Black Shirt Friday Commemorates Railroad Worker Deaths

[Omaha Steve]

http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/6118/black_shirt_friday_commemorates_railroad_worker_deaths/

Note that Nebraska lost a rail worker on the job this week: http://www.omaha.com/article/20100617/NEWS01/706179914

Friday June 18 6:05 am
By Kari Lydersen


Las Vegas railroad worker Ron Kaminkow wears a black T-shirt today to commemorate railroad workers killed on the job.
(Photo by Kari Lydersen)

Railroad workers around the country are wearing black today in a grim commemoration of the family members who will not be able to celebrate Father's Day with loved ones killed in railroad accidents in recent years.

The group Railroad Workers United (RWU) has counted at least 20 railroad workers killed since Mother's Day 2009, when Jared Boehlke died in a one-man accident in the Selkirk rail yard in upstate New York, one of many accidents which the group says are caused by automation and other cost-cutting measures in the industry

The group, made up of members of various rail unions nationwide, says:

Despite far fewer trains moving with fewer employees, the number of rail workers on-the-job fatalities has dramatically increased since the onset of the recession. High profile fatalities – such as passenger train accident victims or soldiers killed in war – make headline news, while on-the-job deaths of working people usually go unnoticed.

The most recent death happened just two weeks ago in a New Jersey train yard. “Hostler” Greg Kastner, 63, was struck and killed by a wayward locomotive June 1 at 3:30 am when a locomotive's brakes malfunctioned.

FULL story at link.

[havocmom]

1. off to the greatest with you

and a :kick: for a post that matters. Seems valuable stuff is lost among the usless crap of late. Did everyone check their brains and ideals at the door or what?

[Omaha Steve]

2. Kick