Registration Open for Denver Regional Training Seminar

Registration is open for the Denver Regional Training Seminar (RTS), which is set for June 23-26. Space in some of the training tracks is limited and will be filled on a first-come first-served basis, so please make sure to secure your spot and book your hotel room early. Read on for registration details.

Dallas Training Empowers Local Leaders

Since they were first held in 2020, SMART-TD’s Regional Training Seminars (RTS) have proven to be highly effective in enhancing the union’s strength. Local officers and union leaders came together in Dallas to enhance their skills, knowledge, and boost member representation. Read on to find out what new content made its debut at this training and what additional topics were featured on the agenda.

Eli Baccus to lead SMART Education Department

Former local union organizer and SMART International Instructor Eli Baccus has been named director of the SMART Education Department — another step in a career dedicated to advancing the interests of union workers across North America. “Eli’s extensive experience, dedication [...]

Privatizing Amtrak: a disaster in the making

Discussions about privatizing Amtrak gain new momentum without a clear understanding of why this plan, which is not a new one, always results in failure. Read on for a roundup of the top reasons that our proud national rail line is better for the country and our members without DOGE intervention.

From fire truck to train: Manda Snide leads by example

Growing up, Manda Snide saw the benefits of union membership firsthand. Now, she’s committed to paying it forward through her role as Nebraska’s Alternate Safety & Legislative Director. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, read on to learn what spurred her work on the railroad and why she’s committed to serving as a resource for her members.

DOGE to close seven RRB Regional Offices

SMART TD is addressing the closure of seven Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) Regional Offices, as announced by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which plans to cancel their leases. The RRB has requested an exemption to keep these offices open, and SMART-TD is actively working with lawmakers to highlight the importance of these services.

From Safety to Sisterhood, April Ford Makes an Impact on Wyoming’s Working Families

April Ford didn’t become Wyoming’s first female Safety & Legislative Director because she sat on the sidelines. By speaking up and getting involved with her Local from Day 1, she made a tremendous impact for women and working families in her home state. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, read on to learn what she considers her biggest accomplishment and what advice she has for her union sisters.

SMART statement on reintroduction of PRO Act

“Year after year, we hear about the tens of thousands of workers who want to organize for the pay, job security and safety protections they deserve — but were unable to do so because of our nation’s broken labor law. The PRO Act is the common sense, bipartisan legislation we need to fix our damaged system and empower American workers, from sheet metal shops to railyards, on buses and freight locomotives, in classrooms, hospitals and beyond."