News Archive
SMART TD Regional, Day 1: Solidarity key to fighting in post-Janus world
Strength, unity and education will be the way to fight the United States Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision last week on Janus v. AFSCME 31 that overturned more than four decades of legal precedent. That was the message given at the opening session of the SMART Transportation [...]
Big Blue Bus driver touted as hero, honored with award
Big Blue Bus (BBB) operator and SMART TD member Rochelle Beamon (Local 1785) has been honored by Santa Monica, California’s city manager with the city’s “Elaine” award. Beamon has been labeled a hero after she managed to miss hitting a man on an electr [...]
Happy Canada Day and Fourth of July!
Let’s offer our Sisters, Brothers and Friends to the north a belated “Happy Canada Day” on Sunday, June first. Before the rest of us begin to enjoy ourselves and spend time with our friends, family and loved ones on this Fourth of July, let’s pause to remember the liberties w [...]
Water. Rest. Shade.: Staying safe while working in the heat
OSHA’s campaign to keep workers safe in the heat OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention campaign, launched in 2011, educates employers and workers on the dangers of working in the heat. Through training sessions, outreach events, informational sessions, publications, soci [...]
GP Sellers Video: Transportation Safety
Assaults on bus and transit operators occur daily, threatening the safety of working members and the riding public. Every day there is more news of incidents where unruly passengers have spit on, threatened, beaten, stabbed or even shot some of our Brothers and Sisters while [...]
Barring massive employment drop, rail retirement appears solvent until 2047
The chief actuary of the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) said in his triennial report that the railroad retirement fund will remain solvent with no cash flow problems for nearly three decades, barring any unforeseen drops in rail worker employment over that time. The positive [...]
SOFA issues latest updates on switching accidents
The Switching Operations Fatality Analysis (SOFA) Working Group in June issued its latest updates on switching fatalities and severe injuries for the entirety of 2017 and for the first quarter of 2018. According to SOFA, there were three switching-related fatalities and nine [...]
CN’s signal waiver request is denied
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) ruled in favor of safe train operations in June by denying a request by Canadian National (CN) that sought a waiver allowing an extinguished intermediate signal aspect to provide a signal indication. The SMART Transportation Division [...]