The Transportation Communications Union/lAM sent letters to every Senator in opposition of Senate Amendment 1591, Senator Kohl’s “Railroad Antitrust Enforcement Act of 2012,” which he intends to offer to S. 1813, the Surface Transportation Bill pending on the floor.
The letter states, “Contrary to the claims of a few, it is simply not true that the railroads are exempt from antitrust laws. The railroads do have limited antitrust exemptions that are narrowly applied and extend only to those areas where the railroads’ conduct is subject to oversight by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB). This includes, but is not limited to certain rate agreements between railroads, which set rules, and regulations pertaining to fees they pay each other for the use of railroad equipment. Railroad mergers and consolidations, which are approved by the STB, are likewise exempt from antitrust laws.”
“Changing the antitrust laws would cause dual oversight and confusion in the railroad industry, thereby causing the railroads many thousands of dollars in additional expense, which would have a negative impact on railway labor. In the current economic climate, this is money that could be used to enhance the railroads’ business thereby causing a more secure workplace for employees, including members of TCU.”
Click here to view the letter from TCU to each Senator.