Around 140 engineers and conductors employed by Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway (W&LE) launched a strike on Wednesday, November 11, in protest against the railroad’s decision to use managers to perform duties normally assigned to conductors. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) confirmed the industrial action.

Picket lines were established at several railroad locations from noon on Wednesday, although the union did not identify all the sites involved. At the centre of the dispute is what BLET describes as a breach of the collective bargaining agreement and a violation of a federal court order dating back to 2013.

The current confrontation revives a long-running disagreement between the railroad and its workforce. According to the union, W&LE previously sought to replace conductors with management personnel and, in certain cases, operate trains with only one crew member. BLET argued at the time that these arrangements breached contractual provisions and undermined established railway safety practices.

The union now maintains that management is returning to the same approach by assigning managers to conductor positions. It says the latest actions fall under the scope of the earlier court proceedings and conflict with the resulting federal order. However, the statement released by BLET did not include the actual court ruling or specific details about the current crew assignments.

BLET backs strike action under federal labour law

BLET considers the dispute a “major dispute” under the Railway Labor Act, a classification that, in the union's view, allows it to pursue immediate self-help measures, including a work stoppage.

The union has received backing from its national leadership and the Teamsters. Mark Wallace, BLET National President and president of the Teamsters Rail Conference, confirmed the organisations' support for the workers involved.

Wallace accused W&LE management of disregarding contractual commitments, compromising safety standards and failing to respect federal court decisions.

In his statement, he said the union would defend both its members and the communities served by the railroad by suspending train operations until management complies with the relevant court orders and collective bargaining agreement.

BLET also released photographs showing workers participating in picketing activities. The images appeared to have been taken outside the railroad's headquarters in Brewster, Ohio.

A regional freight network at risk of disruption

The industrial action could have consequences beyond the immediate labour dispute, given W&LE's role in regional freight transportation.

The railroad operates more than 840 miles of track across a network linking Hagerstown, Maryland, with West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Its operations also serve Pittsburgh and northeastern Ohio before extending to Toledo.

This infrastructure provides freight connections for steel mills and other industrial customers across four states. A prolonged interruption could therefore affect an important regional supply chain and disrupt freight movements serving key industrial facilities.

W&LE is owned by FTAI Infrastructure Inc., listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker FIP. The company acquired the railroad in 2025 for $1.05 billion.

FreightWaves said it had contacted W&LE management to obtain comments on the strike. No response from the railroad was included in the report at the time of publication.