Amtrak employees represented by the SMART Transportation Division (UTU) have ratified a five-year agreement with management of the National Railroad Passenger Corp. (Amtrak). The new pact covers approximately 2,300 members employed as conductors, assistant conductors, yardmas [...]
After more than two years of negotiations, three UTU-SMART general committees representing some 2,300 Amtrak members have reached a deal with the passenger carrier on a new contract. General Chairpersons Bill Beebe, Robert Keeley and Dirk Sampson represent Amtrak conductors, [...]
Contract talks on Amtrak are continuing, General Chairperson Dirk Sampson reports. “As these negotiations are ongoing and sensitive, I am not a liberty to release the details,” he said. “My main priority with Amtrak is getting this contract settled,” [...]
UTU Amtrak conductors and yardmasters are currently in mediation with regard to an amended wage, benefits and working conditions agreement. The UTU and Amtrak are far apart on a few difficult issues. At this time, the parties are exploring alternative methods of interest-base [...]
Amtrak General Chairperson Dirk Sampson (GO 769), issued the following update on wage, benefits and work rules negotiations with Amtrak: “In continuing contract talks with Amtrak, we are striving to obtain an equitable agreement for our members. “We recently sent [...]
Sampson Dirk Sampson, now acting general chairperson for Amtrak GO 769, issued the following update on wage, benefits and work rules negotiations with Amtrak following the death of General Chairperson Roger Lenfest. Sampson will join with Amtrak General Chairperson Bill Beebe [...]
General Chairperson Roger Lenfest (Amtrak, GO 769), age 65, died July 10 following a short illness. Lenfest, of Sicklerville, N.J., succeeded Al Suozzo as general chairperson following Suozzo’s death in March 2010. Assistant General Chairperson Dirk Sampson becomes acting gen [...]
By International Vice President John Previsich Collective bargaining with Amtrak over revisions to the current wages, benefits and work rules agreement continues. This report to the membership follows a briefing we provided the general committee during its recent quadr [...]
Amtrak provides eligible active and retired UTU/SMART TD members with passes which can be used to get free or reduced-rate travel aboard the passenger railroad. UTU/SMART TD membership alone does not make the employee or retiree eligible for these travel privileges, and many [...]
Amtrak maintenance-of-way employees say they want a new wage package at least equivalent to what is paid on the highly profitable freight railroads, reports Angela Greiling Keane for Bloomberg. But unlike profitable freight railroads, Amtrak loses about $1 billion annually, s [...]