Category: Amtrak/Commuter
New Jersey AFL-CIO has COVID-19 resources available
New Jersey State Legislative Director Ron Sabol reports that the state AFL-CIO has established a clearinghouse to provide people with state-specific information about the COVID-19 pandemic. Sabol has been working closely with the AFL-CIO to distribute information to members, [...]
COVID-19: CDC releases symptom screening app through Apple
Apple Inc., in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), released an app and website that guides Americans through a series of questions about their health and exposure to determine if th [...]
COVID-19: Form launched for reports of CDC protocols not being followed
CDC guidelines state that employers should do the following to prevent the spread of COVID-19: reduce transmission among employees, maintain healthy business operations, and maintain a healthy work environment. As transportation workers are considered to be essential workers, [...]
Union leaders demand clarification from FRA on waivers
SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy R. Ferguson and Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) President Dennis Pierce sought clarification today from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) after the agency granted 60-day emergency waiver requests t [...]What the COVID-19 bill means for our railroad members
On March 27, Congress passed and President Donald Trump signed into law a bill that provides provisions favorable to SMART Transportation Division members as the nation continues to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The bill provides a $2 trillion relief package to the nation [...]
COVID-19: Our determination will get us through this together, Local 610 LR and Navy veteran says
A few months ago, I had the opportunity to move a lite engine from customer to customer. I like moves like this because they are different from the normal everyday work of a local road switcher. This move was no different from normal railroading, other than this yard bird cau [...]
DOT guidance on compliance with drug and alcohol testing regulations during pandemic
This guidance document provides clarity to DOT-regulated employers, employees, and service agents on conducting DOT drug-and-alcohol testing given concerns about the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). We, as a nation, are facing an unprecedented public health emergency that [...]Ferguson discusses emergency request regarding COVID-19
The following article by Dan Zukowski has been reproduced from Trains Magazine’s website with permission. Labor unions representing rail and transit workers have asked the Federal Railroad Administration for two emergency orders to address the dangers in their work envi [...]