Canadian rail union applauds Ottawa’s new legislation on safety

Calling it the right thing to do, Teamsters Canada applauds the announcement from the Conservative government of Stephen Harper to put the clamps on railways flouting safety rules.

"Since the Railway
Safety Act was amended in 1999, it is disturbing how many safety rules
violations there have been by railways," says William Brehl, president of
the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference, Maintenance of Way Employees Division,
and a member of Transport Canada’s Advisory Council on Railway Safety.

"In fact, over the
last decade Transport Canada reports there have been more than 10,000 train
collisions and derailments – and that is an average of three a day. Most are
minor, some result in evacuations and even loss of life, and many are potential
disasters with so many dangerous commodities being shipped around Canada by
rail," he adds.

The Honorable Rob
Merrifield, Minister of State (Transport), said that the Government of Canada
will introduce legislation to improve railway safety in Canada because of
"the importance of a safe and secure national rail transportation system,
not only to communities across the country but also to Canada’s economic
well-being."

"For someone whose
life is devoted to the labor movement, it is not easy for me to throw accolades
at the Conservative government. But on this issue of public safety, the
Conservatives are doing the right thing and we have to give them credit," Brehl
says.

The proposed legislation
calls for a tightening of the rules, hiring more safety inspectors at Transport
Canada, whistleblower protection for workers reporting violations, stiff
monetary penalties for violations and more.

"Will this legislation
end all accidents and derailments?" Brehl asks, "No, probably not.
But it may bring rail safety up to the levels we see in Europe and end this
game of Russian roulette that Canadian railways have long played when it comes
to public safety."