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AAR: Statistics confirm rail safety advancements

April 14, 2015 Latest safety statistics released by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in April confirmed 2014 was the safest year on record for freight train operations in the United States, according to the Association of American Railroads. Highlights of FRA freight rail safety da [...]

Tags AAR, Association of American Railroads, Federal Railroad Administration, FRA, freight rail safety data

Amtrak announces Train Days tour, exhibit locations

April 13, 2015 WASHINGTON – Amtrak is partnering with NOOK by Barnes & Noble, Chuggington and others at select Amtrak Train Days (ATD) events taking place across the country this spring, summer and fall. These celebrations are occurring in more than 20 locations with the official kick-o [...]

Tags Amtrak, Train Days

Indiana Workers, Employers Unite Against Attempt to Eliminate Common Construction Wage

April 13, 2015 Construction workers were joined on Monday, April 13th by construction contractors and community groups at the Indiana Statehouse in their opposition to GOP attempts to eliminate that state’s Common Construction Wage. Workers across the state are making their voices he [...]

NTSB issues urgent call for improved rail tank cars

April 9, 2015 The National Transportation Safety Board April 6 issued four urgent recommendations calling for more robust and fire-resistant rail cars to be produced to safely carry flammable liquids such as crude oil and ethanol. In its recommendations, the Board calls for an aggressive s [...]

Tags National Transportation Safety Board, NTSB, rail tank cars

City of Long Beach, CA Approves Historic Project Labor Agreement

April 8, 2015 On April 8, the Long Beach (CA) city council unanimously approved a historic 5 year Project Labor Agreement. For the next five years, projects being built under city of Long Beach contracts that are worth more than $500,000 must be built under the PLA, along with requirements [...]

Welding Positions Open In the Southeast

April 7, 2015 Certified welders are always in demand, and SMART is expanding training opportunities to give members skills with a long-term payoff while helping our contractors win more work. But there are jobs open for qualified members right now. Four new nuclear reactors are currently b [...]

SMART Day at the Races: To Win or Place, You Have to Show

April 6, 2015 The fifth annual SMART Day at the Races will be held at Fonner Park Race Track in Grand Island, Neb., Friday, April 17, at 3 p.m., Union Pacific General Committee of Adjustment GO 953 reports. In previous years, attendees included members from a number of locals in Kansas, Il [...]

Tags Fonnr Park, SMART Day at the Races

Colorado: Funding for Southwest Chief Rail Line In Jeopardy

April 6, 2015 Funding to save the Southwest Chief did not make it into the budget proposed by the Colorado legislature this week, Colorado State Legislative Director Carl Smith reports. “We must now seek support from Gov. Hickenlooper and the Joint Budget Committee, which will review appr [...]

Bargaining Update From NJ Transit Unions: Release Requested From National Mediation Board

April 1, 2015 By letter dated March 20, SMART General President Joseph Nigro has requested that the National Mediation Board (NMB) proffer arbitration to SMART Mechanical Workers on New Jersey Transit. The request was done in concert with other unions in the New Jersey Transit Rail Labor C [...]

President Obama Vetoes Anti-Worker Measure; Defends Balance In Union Elections

April 1, 2015 President Barack Obama vetoed a measure passed by the Republican-run Congress blocking the National Labor Relations Board from streamlining the process for union elections. The NLRB rule, set to take effect on April 14, would shorten the amount of time between when an electio [...]