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Season 5, Episode 17

Freight rail carriers seek changes in rail safety inspection process

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Guest Name:

Tom Buffenbarger

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awfpodcast.com 

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Tom Buffenbarger, an independent labor voice, joined America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the potential for more cuts to safety procedures in the rail industry. Buffenbarger also talked about Boeing’s mechanical malfunctions and how they can avoid losing the consumer's trust.

Freight rail carriers are petitioning the federal railroad administration to delay safety inspections on railroad equipment. The carriers claim the inspections are too frequent and take too long. As we approach the one-year anniversary of the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, Buffenbarger questioned the timeline by carriers and hopes the unions and leaders in the rail industry will ensure that safety inspections are improved and not delayed.

Boeing is dealing with several grounded airplanes from their 737-9 line due to failures on several of its planes. Buffenbarger talked about the issues he believes led to the malfunctions. Buffenbarger also discussed his opinion on what steps need to be taken by Boeing to ensure they produce a safe airplane.

Finally, Buffenbarger discussed the similarities between Boeing and General Electric. GE suffered major mechanical issues in the early 2000s, and he discussed the steps GE took to try and fix the issues but instead lost the consumer's trust in their products. He discussed why bringing in business people to solve technical problems isn’t right, but he’s seeing Boeing going that route. If they are not careful, the trust and safety established along with the Boeing name will be lost for good, Buffenbarger said.

Hear more from Buffenbarger by listening to the show above.

America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, American Alliance for Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North America, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Survey and Ballot Systems, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

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