Brightline onboard workers in Florida have voted to join a union, marking a significant milestone for railroad workers in the U.S.
About 100 attendants who help passengers on the Miami to Orlando route participated in the vote. They decided to unionize by a two-thirds majority. This is the first union for Brightline workers in Florida.
The Transport Workers Union, which represents over 155,000 workers in various sectors, will now work with Brightline employees to set up a negotiating committee. They’ll start drafting a contract to tackle issues like sick leave, discipline, and work schedules.
Union president John Samuelsen called it a huge win, especially since the company tried to intimidate workers during the process. He mentioned that the Brightline president even called workers at home, but it didn’t work.
Workers began pushing for union membership in 2024. Brightline hired a law firm known for being anti-union, which the union claims misled employees about dues and pay raises.
Brightline’s president, Patrick Goddard, expressed disappointment over the election results, noting that only about half of the onboard staff voted.
The company is also planning a new line connecting Las Vegas and Southern California, but its Florida operations have faced criticism due to accidents involving pedestrians and vehicles.
