US rail safety inspection waiver withdrawn following Mexican union solidarity statement

5 April 2007

A coalition of Mexican unions has helped to ensure that trains traveling from Mexico into the US are subject to safety inspections once they cross the border. A US transport company was attempting to obtain a waiver on US inspections for one of its trains.

Earlier this year, Union Pacific called on the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in the US to allow a train regularly operating from Mexico into the US to undergo safety inspections south of the border and to enter the US without any further checks. This despite the fact that the train travels as far as 2400 kilometres through and into major US metropolitan areas once it leaves Mexico.

However, a group of Mexican unions, led by ITF affiliate Alianza de Tranviários de México has helped to turn around the situation. The unions wrote a letter of support to the US transport department, backing the United Transportation Union, a US ITF affiliate, and other US unions, which objected to the plans. The waiver plans have now been withdrawn as a result.

Mac Urata, ITF Inland Transport Secretary commented: "The port of Nuevo Laredo where the train originates and the rail link were built to deal with the congested ports on the west coast of the US. It is good to see the railways receiving a renewed focus in north America, however, the growth of logistics must never short-cut safety standards and regulations."

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