Category: Transportation
NJT compliance officer says he was fired for bringing up safety concerns
BloombergPolitics reports that fired New Jersey Transit (NJT) Compliance Officer Todd Barretta is claiming that he was fired when he pointed out shortcomings in safety in NJT’s rail and bus operations. NJT disputes Barretta’s claim and states that he was a disgrun [...]
Class I’s continue to cut jobs despite profits
The Omaha-World Herald reports that Class I railroads continue to cut jobs, despite earning large profits. Altogether, the railroads have cut 25,000 jobs or 13 percent of their personnel in recent years. With companies cutting jobs left and right, and with freight volumes on [...]
Member seriously injured during eclipse
Brother Steven Barber of Local 1346 in Nashville, Tenn., lost his arm during last week’s solar eclipse while working as a foreman. Management was unavailable during the incident at Radnor yard because they were watching the eclipse, delaying emergency treatment to Barbe [...]
Ohio SLD Gardner continues the discussion on two-person crews with The Union Edge
SMART TD Ohio State Legislative Director Stu Gardner continued his discussion with The Union Edge: Labor’s Talk Radio on why we need two-person crews. The show aired Tuesday, Aug. 22. Click play below to listen. https://static.smart-union.org/worksite/Video/Aug_22_Stu_G [...]Risch Op-Ed: Bigger trucks destroy roads
SMART TD National Legislative Director John Risch recently wrote an opinion editorial, published by Inforum, about how larger trucks destroy roads and take away important railroad jobs. “Beyond destroying our roads, increasing the weight of trucks will shift freight tra [...]
Fundraiser set up for granddaughter of SMART TD member
A fundraiser for the newborn granddaughter of Scott Finley, SMART TD member and BNSF conductor with local 113, Winslow Ariz., was recently set up on YouCaring.com. Brenna Finley, daughter of Ariel and Sheldon Finley, was born on August 16, 2017, with multiple health issues. S [...]
42 injured in SEPTA train crash
Forty-two people, including the train engineer, were injured when their SEPTA train crashed into an empty, stopped train inside the 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby, Pa., shortly after midnight, Tuesday, Aug. 22. In a statement, SEPTA said that none of the inj [...]
Retired Alt. VP & Gen. Chairperson Edward Yule Jr. dies
Retired Alternate Vice President and General Chairperson Edward Yule Jr., 81, died August 10. As general chairperson of GCA 505, Yule was instrumental in working on agreements with Long Island Rail Road and even led UTU members in a 45-hour strike in 1994 in an effort to get [...]