Members ratify five-year Amtrak agreement

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 [...]

UTU, Amtrak reach tentative contract deal

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, [...]

Negotiations with Amtrak continue

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,” [...]

Update on Amtrak negotiations

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 [...]

Update on Amtrak negotiations

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 [...]

Amtrak pass information

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 [...]

Hard edge emerges in Amtrak wage talks

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 [...]