Consider that MM&A has been involved in 129 accidents, including 77 derailments since 2003, according to The Financial Post. It is also one of two rail companies in the country permitted to operate trains staffed by a single engineer. In the United States, Rail World, which owns the Canadian subsidiary, MM&A, has an accident rate that is twice the national average, at 36.1 per million miles travelled, compared to 14.6 per million last year. Other reports indicate that the company’s accident rate for 1996 was “72-per-cent greater than all other railroads in its categories”. As the same FP article concludes, “Clearly regulations aren’t enough, especially if they aren’t enforced vigilantly.” Workers, unions, and the general public should also ask if the Lac-Mégantic tragedy is a symptom of hedge funds, shareholders, and financial capital determining standards based on profitability and return on investments rather than safety and industrial development. Rankandfile.ca draws the readers attention to Railroad Workers United for more information.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Jul 2013 17:00:20 +0000