U.S. official seeks change in rail worker rules

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government's top railroad official said Wednesday that to reduce the number of train accidents his agency needs new authority over workers' schedules, particularly the amount of time crews must rest between shifts.
But any change could pose problems for the railroad industry, which might end up having to hire more workers at a time when it is already struggling to maintain adequate staffing levels. Unions are also uneasy about possible changes to rules that they say have protected workers for decades.
On Wednesday, Joseph Boardman, head of the Federal Railroad Administration, asked Congress to repeal a 100-year-old law that regulates workers' schedules, saying it is hazardous to public safety. Boardman wants to replace the antiquated rules with new ones set by his department that could call for more rest between shifts or shorter work days.
The existing "hours of service" laws, Boardman said in a conference call Wednesday, don't allow regulators "to apply the scientifically based knowledge that's out there today" about the impact of a lack of sleep on workers. Boardman said any reforms would be developed jointly by his agency, railroad companies and labor unions.
Under the industry's hours of service laws, train crews and signal workers can work 12 hours straight with 10 hours of rest. But if train employees work one minute less than 12 hours, the law only mandates eight hours of rest.