News Archive
Ill. governor acts to curb public sector unions
Gov. Bruce Rauner, the newly elected Republican who has often criticized public sector unions, took his first step toward curbing their power on Monday by announcing an executive order that would bar unions from requiring all state workers to pay the equivalent of dues. Mr. R [...]Obama to declare Pullman town national monument
President Barack Obama will visit Chicago next week to designate the historic Pullman neighborhood – one of the first “company towns” in the U.S. – as a national monument. Pullman was home to railroad baron George Pullman’s factory town in the 1880s, homes, shopping areas, ch [...]
Advisory Committee Opens Communication From Workers to Trustees
Even with the evolution of technology, sometimes the flow of communication from the workers on the front lines to the decision makers in the offices can move slowly. To make sure workers’ voices were heard, the International Training Institute (ITI) established an Advisory Co [...]Railroads reap record profits despite decline in traffic
The nation’s four major railroads are still carrying less freight than they were before the recession. But the last decade has been an exhilarating ride for them nonetheless — an era of growing profits, soaring stock prices and ambitious investments. For Jacksonville-based CS [...]Rail worker safety bills marked up in Wash. state
Members of the SMART Transportation Division’s Washington State Legislative Board have been quite busy in recent weeks. Working with the board members and state emergency management officials, state senators and representatives of the Washington State Legislature Jan. 29 intr [...]A message regarding cyber attack impacting Anthem
As you may have heard, Anthem, Inc., the parent company of SMART’s voluntary short-term disability insurance provider Anthem Life Insurance Co., was the victim of a cyber-attack. Anthem has informed us that its member data was accessed, and that such access could possibly hav [...]Foxx unveils Obama’s infrastructure investment plan
U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx Feb. 2 announced President Obama’s $94.7 billion Fiscal Year 2016 Budget for the U.S. Department of Transportation. The proposal makes critical investments in infrastructure needed to promote long-term economic growth, enhance safety [...]T&I Committee unveils passenger-rail reform bill
House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) and other committee leaders yesterday introduced the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015 (PRRIA), which would address infrastructure needs, transparency and other issues for Amtrak. & [...]