Earlier this month, candidate Donald Trump announced that, if elected in November, he would appoint Elon Musk to lead a new commission empowered to overhaul government efficiency.

There are two reasons SMART-TD members across all crafts should be concerned about this pledge.

Musk is an alleged union buster

The mutual admiration between the two men is based, in part, on Musk’s open contempt for organized labor and an established history of employee abuse. Consider this exchange from their infamous August 2024 interview on “a platform formerly known as Twitter before Musk took over and sacked most of the staff.”

The quote may refer to union-busting activities at SpaceX, which follow years of failed attempts to replace his Tesla factory workers with robots – an ongoing project and perhaps a personal obsession for Musk. This brings us to the second worry for workers everywhere.

Musk hates paying for human workers

We need to eat and sleep. Sometimes we think about things that don’t serve Mr. Musk. How could his ascension as a future Trump administration’s Emperor of Efficiency not have a profound impact on transit and rail workers?

His influence would accelerate deregulation, especially in vital agencies with transportation oversight such as the Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Transit Administration while pushing for fast-track adoption of driverless electric buses, trains, and freight vehicles — all conveniently produced by one or more of his companies. Robots don’t cash paychecks, and they don’t need pensions. So much for crew size regulations, and why not say farewell to those Railroad Retirement Board pensions while we’re at it? Musk loves to cut costs and doesn’t mind cutting his workers off in the process because employees cost money. It’s his hallmark.

Disrupting an entire economy causes collapse

What about safety? If the rocket blows up, he’ll build another one. Otherwise, the free market can tend to itself, never you mind how it always plays out when one fox appoints another to oversee the hen house.

The signs are already there from former Musk associates.

Recent attempts by Parallel Systems, a company led by former SpaceX engineers, have tried to gain waivers from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to test autonomous freight cars.

It was obvious to SMART-TD officers who observed that the autonomous freight cars would be incredibly dangerous to anyone working in proximity to them. The FRA has yet to make their final decision.

SMART-TD’s written objections to Parallel Systems request.

Fast-tracking fully autonomous freight trains fits perfectly into Musk’s pattern, an opportunity we imagine the Class I railroads can’t wait to exploit.

We know what happens when management or a regulator decides to “disrupt” something they don’t understand so they can drive up their profits. They crash and burn, metaphorically and literally.

We, as one of the largest transportation unions in the country, are obliged to learn about these developments and participate in both the upcoming election and the policymaking process. SMART-TD is steadfast in protecting jobs and ensuring everyone’s safety. Our well-being hangs in the balance.

On Aug. 12, delegates at the Third SMART General Convention voted to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president in the upcoming 2024 election following President Joe Biden’s announcement on July 21 that he would end his re-election campaign.

This significant endorsement reflects the voice of SMART-TD’s members, who have long fought for the safety and well-being of our freight rail workers.

SMART-TD extends its heartfelt thanks to President Biden for his dedicated service and commitment to the labor movement. Under his watch, we made significant advancements in protecting our bus, transit and railroad members. The doors of his administration were always open when we needed to speak with the Department of Transportation, FRA, FTA, NTSB or STB, or others.

We are eager to support Vice President Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in continuing the vital work that has marked the Biden-Harris administration’s tenure.

Advocating for two-person crews

Four years ago, during a global pandemic that tested our resilience, SMART-TD members united to support Biden and Harris, driven by their promise to uphold workers’ rights and enhance safety measures across the board.

The Biden-Harris administration has delivered, notably through the recent Federal Railroad Administration regulation mandating two-person crews on freight trains. This crucial regulation, finalized this spring, stands as a testament to their dedication to improving the working conditions of freight rail members and ensuring safer operations on our railroads.

Two-person crews are not just a policy choice but a critical safety measure that impacts the well-being of every freight rail worker. The presence of two qualified individuals in the cab of a freight train helps prevent accidents, ensures immediate response to emergencies, and supports overall operational safety. It is an essential step towards protecting our members and reinforcing the safety standards within the industry.

Championing worker safety and rights

The Biden-Harris administration has also demonstrated a strong commitment to protecting public transit and bus workers. Their focus on addressing worker assaults in these sectors aligns with our broader goal of ensuring safety and respect for all transportation workers. This administration’s proactive stance on worker safety issues, including FTA’s establishment of Public Transit Safety Plans reflects a clear understanding of the challenges faced by frontline transportation employees and a dedication to creating safer working environments.

Building on a legacy of pro-worker policies

Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz have consistently demonstrated their support for the labor movement. Harris, with her leadership in the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing, and Walz, with his pro-labor legislation as governor — he is the first and only governor to have signed legislation covering yardmaster hours of service — are both strong allies in our continued fight for workers’ rights and safety.

Looking ahead

As we face the possibility of a return to anti-worker policies in November’s election, the SMART-TD stands firm in its support for the Harris-Walz ticket.

Their commitment to the labor movement and their track record of advancing worker-friendly policies make them the best choice to lead our nation forward.

We extend our deepest gratitude to President Biden for his unwavering support and look forward to working with Vice President Kamala Harris to continue advancing the interests of our members and all working families across the country.

A former president and one of the world’s richest billionaires sat down for an online chat, broadcast on the billionaire’s X social media platform yesterday.  Donald Trump and Elon Musk said exactly what they thought about the people who do their work.

Listen for yourself:

Trump expressed his profound admiration toward Musk, who emulates Trump’s trademark “You’re fired” reality act from “The Apprentice” in real life. The two discussed casually devastating people’s careers and families’ incomes, then laughed about it.

The UAW has already filed suit against both Trump and Musk for unfair labor practices. We support that action. The UAW, because Musk owns Tesla and SpaceX, has legal standing since they’re working to organize workers there. We do not. Otherwise SMART would be right there with them.

We all know that Trump is running for president on the Republican ticket this November. When he occupied the Oval Office, he allowed the huge railroads to ignore safety as Precision Scheduled Railroading spread. Trump’s FRA made a direct attack on SMART-TD and the people we represent by trying to drop two-person freight crews.

Is Trump with us or against us? Every voter will have to make up their own mind, but as a union fighting every day for better working conditions, we hope America’s workers agree to tell him “You’re still fired” on Nov. 5.