News Archive
DOGE to close seven RRB Regional Offices
SMART TD is addressing the closure of seven Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) Regional Offices, as announced by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which plans to cancel their leases. The RRB has requested an exemption to keep these offices open, and SMART-TD is actively working with lawmakers to highlight the importance of these services.
From Safety to Sisterhood, April Ford Makes an Impact on Wyoming’s Working Families
April Ford didn’t become Wyoming’s first female Safety & Legislative Director because she sat on the sidelines. By speaking up and getting involved with her Local from Day 1, she made a tremendous impact for women and working families in her home state. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, read on to learn what she considers her biggest accomplishment and what advice she has for her union sisters.
SMART statement on reintroduction of PRO Act
“Year after year, we hear about the tens of thousands of workers who want to organize for the pay, job security and safety protections they deserve — but were unable to do so because of our nation’s broken labor law. The PRO Act is the common sense, bipartisan legislation we need to fix our damaged system and empower American workers, from sheet metal shops to railyards, on buses and freight locomotives, in classrooms, hospitals and beyond."
Utah abandons Office of Rail Safety, repeal puts lives at risk
SMART-TD's Danny Brewer helped push a bill through the 2023 Utah legislature to establish a Utah Office of Rail Safety. Union Pacific has now “persuaded” the same legislators to gut it before the new office could complete a single inspection or levy a single fine. Read on to see how Safety and Legislative Director Brewer and the rest of Utah’s Safety and Legislative Board are pushing back to protect Utah’s railroaders.
Train Heists Continue in Arizona
Whether it’s a half-million dollars in Nike tennis shoes or other high-dollar items, thieves are becoming more organized about how and what they’re stealing from unattended Arizona freight trains. Read on to learn what items are being targeted and how members can keep themselves safe on the job.
Snipers test bulletproof barriers for SEPTA: SMART-TD was there
A new type of glare-resistant, bulletproof barrier has been installed in eight SEPTA buses, and SMART-TD got a live, in-person look at the most recent round of testing. Read on to see the results and learn what this means for transit workers across the country.
Thursday Arrangements Scheduled for Former New England Safety & Legislative Director
Our union mourns the loss of Brother George Casey, a 55-year union member who passed away on Saturday, March 1, at the age of 74. Arrangements are scheduled for this upcoming Thursday, March 6. Read on to learn about Brother Casey’s 50-year Amtrak career and the legacy that he’s left with SMART-TD.
UPDATE: Arrangements Announced for Brother Dan Bonawitz’s Celebration of Life
UPDATE: Arrangements announced for the Celebration of Life for 2023 SMART-TD Man of the Year, Dan Bonawitz (Local 1409 Kansas City, Kansas). We mourn the loss of Dan Bonawitz, a dedicated union brother who spent nearly two decades fighting for workers' rights, safety, and equality. His tireless advocacy has left an impactful legacy within the SMART-TD community.