Union letter says Norfolk Southern employees are reporting illness following train derailment

By Edward-Isaac Dovere and Phil Mattingly, CNN

In the latest move to address the aftermath of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Amit Bose, the administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, met on Wednesday with leaders from 12 unions in Washington, DC.

The discussion focused on potential improvements to rail safety, a Department of Transportation official confirmed.

The meeting follows a letter sent Wednesday to Buttigieg and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on behalf of the Teamsters criticizing Norfolk Southern for putting workers at risk and not providing personal protective equipment, and asking officials to intervene.

Many employees “reported that they continue to experience migraines and nausea, days after the derailment, and they all suspect that they were willingly exposed to these chemicals at the direction of NS,” the letter states.

CNN has reached out to Norfolk Southern for comment on the letter.

Labor Secretary Marty Walsh was not part of the meeting but said he was glad that they have been brought into the conversation about the aftermath.

“They have to be. They’re the workers on the job. It’s not just a unions conversation, it’s a worker conversation,” Walsh said. “In order to prevent this from happening in the future, the companies need to bring the workers to the table.”

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