whistleblower statutes that protect employees from retaliation for reporting violations of various workplace safety and health, airline, anti-money laundering, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, criminal antitrust, environmental, financial reform, food safety, health insurance reform, maritime, motor vehicle safety, nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, safety and health, securities, and tax laws.