A cleanup worker stands on a derailed tank car of a Norfolk Southern freight train in East Palestine, Ohio, continues, Feb. 15, 2023. The fire that erupted after last month's train derailment in Ohio melted a key part of the tank cars filled with toxic chemicals, so federal officials warned railcar owners Thursday, March 2, 2023, to check their fleets for similar flaws. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
Railroad unions report that workers for Norfolk Southern who were present at the derailment and chemical spill site in East Palestine, Ohio, have been falling ill.
Letters from union representatives were sent to officials, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, East Palestine Mayor Trent Conway, and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, alleging that the Norfolk Southern employees were experiencing symptoms such as migraines and nausea, according to CNBC.
It also went on to claim that the 35 to 40 workers were not equipped with the proper protective gear, including gloves, boots, and coverups.
A group of 12 railroad union representatives met with Buttigieg and Amit Bose, head of the Federal Railroad Administration, to call for improved safety regulations.
"Today's meeting is an opportunity for labor to share what our members are seeing and dealing with day to day," Mike Baldwin, president of the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, said.
Earlier this week, a group of U.S. senators introduced the Railway Safety Act, which looks to retool and introduce new safety protocols, specifically for the transporting of hazardous materials.
As safety on the rails continues to be a topic of concern, The Guardian reported on Friday that leaked audio from 2016 revealed a manager from another rail company, Union Pacific, ordering a subordinate to stop flagging broken bearings on railcars, the type of malfunction that is being blamed for the Norfolk Southern derailment.
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
