Individuals with the No Coal No Gas campaign safely stop train, lock to freight rail tracks in protest of the continued transportation of coal and CSX's unfair treatment of its workers
Worker, community, planet health over CSX profit banner lying on a railroad with two people locked to the tracks.
WESTFORD, MASSACHUSETTS - No Coal No Gas Campaign activists blockaded a CSX unit train carrying over 10,000 tons of coal to Merrimack Station in Bow, NH. After the train was safely stopped in accordance with railroad safety procedures, two No Coal No Gas activists locked themselves to the freight rail tracks with a banner that read "Worker, Community, and Planet Health over CSX profits" as allies stood nearby at Forge Pond. The two activists held their ground for over three hours to prevent the shipment of coal from being delivered. Westford police and railroad police arrested the two at approximately 8:00am on Thursday, December 22nd and took them to the Westford police station.
"We are here because CSX and Granite Shore Power do not care about people," said Seamus Burke, with No Coal No Gas. "Railroad companies fund climate denial, and transport coal, oil, and gas. Now they are denying workers paid sick leave. CSX has made it clear they do not care about our health or our future."
These coal trains appear for the third year since 2019, delivering coal to Merrimack Station, the last coal-fired power plant in New England. Protestors have repeatedly called for the closure of the coal plant via regulatory processes, through direct-action protests at the plant, and with train blockades. This is not the first time No Coal No Gas tried to stop coal from making its way to Bow: activists blockaded several trains before deliveries stopped in the winter of 2019-2020.
In addition to their climate-destroying business practices, CSX denies sick days for their employees. Twelve railroad unions have been in negotiations with CSX and Union Pacific railroad companies to fight for better sick leave policy that doesn't penalize workers for taking time off when they are ill. The federal government stepped in to prevent a railroad strike already, but railroad workers have not received the contracts they deserve. On the railroad in Westford, Massachusetts, No Coal No Gas activists laid down a sign that said "Worker health, community health, planet health over CSX profits."
"We know this action is inconvenient for the railroad workers, but we want them to know this is about CSX, not them," said Dr. Nathan Phillips, a professor at Boston University and newly elected member of ISO-New England's Consumer Liaison Group, who was one of activists arrested in Westford. "I am the grandson of a union coal miner from Western Pennsylvania. There's a long history of resistance in Appalachia against greedy, profiteering corporations that don't care about people, whether the harms are black lung disease in coal miners or CSX refusing basic benefits like paid sick leave for the workers. People suffer while CSX generates enormous profits for the railroad and coal barons. We support railroad workers in their contract negotiations and consider CSX our common enemy in our collective fight for workers rights and climate justice."
Nathan sitting by the railroad tracks.
CSX reported net earnings of $1.11 billion for the 3rd Quarter of 2022. Revenue was up 18% over 2021, with operating expenses rising only 10%. With a 59.5% operating margin, CSX is one of the most profitable corporations on the planet. Those record profits benefit their executives and shareholders, despite the labor of their workers being the force behind those profits. Just as alarming is the 45% of their profits came from the transportation of coal and chemicals - substances hurting both the workers and the communities those substances are transported through. Coal dust carries multiple toxins that cause lung-related ailments like asthma and cancer, and when it spreads over land and air, coal dust can be ingested in the form of food crops, meat or fish.
A 2016 study by Sightline Institute, reports that "Coal is transported in uncovered hoppers, open-top rail cars that typically carry 100 to 120 tons of coal apiece. According to BNSF railway testimony before the Surface Transportation Board in 2009, an estimated 645 pounds of coal dust can escape from each rail car over the course of a 400-mile trip. Much of it accumulates on and near the railroad tracks, but wind and stormwater spread coal dust over larger areas of land and water."1
"How could we possibly expect CSX to care about the climate crisis and community health in Bow, NH and other communities when they fight against giving their workers sick leave?" said Alex Chatfield, with No Coal No Gas. "For workers to perform their jobs safely, sick time is a necessity. CSX is building their shareholders' wealth off of harming people. We are standing on these railroad tracks to stop them from continuing this harm to people and to the planet."
This action takes place at the same time that hundreds of people across the country hold solidarity actions with railroad workers in support for fair contracts. The future of railways must be put in the hands of the people and include universal paid family and sick leave, a right to unionize (including passing the PRO Act), an end to the transportation and use of coal, and public ownership of the railroads.
No Coal No Gas is an ongoing campaign to shut down the last coal-fired power plant in New England. We will fight for a shutdown date for Merrimack Station and for an end to fossil fuel use and expansion until we achieve a 100% renewable energy world. Go to nocoalnogas.org or strikedowncoal.org for more information about the campaign.
1 "FROM MONTANA TO THE COAST, COAL DUST THREATENS HUMAN HEALTH," Sightline Institute, April 4, 2016.
https://www.sightline.org/2016/04/04/from-montana-to-the-coast-coal-dust-threatens-human-health/......
