Category: Leadership Messages
TD President Ferguson announces receipt of carriers’ Section 6 notice
To SMART TD members whose carriers are in national handling: Pursuant to the moratorium provision in the last national agreement, today was the first day the carriers were permitted to serve notice to open the next round of National Bargaining and negotiate a new agreement, a [...]
Rail union chiefs announce formation of Coordinated Bargaining Coalition
CLEVELAND, Ohio and WASHINGTON, D.C., (November 1, 2019) — Top leaders of 10 rail unions announced today that their organizations will be participating in coordinated bargaining in the round of national negotiations that began on Nov. 1, 2019. The unions comprising the Coordi [...]
SMART TD, TTD ask nation’s trade representative to protect U.S. rail jobs
A letter co-signed by SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy R. Ferguson and AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD) President Larry Willis asked the United States’ chief trade representative to re-examine policies that leave American rail workers at a di [...]When technology impedes your ability to do your job, we want to hear about it
For months now, your union has been collecting hundreds of reports from members of our and other rail unions that document instances when railroad technology doesn’t work as intended. While carriers might see technology as a stepping-stone to more money and the eventual repla [...]
Update on the facts of the crew consist lawsuit from President Ferguson
Brothers and sisters of the SMART Transportation Division, I wanted to take this opportunity to explain what the crew consist lawsuit that has been filed in federal court in Texas is about. From the questions we have received, it appears that there is some confusion. The laws [...]
SMART TD General Chairpersons resolve to act in solidarity in face of negotiations, lawsuit
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — Hours after a lawsuit by rail carriers targeting our union over crew consist was announced Oct. 3, the Association of General Chairpersons — District 1 unanimously resolved to act in solidarity. The resolution states: “In response to the Carriers’ a [...]TD ready to respond as carriers once again attack crew consist
NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio (October 3, 2019) — Today, the nation’s Class I rail carriers, along with a few other railroads, filed suit in federal district court in the Northern District of Texas in an attempt to undermine our collective bargaining agreements as well as the bar [...]Autumn brings nominations and elections for locals
SMART Transportation Division members are reminded that legislative representative and alternate legislative representative elections are scheduled to be held this autumn, with nominations to be taken in October and elections conducted in November. Locals must solicit for the [...]