A union representing rail workers accused Amtrak of
insensitivity in the wake of a fatal train crash this month, and said the
company has avoided taking steps to prevent the deaths.
The Pennsylvania Federation of the Brotherhood of
Maintenance Way Employees criticized Amtrak for asking coworkers of the two men
killed to collect pieces of a backhoe a train hit on the tracks, the newsletter
said.
“Many cried as they followed this order,” the newsletter
claimed.
A train hit the backhoe in Chester April 3, killing Joe
Carter, 31, an equipment operator, and Peter Adamovich, 59, a supervisor. The
newsletter revealed for the first time that another track worker, Jerry Moore,
was injured while working as a truck driver.
The newsletter, which included a letter to Joe Boardman,
Amtrak’s CEO and President, excoriated the company for a “perfect storm” of
corporate changes that the union said contributed to the deaths. The union
cited changes in close call reporting procedures that had allowed employees to
share experiences without fear of reprisal to improve safety procedures. It
also said training procedures are inadequate, highlighting rules about
shunting, a technique that alters rails’ current to alert trains to obstacles
on the tracks, that were not included in some training procedures. Foremen have much less seniority than in the past,
the newsletter states, and need proper training in safety procedures.
Amtrak responded with the following statement:
We are continuously working to improve the safety culture
within the engineering department and the entire company. The most effective
way to make that happen is true collaboration between Amtrak management and
union leadership to work together to ensure a safe working environment for our
employees.
Source: Philly.com
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