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SMART-TD, behind the leadership of National Legislative Director Greg Hynes and Alternate National Legislative Director Jared Cassity, have unprecedented positive momentum in the halls of state legislatures across the country. Our legislative directors currently have bills in front of 17 state legislatures and many are showing signs of being successful. SMART-TD is very proud of the progress that the SLDs are making in all of these states and would like to share some of the highlights.

· Washington HB 1839 — SLD Herb Krohn’s train-length bill is scheduled for a vote in the Washington House Transportation Committee at noon Feb. 23.

· Arizona HB 2531—SLD Robert Jones has a train length bill limiting trains to 8,500 feet. It was passed through committee and is heading to the floor of the Arizona House.

· Arizona HB 2531—SLD Robert Jones has a train length bill limiting trains to 8,500 feet. It was passed through committee and is heading to the floor of the Arizona House.

· Iowa SF 184 —SLD Chris Smith has a train length bill limiting trains to 8,500 feet. It has been passed through committee in the Iowa Senate and is heading to the Senate floor.

· New Mexico HB 105—SLD Don Gallegos has a two-person crew bill that passed the floor of the New Mexico House of Representatives and is heading to the Senate.

· Minnesota SF 1417—SLD Nicholas Katich has a two-person crew bill that is currently in committee.

· Ohio HB 23—SLD Clyde Whitaker has a two-person crew bill that includes provisions for regulating adherence to wayside defect detectors that is currently in committee.

In the 17 states where SMART-TD’s legislative team is pushing legislation in this cycle, we have 49 combined bills currently in play. These pieces of legislation have the potential to bring about a tremendous amount of progress in our industry and make your day-to-day lives better while holding rail carriers accountable. Your support is needed!

SMART-TD asks that you become involved in these legislative actions. Please visit the Take Action tab of SMART’s website and look at what bills are being pushed in your state. Letters, phone calls, and emails supporting the bills involving our industry go a long way towards realizing their success. We encourage you to advocate for yourselves and your brothers and sisters in your crew base.

The SMART Transportation Division and its Public Relations Department are looking to better serve you, our members. We are responding to feedback that the stories we put out should be more focused on what is happening at the ballast and road levels and within the crew bases that we aim to serve.

Over the winter, members of SMART-TD Local 195 in Galesburg, Ill., served breakfast to members of the community at VFW Post 2257 in Galesburg. (Photo courtesy Local Chairperson Jerrod Sammons)

To that end, we are humbly requesting your assistance in this goal. If you are a trainman or bus member who has a story lead about a co-worker with an accomplishment you would like to see highlighted, please reach out to us so that we can give you a voice in your union.

If you have information about your carrier changing a policy that is concerning or a TD member that has gone above the call of duty, we are asking you to email the Public Relations Department of SMART-TD at news_TD@smart-union.org.

We would love to hear from you about your brothers’ and sisters’ accomplishments and celebrations of careers as well as your perspectives on industry trends or changes that should be discussed in a large-scale forum.

In your emails, please leave your contact information so that we can discuss the topics with you further in order to give the story its just due and get it right for all involved.

SMART-TD’s Public Relations Department would like to thank you in advance for your participation, and we look forward to bringing you the stories that make a difference to all of us.

SMART Transportation Division members now have the chance to get up to five times the guaranteed coverage in the Union’s new VLTD plan.

Beginning March 1, 2023, Sun Life Financial will administer the VLTD Plan and provide the 24-hour coverage plan participants enjoy now, with up to $5,000 of guaranteed approved tax-free coverage.

In the coming days, members with the current Amalgamated plan will be receiving a detailed summary of benefits & rates, which will outline the new plan design and provide updates on premiums, to be effective March 1, 2023. If you have any questions, please direct them to the SMART VLTD customer service hotline at (224) 770-5328.

As information, disability claims filed prior to March 1, 2023, will continue to be handled and underwritten by Amalgamated. 

Sun Life VLTD Plan Highlights (Current Amalgamated enrollees)
• Guaranteed continuation of coverage at existing amount
• 12-month pre-existing condition clause is being transferred to Sun Life (time on Amalgamated plan will be honored).
• 2-year and 5-year benefit durations will be offered by Sun Life.
– Maximum Monthly Benefit ranges from $1,000 to $5,000.
• 24-hour coverage (members are covered for both on- and off-duty incidents)
• Stackable with other benefits (including RRB sickness benefits) for up to 80% of pre-disability earnings
• Benefits are not subject to repayment upon receipt of FELA and/or personal injury settlements.
• Benefits paid are tax-free.
• Benefits begin after 238 days (Rail) & 365 days (Bus), matching the duration of the SMART Voluntary Short Term Disability (VSTD) plan, so there is no gap in coverage for members who are enrolled in both plans.
• Premiums will increase as members age.
• Benefits are not portable (SMART-TD members-only benefit).
• Mental illness & substance use benefits are increased to 12 months (previously limited to 3 months for mental illness, and 15 days for substance use).

For members who are not currently enrolled, an Open Enrollment is planned in the coming months. Additional details will be announced once those dates are confirmed. 

Sun Life VLTD Plan Highlights (New enrollees)
• Sun Life will offer two open enrollments per year
– First open enrollment planned for spring 2023 and another in fall.
• 2-year benefit duration
– Guaranteed approved enrollment for up to $2,000 in monthly benefits
– Maximum monthly benefit of $2,000
• 5-year benefit duration
– Guaranteed approved enrollment for up to $5,000 in monthly benefits
– Maximum monthly benefit of $5,000
• 24-hour coverage (members are covered for both on- and off-duty incidents)
• Stackable with other benefits (including RRB sickness benefits) for up to 70% of pre-disability earnings
• Benefits are not subject to repayment upon receipt of FELA and/or personal injury settlements.
• Benefits paid are tax-free.
• Benefits begin after 238 days (Rail) & 365 days (Bus), matching the duration of the SMART Voluntary Short Term Disability (VSTD) plan, so there is no gap in coverage for members who are enrolled in both plans.
• Premiums will increase as members age.
• Benefits are not portable (SMART-TD members-only benefit).
• Mental illness & substance use benefits are increased to 12 months (previously limited to 3 months for mental illness, and 15 days for substance use).
• Pre-existing conditions covered after 12 months of enrollment in the plan.

This announcement is available in PDF form.

Dear SMART-TD members and retirees —

Major disasters can occur anytime and anywhere to our union Brothers and Sisters, and the SMART Transportation Division Disaster Relief Fund is primed to assist members in their times of need.

In recent memory, the fund has helped during disastrous cold in Texas, hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and fires. Our members’ touching and steadfast generosity never fails to provide hope when the sense of devastation takes hold — when homes are damaged and lives are upended such as what has occurred with recent storms in the South and in California.

To help members struck by these and future crises 2023 may present, the Disaster Relief Fund asks that the TD family heed this call to give what you can. With your help, the difficult task of starting over and rebuilding can become easier for members who find themselves affected in times of trouble.

Any donations will help lessen the struggle and bring real hope and relief to SMART-TD members who are suffering after this great loss. SMART-TD will administer donations sent to the SMART TD Disaster Relief Fund when the need arises.

Contributions may be sent and made payable to:

SMART TD Disaster Relief Fund
6060 Rockside Woods Blvd., N., Suite 325
Independence, OH 44131-2378

Questions? Please call the Transportation Division office at 216-228-9400 referencing the SMART TD Disaster Relief Fund.

— The SMART Transportation Division

With the new year in full swing, it’s time to begin applying for scholarships for the 2023-24 school year. If you have a child or grandchild in college or about to attend college, now is the time to do your research and apply.

Some scholarships you might consider applying for are administered by the SMART-TD Auxiliary, UTUIA and Union Plus.

The Auxiliary of the United Transportation Union Scholarship by the SMART-TD Auxiliary is available to members of the SMART-TD Auxiliary who are in good standing, their children, step-children, grandchildren or step-grandchildren aged 25 or younger. This $1,000 scholarship is renewable for up to four years (for a total of $4,000) and the application period is January 1 – March 31. See the SMART-TD Auxiliary website for official rules and requirements and for instructions on how to apply.

The UTUIA administers a number of different scholarships. Of note is their college scholarship and trade school scholarship programs. Each kind of scholarship is available to UTUIA insurance policyholders, their children or grandchildren and offers 50 $2,000 scholarships. The college scholarship is renewable up to four years and the trade school scholarship is renewable up to two years. See the UTUIA website for official rules and requirements and instructions on how to apply to these and other scholarships offered by the UTUIA. The application period is Jan. 16 – March 31.

Union Plus awards $500 – $4,000 scholarships to members of participating unions, their spouses and their dependent children. Applications are due by January 31 each year. Visit the Union Plus scholarship page to learn more. Below is a list of SMART members who won scholarships from Union Plus last year.

Name of Scholarship Winner & AmountSMART LocalAffiliated SMART Member
Dalton Altimus – $500TD Local 426Scott Altimus
Katelyn Bale – $1,000SM Local 73Raymond Bale
Ethan Beightol – $500TD Local 631Aaron Beightol
Maya Garcia – $1,000SM Local 104Angelo Garcia
Zachary Palazzotto – $1,000TD Local 645Andrew Palazzotto
Erin Robinson – $2,000SM Local 17William Robinson
Marissa Ward – $550SM Local 486James Ward

SMART-TD features 16 scholarship programs on our scholarship webpage from our affiliates and other outside organizations within the rail, bus and airline industries that you, your children or grandchildren may be eligible for. At the bottom of the page are links to free scholarship databases that also may be of interest.

SMART-TD does not maintain its own scholarship program, nor does it oversee or otherwise play any role in the administration of any scholarships listed on our website. The scholarship programs listed on our website are solely responsible for the administration of their own scholarships. Any questions about these scholarships should be directed to the individual program and not SMART-TD.

If you know of a transportation-related scholarship that is not listed and that our members or their children or grandchildren may be eligible for, please let us know by emailing news_td@smart-union.org. Please include the sponsor, name of scholarship and the web address where more information can be found.

The Sheet Metal Division of SMART maintains its own scholarship page exclusively for Sheet Metal members and their families.

In today’s age of economics driven by corporate greed, there are many trade unions in our country at odds with the so-called “captains” of their industries and the profit-obsessed mindset of upper management. Few unions, however, share such similar struggles as the members of the SMART Transportation Division and those that represent airline crews.

Currently, as our freight rail members await the results of an FRA ruling on the sanctity of the two-person crew in the locomotive cab, the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) is defending that exact same safety measure in the air. As flight crews cope with an epidemic of aggressive and often-violent behavior, our commuter rail and bus members are right there with them fighting that same battle on the nation’s roads and rails.

In light of these parallels, SMART-TD would like to state with clarity that we support ALPA in their efforts to legislate a two-pilot flight crew. Just as with our rail members, task overload, menu diving into screens/gauges, as well as fatigue are common distractions for pilots and impede safe operations. SMART-TD members know that reality all too well. We also know that redundancy and the second pair of eyes of an experienced fellow crew member are far better for safety than any computer software Silicon Valley can sell our industries on as they look to cut headcount and costs.

On Monday, January 16th ALPA is celebrating the 14-year anniversary of the “Miracle on the Hudson” when the highly skilled crew of Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and F/O Jeffrey Skiles worked together to save the lives of 155 passengers and the crew of Flight 1549 famously taking the plane with two dead engines to a safe and heroic landing on the Hudson River.

As our brothers and sisters in ALPA make their arguments to the FAA regarding the vital importance of having two trained pilots in the cockpit during the agency’s reauthorization, we need to be on the right side of this fight. Corporate and shareholder profits must not be allowed to be placed above the safety in either the airline or freight rail industries.

SMART-TD commemorates the actions of that two-person crew on that cold January day in 2009 and stands in absolute and unyielding support of ALPA’s efforts in keeping two pilots in America’s cockpits.

Efforts of the airline industry to lobby Congress to amend part 121 of the Federal Aviation Regulations to allow single-pilot crews are dangerous, short-sighted and would threaten to disrupt the current period of safe operations by the air carriers in our nation. We encourage our members to contact their congressional representatives and tell them to not entertain the thought of disobeying airlines’ Rule of 2.

This is a call to action. The burning wreckage of what used to be the Grand Old Party (GOP) is attempting to attack the labor movement immediately after the holidays while our guard is down and as the transition to the new Congress occurs. SMART is asking you to take action and contact your congressional representatives before this underhanded measure succeeds.

Last spring, the staff workers for the U.S. Congress made the bold decision to organize into the Congressional Workers Union. This union represents those brothers and sisters who put themselves on the line for us with every bill that affects the lives of working people and of those who depend on us to make our living.

It should go without saying that this new and vastly important labor organization is worthy of our support and that of the people in our country; however, they are currently in danger of being legislated out of existence by their own bosses.

A more-classic example of union busting would be hard for any writer to conjure up. The newly minted Republican leadership of the U.S. House has yet to settle on the most basic of agenda items, including who will lead them as speaker. On that topic there are many varying Republican opinions, but there is one topic the fractured GOP can coalesce around, and that is trying to bust the union their direct employees have organized.

As the first order of business of the 118th United States Congress, the GOP majority’s priority could have been many things — perhaps addressing the war in Ukraine, inflation or the multitude of issues surrounding immigration. But, predictably, these issues are not nearly as threatening to those who hold power as the idea of their own workers organizing, so they are attempting to stomp that fire out with the very first legislation they’ll undertake, thus rolling back the advancement of congressional workers. In a House rules package that will likely be voted on today, Republicans have placed a repeal of House Resolution 1096 passed last year allowing Congressional staffers to unionize.

As this article stated in the beginning, it is the hope of the new “not sworn in yet” Republican majority to catch us asleep at the switch with this post-holiday surprise. They are hoping to put their boot on the necks of their staff without us noticing or calling them out.

This is where you come in.

SMART is requesting you let your voice be heard. These staffers who make up the rank-and-file membership of the Congressional Workers Union stood with us when the terms of our national rail contract entered the arena of congressional gamesmanship late last year. They stood with us (and still do) in our efforts to secure the dignity of paid sick leave. They take our calls daily and add volume to our collective voice when we need federal intervention in our day-to-day lives. Now it is our turn to help protect this newly formed union. Their own bosses are trying to rip a budding union out of the ground before it has a chance to root. We cannot allow that to happen and stand by in silence.

With a thousand things to do today as we collectively dig out from under our holiday distractions and obligations, let us make (and keep) a worthwhile New Year’s resolution by being an active union brother/sister in 2023 and an active/conscientious citizen right out of the gate.

Please take a moment of your day TODAY to write your congressional representative in support of the Congressional Workers Union. A simple two-line email will indicate that their underhanded efforts to upend the labor movement in their own backyard is NOT going unnoticed. Follow this link to visit the Legislative Action Center to learn who your representatives are and how to contact them.

The SMART Transportation Division would like to thank all of you for your historic response to the FRA’s Notice of Public Rulemaking (NPRM) on Freight Train Crew Size. In the moment when our livelihood and the safety of all involved was on the line, SMART members, along with their friends and families, answered the bell in a profound way.

For months, we have been requesting your help in submitting comments to the FRA and in a record-setting demonstration of concern and support, you came through with flying colors. The FRA reports Dec. 22 that 13,090 submissions were received in their request for public comments that closed on December 21st. This outpouring of your information and personal reasons for wanting a minimum crew size of two will play a large role in the FRA’s process of determining their final ruling.

The next step in this process is for the FRA to announce its determinations. We at SMART-TD will be sure to keep you all informed as to how that process plays out. We appreciate your partnership with us in this project, and we look forward to continuing the fight as long as needed to keep our members safe and employed.

The Transportation Trades Department (TTD) of the AFL-CIO, as the umbrella organization representing all factions of rail labor, wrote the definitive submission stating our case.

The two unions representing in-cab freight personnel — SMART-TD and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) — submitted a joint statement accentuating the positions of the T&E employees in support of the NPRM. These submissions are linked below.

Once again, your activism and support are vastly appreciated. We thank you profoundly.

AFL-CIO TTD statement

SMART-TD/BLET statement

Thomas Wall

Switchman Thomas A. Wall, 22, of Local 206 (Peru, Ind.) died suddenly on Oct. 19 after experiencing a flare-up of an autoimmune liver disease while at work. His family said that he was responding well to treatment and was looking forward to returning to work after undergoing a few more procedures.

A 2018 graduate of Speedway High School, Brother Wall enjoyed computer gaming and model railroading. After high school, he attended Michigan Tech University where he was a member of the Railroad Engineering & Activities Club. His dream job was to work for the railroad, a dream which came true when he hired on with Norfolk Southern earlier this year.

Brother Wall is survived by his parents Dennis (a retired railroader) and Crystal Wall; sister, Melanie Wall; grandparents, Russell and Janet Beery; many aunts, uncles, cousins and his newly-adopted cat, Nubbs. He was preceded in death by his mother, Terri L. (Glidewell) Wall; grandparents Carl and Jeanne Wall, Hubert Jr. and Gloria Ann Glidewell; as well as an uncle, Edward G. Wall.

Brother Wall enjoyed model railroading.

Donations for funeral costs may be sent directly to the family: Dennis & Crystal Wall, 2726 Patton Dr., Indianapolis, IN 46224.

SMART-TD offers our heartfelt condolences to the Wall family, Local 206 and to all who knew and worked with Brother Wall.

Follow this link to view Brother Wall’s official obituary or to leave condolences.

Several changes regarding the SMART Voluntary Short-Term Disability (VSTD) Plan for bus and rail members will take effect Jan. 1, 2023.

The temporary reduction of premiums for Plan participants announced Oct. 21, 2020, will expire Dec. 31, 2022. VSTD premiums will be reset to the standard rates of bus members paying $26.00 and rail members paying $34.50. 

The maximum weekly benefit available to bus members participating in the plan will be reduced from $240 to $210. For rail members, the maximum weekly benefit will be reduced from $450 to $402.  

Additional details, including notifications from the VSTD Board of Trustees and the full Summary of Material Modifications (SMM), are available in the respective pages in the SMART Member Portal:

For bus members

For rail members

Plan participants with questions or who need more information should contact VSTD plan administrator Southern Benefit Administrators directly at (844) 880-1071.