Railroads' Resistance to Safety Hotline Hinders Worker Discipline

Major freight railroads in the United States have resisted joining a government safety hotline due to a disagreement over whether they should be allowed to discipline workers who use the hotline to report safety concerns. Unions and workplace safety experts argue that the ability to discipline workers undermines the purpose of the hotline, as it discourages workers from reporting safety violations for fear of retribution. The railroads claim that the system could be abused by workers trying to avoid discipline by reporting known safety violations. The dispute highlights a long-standing effort by railroads to suppress injury and hazard reporting, according to experts.