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As union sheet metal workers, SMART members practice excellence every day in our craft. And as union members, we have the backs of our brothers and sisters, on and off the job.

Now, it’s time to demonstrate that solidarity. As part of the I Got Your Back campaign, we are challenging members to Be Excellent.

Launched on Monday, November 18, the Be Excellent challenge asks SMART members to incorporate small but important practices into their routines to build camaraderie with each other and reinforce union solidarity.

In the first phase of this challenge, members can practice excellence by taking the time to greet each other every day. When you see a fellow member on the job, try saying “Hello,” “Good Morning,” “How Are You?” or another greeting of your choice. To kick this off, we are challenging SMART members to try giving a daily greeting to at least five people every week. For an extra challenge, try seeking out at least one person whom you do not talk to often. 

Small acts can have a big impact, and we are strongest when we show that every member is valued in this union. Let’s continue to pull together, be excellent to each other, and show our fellow members – I GOT YOUR BACK!

As many of you know, the International Longshoremen’s Association Union (ILA) plans to initiate a strike along the East Coast, affecting port operations from Maine to Houston, Texas. This situation is crucial for all SMART-TD members to understand, as it could pose significant disruption to freight rail traffic as early as midnight, October 1.

The Longshoremen strike

We and our brothers and sisters in the ILA are fighting the same fight. They have reached an impasse while negotiating fair working conditions and wages, and safeguards against the threat of autonomous operations. Much like the railroads, their employers would like to replace workers with technology, at the expense of their safety and job security.

Solidarity between the Longshoremen and the railroad union

Allied through the AFL-CIO, we understand that the fate of their union is closely intertwined with our own. President Jeremy Ferguson emphasizes this connection: “As fellow union members, we must advocate for the rights of our Longshoremen sisters and brothers. Their fight is our fight, and we are here to support them as they stand for what is right.”

Guidance for SMART-TD members

While we cannot legally engage in a strike or work action initiated by another labor organization, we can and must make safety our top priority. According to Section 92 of Article 21B in the SMART Constitution, if a strike is in effect and there is a danger to your safety, you are not obliged to cross a picket line. Don’t engage in any work that puts you in a position where you are fearful for your safety.

If you are directed to cross a picket line or perform duties that compromise your safety, immediately inform management of your unwillingness to do so. Once safe, report the situation to your local chairperson with a detailed account of events.

Be prepared for impacts to our work

According to the Associated Press the coming work stoppage threatens to close 36 ports — which handle roughly half of the goods shipped into and out of the U.S.

Stay informed and ready to respond to any impact on our operations. By supporting our Longshoremen brothers and sisters, we not only advocate for their rights but also ensure the stability and integrity of our own industry. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary.

Thank you for your dedication and solidarity during this critical time. Together, we stand united in our commitment to fair labor practices for all workers.

At the jobsite, senior members of the crew often tell us how important it is to speak up if we see an unsafe act. We all want to return home in the same condition we arrived. But when we fail to look out for one another while performing our work, incidents happen, and these can have lasting and devastating effects.

The same goes for workplace behavior. SMART wants our members to speak up for them­selves and others when they are uncomfortable or witness others who are in the compromising posi­tion of being bullied or harassed. As with safety, it is crucial to create a culture that encourages members to say something when they observe harassment or bullying. We all deserve to return home from work unharmed — physically, mentally and socially.

In fact, discrimination and harassment on construction sites can endanger the physical safety of members on the job. Due to the dangerous nature of our work, you need to be able to trust that the member next to you will keep you safe. If your coworker is harassing you, it is hard to trust that they will ensure your safety.

As members of SMART, we have the moral duty to ensure the safety and well-being of our fellow members and to encourage each other and build morale while on the job. The concept of a workplace free of harassment and discrimination should be owned by each member at every worksite. Intervention is an effective tool to curb and hopefully eliminate harassment and bullying in the workplace.

With all this in mind, SMART announced the expansion of the I Got Your Back Campaign — “Speak Up, Speak Out” in May. We seek to create and reinforce a culture where members Speak Up, Speak Out when they see something wrong. Therefore, we ask every member to do the following:

1. If you witness a fellow member being bullied, harassed, discrim­inated against or mistreated on the job, please Speak Up, Speak Out.

2. If you are being bullied, harassed, discriminated against or mistreated on the job, please Speak Up, Speak Out if you are comfortable doing so, or ask a trusted ally for help.

What does it mean to Speak Up, Speak Out? This can take many forms depending on the situation:

  • Ask the offender to stop. Here are some examples of things you can say: “This needs to stop right now.” “This is wrong, and you need to stop.” “This is not right. Leave [name] alone.”
  • Ask the individual if they are okay and if they would like to report this incident. Emphasize that they did not deserve to be treated this way and that you have their back.
  • Approach other bystanders and encourage them to Speak Up, Speak Out. Every voice matters, and there is power in numbers.
  • If you are not comfortable saying something in the moment, you can report the incident to your union rep or the employer.

In turn, we ask all of our union officials to commit to the following:

  1. Ensure each of our members receives the best quality union representation when they are facing harassment, bullying, discrimination or mistreatment on the job.
  2. Ensure there is no retaliation for speaking up and reporting an issue. Communicate repeatedly with your members that retalia­tion is not tolerated, ask members to report retaliation if it occurs, and take swift and decisive action if a member is retaliated against for speaking up.

This campaign expansion is designed to encourage our members to intervene when bullying or harassment occurs on the jobsite with the same sense of urgency as if a fellow member were facing unsafe work conditions. We believe the expansion of the I Got Your Back Campaign will help ensure this practice becomes universal throughout our union.

In 2021, SMART launched the I Got Your Back Campaign, which celebrates the many great mentors and allies in our membership and reinforces member solidarity throughout our great union. Today, SMART announced the expansion of the I Got Your Back Campaign — “Speak Up, Speak Out.”  

We seek to create and reinforce a culture where members Speak Up, Speak Out when they see something wrong. Therefore, we ask every member to do the following:  

  1. If you witness a fellow member being bullied, harassed, discriminated against or mistreated on the job, please Speak Up, Speak Out.  
  2. If you are being bullied, harassed, discriminated against or mistreated on the job, please Speak Up, Speak Out if you are comfortable doing so, or ask a trusted ally for help.  

What does it mean to Speak Up, Speak Out? This can take many forms depending on the situation:  

  • Ask the offender to stop. Here are some examples of things you can say: “This needs to stop right now.” “This is wrong, and you need to stop.” “This is not right. Leave [name] alone.” 
  • Ask the individual if they are okay and if they would like to report this incident. Emphasize that they did not deserve to be treated this way and that you have their back. 
  • Approach other bystanders and encourage them to Speak Up, Speak Out. Every voice matters, and there is power in numbers.  
  • If you are not comfortable saying something in the moment, you can report the incident to your union representative or the employer.

In turn, we ask all of our union officials to commit to the following: 

  1. Ensure each of our members receives the best quality union representation when they are facing harassment, bullying, discrimination or mistreatment on the job. 
  2. Ensure there is no retaliation for speaking up and reporting an issue. Communicate repeatedly with your members that retaliation is not tolerated, ask members to report retaliation if it occurs, and take swift and decisive action if a member is retaliated against for speaking up.  

This campaign expansion is designed to encourage our members to intervene when bullying or harassment occurs on the jobsite with the same sense of urgency as if a fellow member were facing unsafe work conditions. We believe the expansion of the I Got Your Back Campaign will help ensure this practice becomes universal throughout our union.  

Railroad history was made the first week of April 2024. The U.S. Department of Transportation issued a final rule stating that freight trains in this country cannot be safely run with fewer than two certified railroaders in a locomotive cab.

History could not have been made without you. SMART-TD has been leading this fight for more than two decades. The FRA received over 13,000 public comments on this rule. Only 64 of those were against it. That is an amazing, concerted effort on the part of our members and allies that shows the power of solidarity. YOU beat the railroad executives and their deep pockets. It wasn’t even close.

The rule was announced by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Federal Railroad Administrator Amit Bose on behalf of the Biden administration. SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson then spoke of the efforts of rail families, concerned members of the public and, most importantly, the experiences of our union members inside the rail cab.

The quality of what you wrote, not just the raw number of responses, is what truly moved the needle. Your personal experiences opened the eyes of the FRA to the lives that were saved and the potential disasters averted by the presence of a second person in the cab. Your experiences could not be denied. Thank you, from your union brothers and sisters, and on behalf of every American who lives, works or plays near a set of tracks.

We also would like to thank Wes Ekstedt, out of Local 445 in Galesburg, Illinois, who formed the “Fight For 2-Person Crews” Facebook page and website. Justin Wolters, from Local 1381 and general chairperson of the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad, and Nick Greficz, local chairperson from Local 278, were among the leaders of a page called “We the Union” that helped coalesce union efforts.

These leaders never missed an opportunity to advocate to the public and protect safety. They helped create a movement.

It is no secret that the 2PC effort helped unite all 12 rail labor organizations under the umbrella of the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO. The message was also echoed by our friends in other labor unions outside of the rail industry. The rule announcement was introduced by David Hoagland, President of the District of Columbia Fire Fighters Association. Experienced first responders know who to rely on when there is a rail-related accident. The International Association of Fire Fighters strongly advocated for this ruling, and we express gratitude for their assistance.

Thanks also to The National League of Cities who provided unwavering support and advocacy for safe rail operations in our country.

SMART-TD Auxiliary President Kathryn Seegmiller and Secretary and Treasurer Denise “Niki” Wallace do amazing work advocating for this and many other legislative movements. On the issue of 2PC, they raised awareness and coordinated action through many routes, including text message campaigns to members to bolster both national level and state legislation.

It would be remiss not to thank the state legislative directors in every state who have pushed for 2PC legislation. As we all know and have celebrated, 12 states achieved the governor’s signature on legislation or had regulations on minimum crew size on the books before the FRA’s historic announcement. Unquestionably, whether a bill passed or not, the efforts made in the state houses were instrumental in the national push.  Every time one of our SLDs presented legislation on the matter, it created public discussion and awareness of the critical role conductors play in protecting their communities. For all the state directors who fought the good fight for rail safety, we thank you and congratulate you on winning the war.

All in all, there are too many people to thank to have any hope of mentioning everyone. Our union is stronger than ever, the community we have built around us is active and engaged, and together we put the rail bosses on notice.  We are watching, and we will use our collective strength to protect public and worker safety however inconvenient that becomes for the profit-at-all-cost railroads and their owners.

We thank all of our members and advocates for everything they did to bring the fight this far.  Your efforts have been seen, and we have seen the results, but there is work left to do. Every new administration brings the risk of new regulations. We need to protect the progress that we have made. Now that the FRA’s 2PC rule is a reality it is time to focus on passing the Railway Safety Act.

Local Chairperson Nathan Hatton, center, gives a thumb’s up with Local 278 Legislative Representative Tom Dillon to his right in the photo as they support United Auto Workers Local 900 members in Detroit on Wednesday, Sept. 20.

Members of SMART-TD Local 278 (Jackson, Mich.) and General Committee GO 687 hit the picket line in Detroit, heart of the auto industry on Sept. 20. Our members were on the line supporting the proud men and women of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 900 outside of Ford’s Michigan Assembly Plant, better known as MAP.

The SMART Transportation Division is proud to see our members publicly joining the fight in this historic movement known as the UAW “Stand Up” strike.

TD members showed up on the strike’s first day, then again four days later on Day 5 to deliver bottled water and to show support, Local 278 Legislative Representative Tom Dillon said.

“A common conversation I had with most UAW workers both days was that this fight wasn’t just for them It was for all of us… all of us working middle class people trying to live a great life. A life that our parents enjoyed through the fruits of their labor,” he said.

“Yet here we are today, and the folks that build these cars and trucks can’t even afford to buy one, let alone our children. It’s invigorating to be out there supporting this fight to say the least and I’m hoping to get out there again with our union brothers and sisters  to show more support.” 

Thank you to all our members throughout the country that are doing the same.

Please get in touch with SMART News at TD-DL-News@smart-union.org and let us know what your local is doing to help their cause!

SMART-TD members out to support the UAW strike include, front, Local 278 Legislative Representative Tom Dillon, and from back left, Local 278 President Dave Firlik, Local 278 LCA687E Secretary Jason Tackett, Local 278 member Nick Huberts and GO 687 Vice General Chairperson James Reid. The “Wingman” at right was unidentified.

Brothers and sisters —

As the strike action of our brothers and sisters at the UAW moves forward, I wanted to reach out to all SMART-TD members and reiterate our support for the UAW and the goals they are working to achieve.

On Thursday, I reached out to our rail members to let you know that you have a right to refuse to service any facility that is under a picket if you feel your safety is at risk. This right is written into our SMART constitution.

All signs from the UAW are that their strike has the potential to go on for quite some time. Right now, the media and public are focusing on their struggle. This is good news for the labor movement, however, as the strike continues, this attention and support might get watered down.

SMART-TD’s rail members are prohibited by the Railway Labor Act to participate in a sympathy strike, which means we cannot stop coming to work for our employers. What we can do, in addition to not crossing the picket lines to service industries if our safety is in jeopardy, is that we can support the efforts of UAW when we aren’t on duty.

It is my hope that as a union, we will do everything we can to show our solidarity with UAW in their time of need. Like all unions, their strike fund is not robust enough to pay their members the salaries they need to live off of indefinitely. If you are interested in helping, please do what you can to support their cause.

Please get out and walk the line with our UAW brothers and sisters. If you can bring food to show your support that is always appreciated. I would love to see SMART-TD members showing up in SMART gear and lending a hand to this worthy cause.

We are prohibited from not working our jobs at the railroad in support of their strike, but we can show up on our own time and do as much as we can to be of service to their movement. Please join me in the effort to find a UAW demonstration, put on your SMART T-shirt, pick up some pizzas and let them know that we stand with them.

UAW workers are in this fight for the long haul. Any reinforcement our union can provide them will go a long way toward their fight and the labor movement throughout this country.

In solidarity, 

Jeremy R. Ferguson

President, Transportation Division

Brothers and sisters,

For many Americans, Labor Day simply signifies the end of summer, beginning of the school year or is viewed as a day off from work. For those of us involved in organized labor, it means more. However, and whenever you are able to celebrate Labor Day, I ask that you take time to educate those around you of how this country’s labor movement impacted the working conditions for EVERYONE in this nation. 

What this holiday is emblematic of is the celebration of the core values of SMART-TD and all Americans who built this country’s blue-collar middle class. The contributions of the labor community keep that dream alive in this country today. Labor Day is a chance to reflect on the achievements of our predecessors whose efforts provided the pathway to lives where the work you are willing to do ideally reflects your quality of life. With that in mind, we ask that you and your family recognize that the fight is never over and intensify your support for those engaged in labor fights.

Today has been made better by the men and women who came before us. It’s a disservice if we take the inroads they made for granted. This holiday weekend, I ask that we commit as union brothers and sisters to do two things. 

First, we should reflect on these men and women who fought before and are fighting now. It strengthens this union and labor as a whole when we take the time to learn about labor history. Perspective is a powerful tool. The collective power of union solidarity is as important to our lives today as it was to workers in the 1800s. The stands we make against the greed of management are the same fights that have gone on for hundreds of years.

Second, this weekend is an opportunity for us engaged in the struggle to take inventory of whether our commitment to our union is proportionate to what those who laid the groundwork before us have done. Child labor laws, minimum wages, the sanctity of healthcare being part of the compensation for our labor WERE NOT GIVEN TO US. Blood was spilled to make these things possible. 

Paying monthly dues provide membership in a union, but getting involved and living as good stewards of this legacy is what ignites and creates a community. These communities are what establish world-changing action.  

 Will you join the fight? Your union and our country need your voice and your talents. We are facing a large-scale resurgence of class warfare that threatens to erase the historic gains and protections the labor movement has earned. 

The world we live in provides many challenges to all of us in the labor movement. We need every one of our proud members to be engaged in order to better the lives of all. Let us keep the trails that were blazed by our predecessors clear, open, and accessible to all.  Be sure that the path to prosperous working-class lives is not enveloped by greed and exploitation.

Please stay safe this holiday weekend!

Solidarity forever,

Jeremy R. Ferguson,
President, Transportation Division

Local 200 chairperson, general chairperson and SLD’s combined efforts get opportunity for cut workers to remain in industry

E. Hunter Harrison has been dead since Dec. 16, 2017. His legacy known as Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) is still alive and kicking.  

Some of the railroads have said publicly that they are trying to steer away from PSR. But in an unexpected twist, the specter of Harrison is rearing its ugly head in the lives of all our Union Pacific members with the recent ascension of new CEO Jim Vena.   

Vena is a known student of Harrison. When UP employees, some stockholders and SMART-TD general chairpersons expressed alarm at Vena’s hiring, the carrier put out a well-polished piece of propaganda about how Vena 2.0 was a changed man. 

We were all supposed to be put at ease, that he had learned the hard way that PSR was an unnecessarily disruptive force to the industry, the supply chain and in the personal lives of railroad employees.  

For the record, SMART-TD never bought this idea. The five GCs of our UP General Committees in no uncertain terms informed the carrier that they strongly disagree with Vena’s hiring. In the letter sent to UP’s vice president of labor relations, our GCs said “As COO, Jim Vena enacted policies, practices, and procedures that deliberately destroyed our members’ quality of life for the sake of profit. 

“He orchestrated huge furloughs and cuts to every department in transportation, which resulted in the crew shortages we have yet to recover from,” the GCs wrote. 

This second point came into play almost immediately upon Vena taking over Aug. 14. Less than a week into his reign, Vena proved our GCs to be absolutely correct by announcing UP was going to cut 94 positions across four crafts and 13 terminals.  

These men and women whose jobs were erased through no fault of their own were represented by the IBEW, IAM, NCFO and SMART Mechanical Division. Many of these fellow railroaders worked in remote locations where the UP terminal was the largest employer. As a result, many of them were going to have to uproot their families and pursue new career opportunities. 

SMART-TD Local Chairperson Amanda Snide (Local 200, North Platte, Neb.) didn’t like what she was hearing. She was frustrated and confused why these railroaders, though from different crafts and unions, were being thrown to the wolves while her terminal was desperately looking to find candidates to fill their posted openings for conductor positions.  

Sister Snide took matters into her own hands at that point. She successfully brokered the idea with the local management at the North Platte terminal to offer 11 employees slated to be let go in the mechanical crafts positions as conductors.  

As we approach the Labor Day holiday, there can be no better example of the value of labor movement than what these three accomplished for these fellow railroaders and their families. We thank you for defending our rail labor brothers and sisters against the corporate greed that threatened everything they had worked to build.  

Snide’s results giving the workers affected by Vena’s malicious cuts at her home terminal the chance to preserve their income, health benefits and retirement, impressed Nebraska’s SLD Foust. He took what Snide had started and turned his attention to the 83 other casualties of Vena’s short-sighted greed. Foust contacted General Chairperson Luke Edington from GO-953. Brother Edington, who was already on the record with UP about not being on board with UP’s “new vision,” took it from there. 

Edington took Snide’s plan and Foust’s vision of expanding it straight to UP’s Human Resources Department. SMART-TD is very proud to announce that Brother Edington succeeded in reaching an agreement with UP that at all terminals where they are simultaneously attempting to hire conductors and laying off other craft employees will give the same opportunity to transfer to conductor positions that Snide had enacted in North Platte.  

As of Aug. 30, 50% of the affected employees in eligible terminals had applied for transfers to conductor positions — quite a few salvaged railroad careers.  

SMART-TD is very proud of the initiative taken by Sister Snide, SLD Foust and GO-953 GC Luke Edington to make this happen.  

As we approach the Labor Day holiday, there can be no better example of the value of labor movement than what these three accomplished for these fellow railroaders and their families. We thank you for defending our rail labor brothers and sisters against the corporate greed that threatened everything they had worked to build.  

There has always been and will always be Hunter Harrison and Jim Vena types in the rail industry. What is important is that we commit ourselves as a union and as individuals to make sure we can match them with the wits, fight, solidarity and humanity exhibited by members like Amanda Snide and that the union spirit embodies. 

“From the Ballast” is an open column for SMART Transportation Division rail members to state their perspective on issues related to the railroad industry. Members of the union are encouraged to submit content by emailing to news_TD@smart-union.org. Columns are published at the union’s discretion and may be published in the SMART TD newspaper.

The term “getting railroaded” has its origins in the 1800s. Landowners would use it when the rail companies stole land in order to lay down new track. It has evolved these days to describe generally being cheated or bullied. Unfortunately, the originators of the term who perfected the practice are still bullying, but now it is focused on their own employees.

Today’s corporate railroads may not be stealing land, but they are stealing our jobs, our time and our safety. With Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR), the number of railroad jobs has dropped 30%. Thousands of jobs were done away with even as we kept our country going through a pandemic. More were eliminated as the carrier executives chased an operating ratio that enriched the shareholders and railroad owners.

As headcount diminished, time was stolen as those still employed were forced to work more hours with new attendance policies that leave little time for family or rest. This led to a worker exodus that even further decreased employees and time.

This all resulted in workers’ safety being stolen. Pushing workers to the point of fatigue and making doctor’s appointments all but impossible to schedule have hurt workers’ health. Cutting inspection times and maintenance has led to more breakdowns and derailments. Growing train lengths have increased these dangers as well. In short, workers are all still getting railroaded.

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So, what do we do about it?

Some have conceded that these companies and their lobbyists are too powerful. This mentality is understood, but we’ve seen challenges like these defeated before. Child labor, segregation and unsafe working conditions were all beaten back by unions. There’s no doubt that the odds seemed insurmountable at the time and yet they overcame them.

They did this because they had one big thing going for them. They were on the right side. Well, so are railroaders. In the last few years, we have seen customers, the public, news media and even politicians from both parties start talking about the dangers of PSR and one-person rail crews. Five years ago, it was ridiculous to think that major media outlets would have reports on these issues or even be concerned about, but they have and they are and progress is being made.

This happened because railroaders spoke out. They wrote emails, met with representatives and even used social media to spread the word. If all of us, together, made an effort to do the same, we could win this battle.

So, please use the resources that are available — take some time and write an email to your representative. Talk with leaders at a City Council meeting. Make some handouts and pin them on a board. Go to a union meeting and suggest something to inform your community. Do some philanthropy and talk about railroad issues. Put up an informative table at a festival. Do something to fight back. It’s hard to quiet 100,000 voices ringing. Every person who learns about this corporate greed and corruption is another crack in their armor. It’s easy to give up, but let’s stand strong together and let them know that the days of getting “railroaded” are now over.

This article was submitted by an active member of SMART Transportation Division Local 445 (Niota, Ill.) who works for BNSF and chose to remain anonymous. We thank him for his submission and his continued advocacy in union matters!