Approximately 140 locomotive engineers and conductors employed by the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway went on strike Wednesday, Nov. 11, following allegations that the railroad violated its union contract and a longstanding federal court order.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) announced that picket lines were established at key locations beginning at noon Wednesday, bringing train operations to a halt along one of the nation’s largest regional rail networks.
Headquartered in Brewster, the Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway operates approximately 840 miles of track across Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland. Its network stretches from Hagerstown, Maryland, through the Pittsburgh region and communities across Northeast Ohio before reaching Toledo.
According to the union, the dispute centers on the railroad’s decision to use management personnel to perform duties traditionally assigned to union conductors.
Union officials contend the practice violates their collective bargaining agreement and a federal court directive stemming from a similar labor dispute in 2013.
That earlier dispute involved allegations that the railroad attempted to replace conductors with management employees and, in some cases, operate trains with only one crew member. The disagreement also resulted in a strike.
The union maintains that the railroad’s latest actions represent a significant contractual violation under the Railway Labor Act, which governs labor relations in the railroad industry.
Under the law, disputes classified as “major disputes” may allow unions to pursue labor action, including strikes, under certain circumstances. The BLET argues that the railroad’s alleged contractual violations permit its members to take immediate action without completing the lengthy negotiation and mediation procedures typically required in railroad labor disputes.
BLET National President Mark Wallace, who also serves as president of the Teamsters Rail Conference, said the union intends to continue its work stoppage until the railroad complies with its contractual obligations.
“Our members at the Wheeling & Lake Erie have the full support of our national union, as well as the Teamsters,” Wallace said.
“This employer has not only violated our contract and compromised safety standards; they also have arrogantly thumbed their nose at the federal courts,” Wallace added. “We will protect the members we represent and the communities this railroad serves by shutting down train operations until this railroad’s management abides by court orders and the terms of our agreement.”
The work stoppage could affect freight transportation throughout the railroad’s four-state service area, including industrial and commercial customers in Northeast Ohio.
The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway serves numerous communities and businesses throughout the region, providing freight connections to larger national railroad networks.
Railroad strikes are relatively uncommon because federal labor law generally requires extensive negotiations, mediation and other procedures before workers can legally walk off the job.
The union argues that the nature of the alleged violations in this case permits immediate strike action.
The railroad’s response to the allegations was not included in the union’s announcement.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the union had not announced when train operations might resume.
