U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had a specific message for SMART when he spoke at our organization’s third General Convention.
“Union jobs change the trajectory of generations.”
Buttigieg received a warm welcome from SMART delegates, and he matched their enthusiasm with an exciting message that the continued success of America is tied directly to empowering our union workforce.
Brightline West links Las Vegas, Nevada, to Los Angeles, California. It will provide sheet metal work for building and maintaining the tracks, stations, and infrastructure. When operational it will provide jobs for the SMART-TD members who will operate the trains.
Speaking directly to SMART-TD’s bus union members, Buttigieg shared his pride in his labor-friendly accomplishments during his three-plus years at the DOT. His administration worked with SMART and the Federal Transit Administration to finalize a rule forming safety committees on bus properties around the country. Our bus operators will be on these safety committees and our members will control the programs that come out of them.
But he, and even the Biden/Harris administration, could not have carried out these things on their own, Buttigieg shared. He gestured to the delegates on the convention floor: “You drove that! That is what the power of organizing can do!”
The convention was energized to hear his message thanks in person, with welcome recognition of the vital role SMART-TD members play in creating positive change. His remarks garnered a standing ovation.
Union jobs and SMART jobs not only “change the trajectory of generations,” Buttigieg said, but also empower each of us to “shape a future your kids can be proud of.”
SMART is grateful to Secretary Buttigieg for taking part in our national convention and the heart-felt address. His message will not be forgotten!
LAS VEGAS (Aug. 11, 2024) — Jeremy Ferguson of Local 313 (Grand Rapids, Mich.) was reelected Sunday as president of the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers’ Transportation Division (SMART-TD).
His second five-year term as the leader of the United States’ largest railroad and transit union begins Oct. 1, where he will continue to lead the fight for the safety and just treatment of those he represents.
Ferguson re-elected after five years of accomplishments
“We’ve been winning, and winning big time,” he said, speaking of SMART-TD’s results during his first term. “I’m proud of each and every one of [our members], and I’m proud of my team behind me. Thanks to your efforts, we still have two crew members on the train.”
“This union is winning on all accounts, across the board, including in arbitration, negotiations and mediation. We are the best union out there and that’s not just my thinking, that is a fact.
“Since the freight carriers went to war against us on day two of my administration, we’ve been on the offense,” he said. “Since the cities, county agencies and transit companies started trying to put things over on our essential operators, we have met them with strength.”
Transit union focused on assault prevention
Under Ferguson’s watch, SMART-TD formed the Bus and Transit Assault Prevention and Safety (BTAPS) Committee, which is dedicated to stopping the epidemic of violence transit members face. Created in July 2023, BTAPS has made progress increasing the penalties for assaulting transportation workers. BTAPS is also negotiating to make working conditions for bus and transit workers safer through the installation of protective barriers and other measures.
Railroad union focused on safety and quality of life improvements
Ferguson was among the coalition of rail labor leaders who achieved paid sick time for railroad employees in 2022. Rail labor made considerable progress toward safety improvements during Ferguson’s first term, including the Federal Railroad Administration’s establishment of a two-person freight rail crew regulation.
Negotiations for the next national rail labor contract are scheduled to begin later this year.
Work ethic and integrity are Ferguson’s strengths
Don Zatteau, a delegate of Ferguson’s home local, made the initial nomination for Ferguson’s re-election. The motion received multiple seconds.
“His character and integrity are beyond reproach. His work ethic should be set as an example for this industry,” Zatteau said. “He lives and breathes this union, [it is] his heart and soul.”
Ferguson was challenged for the office by attorney Terry Smith, a member of Local 794 (Wellington, Kan.). Ferguson won re-election with 952 to 45 votes.
No changes among other top union officers
National Legislative Director Gregory Hynes (Local 1081, Phoenix, Ariz.) and Alternate National Legislative Director Jared Cassity of Local 1377 (Russell, Ky.) were also returned to their position in uncontested elections.
All six Transportation Division rail Vice Presidents ran uncontested and were re-elected by acclamation.
They are:
Brent Leonard (Local 202, Denver, Colo.)
Chad Adams (Local 331, Temple, Texas)
Jamie Modesitt (Local 298, Garrett, Ind.)
Joe Lopez (Local 794, Wellington, Kan.)
Gary Crest (Local 807, Tucson, Ariz.)
Dave Wier Jr. (Local 469, Madison, Ill.)
Leonard was also returned to the successor president position by acclamation.
“We’ve defied expectations and proven our resilience,” he said.
Bus incumbents defeat challengers
SMART-TD Bus Department Vice President Alvy Hughes (Local 1596, Charlotte, N.C.) was challenged by Manuel Martinez of Local 1608 (Chatsworth, Calif.). Hughes won the election, 896-104.
SMART-TD Bus Department Vice President James Sandoval (Local 23, Santa Cruz, Calif.) was challenged by Alternate Vice President Richard Finley of Local 1558 (Bergenfield, N.J.). Sandoval retained his seat, 939-58.
Cassity returned by acclamation
Alt. National Legislative Director Jared Cassity was elected by acclamation.
“Our issues are not political – they’re either right or they’re wrong,” Cassity said, addressing the nation’s divided political climate that hinders progress on workers’ issues. “In this room, there are no political adversaries. Our issues are our issues and worth fighting for. Do not let someone else drive a wedge between you!”
Bus Alternate Vice Presidents
Anthony Petty of Local 1594 (Upper Darby, Pa.) was elected to Bus Department Alternate VP — East by acclamation.
“I’m going to hit the ground running,” Petty said. “For the bus membership, we are going to be stronger. I’m proud to be part of this team.”
Incumbent Alt. Vice President — West Markeisha Haynes of Local 1785 (Santa Monica, Calif.) faced a challenge from longtime LACMTA bus operator Pedro “Pete” Lara of Local 1563 (El Monte, Calif.) and won the vote, 861-126.
Rail Alternate Vice Presidents
Alt. Vice President Anthony Simon (Local 645, Babylon, N.Y.) announced his retirement from his alternate VP position, creating a vacancy. He is continuing as general chairperson for GO 505 (Long Island Rail Road). GCA-721 General Chairperson Thomas Behsman of Local 64 (Waseca, Minn.), who works for CPKC, and GCA-270 General Chairperson Edward W. “Chip” Waugh of Local 1258 (Elgin, Ill.), who works on Metra, both sought to join the incumbent Transportation Division’s leadership, which included:
Scott Chelette (Local 1337, New Orleans, La.)
Larry Miller Jr. (Local 1841, Klamath, Ore.)
Chris Bartz (Local 1976, St. Paul, Minn.)
Tommy Gholson (Local 573, Danville, Ky.)
Luke Edington (Local 286, North Platte, Neb.)
The final vote tally saw Waugh joining the five incumbents.
Two new faces on SMART-TD Board of Appeals
Three incumbents on the SMART-TD Board of Appeals were returned to the board by acclamation. They are:
Tony McAdams (Local 1092, Teague, Texas) Road Service
Kevin Smith (Local 1813, Colton, Calif.) Yard Service
Tim Flynn Jr. (Local 832, Superior, Wis.) Engine Service
Brenda Moore (Local 1715, Charlotte, N.C.) retired from her role as the Bus Department’s representative on the Board of Appeals, and Rick Pauli did not run for re-election as the Commuter representative, leaving room for two new faces on the board.
Christine Ivey (Local 1785, Santa Monica, Calif.) ran unopposed as Moore’s replacement, and an election was held for two candidates for the Commuter Board of Appeals vacancy.
LCA-769A Chairperson Cole Czub of Local 898 (Boston, Mass.), a member of the BTAPS Committee, faced LCA-769 Chairperson Mike Buckley of Local 838 (Philadelphia, Pa.), and won his election.
SMART-TD is pleased to announce that the open enrollment for the Voluntary Long-Term Disability (VLTD) and Voluntary Group Life (VLIFE) insurance plans has begun. This will be the only opportunity this year for members to get protected.
The last date for enrollment is Aug. 23, 2024, to be covered for a Sept. 1, 2024, effective date. This opportunity is open only to members who are not current participants in the SMART-TD VLTD or VLIFE programs.
Coverage highlights
VLTD
Protects members’ income if they cannot work due to injury, illness or surgery.
Tax-free benefits — no medical exams/questions required to enroll.
Up to $5,000 of monthly benefits for up to 5 years.
Benefits start paying after the SMART VSTD stops — 238 days for rail members and 365 days for bus members.
VLIFE
Members can elect up to $250,000 with no medical exams/questions required.
Benefits double in the event of an accidental death.
Class I railroad carriers in this country aren’t used to losing their game of government influence and lobbying. Traditionally, they use the cover fire they get from the American Association of Railroads (AAR) to throw money and influence around Capitol Hill until they can dictate all public policy dealing with our rail industry.
Every time one of our men or women reads a new system bulletin that makes their profession less safe or makes the service provided to customers less dependable and wonders why this change could happen, the answer is usually rooted in carriers’ influence on regulation.
In the past four years, SMART-TD has made progress in turning that tide. The Class I railroad companies and AAR have seen a distinct drop in their win percentage. When they are shot down by the Department of Transportation, they often see “In light of comments put forward by SMART-TD” as the lead-in to the bad news. Here’s another of these rude awakenings.
Carriers try to eliminate hard copies
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced in the Federal Register that the AAR and the carriers took yet another loss at the hands of SMART-TD, the AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) and common sense.
AAR was attempting to take the CT-168 and all hazmat paperwork out of the locomotive, making the tablets and company computer systems the only line of defense when hazmat is involved in a derailment or other rail emergency.
As they did last June in the National Transportation Safety Board’s hearing on the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, the industry attempted to sell the idea that their “Ask Rail” cell phone application would make it so local EMS personnel are able to quickly and easily obtain consist information of any train involved in an incident. SMART-TD made your position clear: That is not good enough. Many places where we work are not in WiFi-friendly hotspots of technology!
AAR and the railroads went out of their way to make the argument that the conductor of a train crew was able to use their assigned tablet to upload the consist and hazmat paperwork to emergency workers through Dropbox and other software.
We all know this is a poor excuse for emergency preparedness and is just another attempt to push the idea that technology can easily replace people in our industry.
In light of the announcement from the Department of Transportation and PHMSA, SMART-TD is proud to say that paper copies of hazmat paperwork and the all-important CT-168 will remain onboard locomotive cabs in this country!
PHMSA sides with SMART’s argument
SMART-TD would like to thank PHMSA, and the leadership at the Department of Transportation. Without them valuing common sense and the safety of our crews, AAR could have easily chipped this line of defense away from workers and first responders.
“This might not sound like a big deal, but it absolutely is,” SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson said. “The safety of our members and the community often hinges on access to this hazmat paperwork and the professionalism of our people to know how to apply the information. Anyone willing to tell you a tablet and WiFi is adequate to depend on in a high-stakes crisis involving hazmat doesn’t have the public’s best interest or the physical safety of railroaders in mind. Our crews keep the consist information up to date at all times. When a train works a handful of yards in a day, the computer systems often don’t have the most up to date information on what’s in the train until it goes by the next AEI reader. SMART-TD’s members continue to be the most reliable variable in cases of emergency. The Department of Transportation and PHMSA were able to see our value and in this ruling they have ensured we will continue to have the necessary tools to keep ourselves, each other, and our communities as safe as possible.”
The ruling also increases access to the consist and hazmat information beyond the emergency services of just the community the event took place in.
Jared Cassity, head of SMART-TD’s National Safety Team, put it like this: “When a derailment or other disaster happens in a small town like we saw in East Palestine, Ohio, emergency workers are coming from every direction and multiple other jurisdictions to help out. If these men and women are fighting against the dangerous materials our trains are hauling, they should have access to all the information we can give them to try to keep themselves safe. We can’t expect them to operate in the dark and assume the information will get to them. It’s not hard to imagine scenarios where this information will get to them too late after it’s been given to one town’s fire chief and filtered through the command center and makes it to the front lines.”
Your input helped!
In their announcement, PHMSA cited that their ruling was heavily influenced by public comments. As they described the logic behind their decision, they consistently cited our union along with the AFL-CIO’s TTD.
“We’re thrilled PHMSA and the Department of Transportation ruled on the side of our union and our years of safe practices in this matter,” National Legislative Director Greg Hynes said. “We will stay engaged in the public comment process to make sure our members continue to have their voice heard in all future matters affecting their safety!”
The Discipline Income Protection Program (DIPP), your union’s premier worker assistance program, protects members’ income when facing alleged violations of rules or operating procedures.
Effective July 1, 2024, the monthly assessment for participants will be reduced from 50 to 32 cents per $1 of daily benefit coverage. This reduction and a 90% + approval on all new claims make DIPP the premier option in the industry.
Daily benefit
$100
$150
$200
$250
SMART DIPP
$32.00/mo.
$48.00/mo.
$64.00/mo.
$80.00/mo.
BRCF
$32.50/mo.
$48.75/mo.
$65.00/mo.
$81.25/mo.
LECMPA (No. 16)
$44.63/mo.
$65.63/mo.
$87.94/mo.
$110.25/mo.
SMART’s Discipline Income Protection Program surpasses the alternatives in member value and protection.
DIPP coverage ranges from $6 to $250 per day, ensuring that a participant covered by the plan will continue to receive income.
SMART-TD is committed to continuing its pursuit of excellence in serving plan participants. In the past year, DIPP trustees have reduced assessments by 33%, eliminated the graduated benefit day structure and reduced the waiting period for benefit increases. Additionally, the program has paid participants over $4 million in benefits when suspended, dismissed, or removed from service by their employer.
Participants can also elect to increase their benefit level or modify their coverage at any time by submitting the appropriate form. New participants can enroll online either on their own or with the assistance of their local Regional Insurance Manager or DIPP representative.
Amendment to VSTD plan covers certified voluntary addiction treatment
In our ongoing effort to support the well-being of our union members, we are pleased to announce a significant update to the Voluntary Short-Term Disability (VSTD) plan. Participants now have the opportunity to receive benefits starting on day 1 while voluntarily enrolled in certified drug or alcohol treatment programs.
Transportation workers face irregular schedules, fatigue, and high levels of stress — factors that can sometimes lead to the use of alcohol and drugs as coping mechanisms. Recognizing these challenges, the SMART General Executive Council (GEC) has taken a proactive step to help our members who may be struggling with addiction.
With this First Amendment, VSTD plan participants can utilize their benefits while undergoing voluntary, certified addiction recovery programs. It’s important to note that this plan does not cover treatments mandated by an employer or court.
In addition to this new benefit, the GEC approved a Second Amendment waiving the elimination period between the first day of a disability and the date benefits begin for members voluntarily undergoing certified drug and alcohol treatment programs. Once a certificate of completion is received, payments will be made retroactively, effective back to day 1 of disability.
“We hope this change in the VSTD encourages our union brothers and sisters who might be struggling with addiction to seek help,” said SMART-TD President Jeremy R. Ferguson. “No one in this organization should feel they won’t have support if they seek treatment. If this amendment encourages someone to proceed with that step, the change has done its job.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, we urge you to take advantage of these new benefits. The SMART-TD VSTD plan is here to support you on your path to recovery. Together, we can create a healthier, more supportive environment for all our members.
Brother Keith Shambaugh and his family had their lives permanently altered when he was hit by a truck while riding his motorcycle in early May.
Shambaugh, president of Local 600 in Cumberland, Md., since 2022, was broadsided on U.S. 50 in Augusta, W.Va. His injuries required amputation of his right leg above the knee, both his arms were seriously injured along with numerous other serious injuries.
Married with one child, Brother Shambaugh has been involved for years as a local officers, first serving as trustee in 2008, alternate legislative representative in 2009 and president in 2022.
He began working for CSX as a conductor in October 2000. He completed his training in the spring in 2008 and established seniority as engineer, the profession he has worked since.
“We would appreciate if you could support this effort to secure some much-needed funds for their family,” Maryland State Legislative Director Larry Kasecamp said.
In this country, Memorial Day is a time when we remember service members who have passed on before us, then gather with friends and family around a barbecue grill and focus on what is important in our lives.
SMART-TD Local 1594 member and SEPTA bus operator Devan Harris and his family were doing just that when their world was forever shattered last week.
At a cookout in Philadelphia, Brother Harris and his girlfriend were enjoying their day with their daughter, Luna, when Devan killed in the senseless violence of a drive-by shooting.
Devan and his girlfriend, Constance Johnson-Walker, both are members of Local 1594. Together they were building a life for their 2-year-old daughter, Luna. As their SEPTA coworkers know, Devan was a dedicated father and the kind of union brother we grew to count on.
Enrollment for the training track for local secretaries and treasurers at the SMART-TD National Training Seminar has hit its available capacity and has been closed.
The event will be held July 9 to 11 at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown, 100 Lakeside Ave. E., and still has a limited number of registration slots available.
The cost to register is $250 per person, and an overflow room block has spots remaining.
The SMART Transportation Division appreciates the sacrifices of those who chose to commit their lives in the service of the country with great reverence.
Brave people have given their lives to defend the freedoms we often take for granted in times of war and peace. Many in our union continue to serve in the reserves or have served in our armed forces as I did. Your union and your country thank you and are forever in your debt.
On Memorial Day, let us all remember how the freedoms established in our United States were preserved by those who have left us while serving our nation and those who are still with us. Without the efforts of those people who chose military service, the United States would not be the strong and enduring beacon of liberty that other nations worldwide want to emulate.
This holiday serves as a great reminder to show our gratitude and respect. Let us all take some time to pause in remembrance of the debt we owe to those fellow Americans who fought and sacrificed in defense of the freedoms of our country. May God bless our troops!
Please be safe, and thank you.
Fraternally, Jeremy R. Ferguson, President, Transportation Division
As a reminder, our union continues its ongoing efforts to honor our brothers and sisters who have served. If you are a veteran, please let us know by providing information about your service in the SMART Member Portal so we can recognize you in the future.