On April 30, SMART-TD-represented conductors and assistant conductors ratified their tentative agreement (TA) with Boston’s Keolis Commuter Services. Initially presented for a vote in March, this precedent-setting agreement includes retroactive pay, general wage increases (GWI), and additional sick days. Read on to find out what additional items are included in the agreement.
As SMART-TD members in Colorado work to pass a bill funding the state's Office of Rail Safety, several lawmakers are attempting to amend the legislation so that workers would be required to help foot the bill for the very agency that helps keep them safe. Read on to hear the jaw-dropping remarks that were made during the debate.
SMART-TD is proud to lead the 3rd Annual Railroad Day on the Hill, the nation’s premier rail labor advocacy event. This expanded, two-day summit features increased union participation, and a record number of Congressional meetings focused on safety and labor solidarity. Read on to see how RR Day on the Hill promotes critical legislation while uniting rail workers and lawmakers in a growing push for safer rail operations.
With multiple cities facing difficult decisions about the futures of their transit agencies as the impact of reduced funding, or a lack of funding becomes a reality, SMART-TD members and the riding public will ultimately suffer the consequences. Read on to learn which cities are affected and what the cuts could lead to in the future.
Tesla calls itself a car company, but they’re really in the battery business. They have requested a permit to ship their lithium-ion batteries by rail, a request that neglects important safety and training measures. Read on to learn about SMART-TD's response to this potentially explosive situation.
Operation Lifesaver (OLI) has announced $219,155 in grants to fund rail safety awareness campaigns in 11 states. OLI understands the multifaceted nature of rail safety — with every tragedy averted a railroader is spared from trauma and a family is spared from pain. Read on to learn about their campaigns and to help spread awareness of See Tracks? Think Train!® Week (September 15–21, 2025).
Launched late last year, SMART-TD’s E-3 Committee focuses on outreach to locals and keeping members updated on important news and benefits by using various tools, including new, customizable bulletin board flyers. Read on to learn what spurred the idea for this campaign and why member feedback is critical to the committee’s work.
With attacks against transit workers showing no signs of slowing down, SMART-TD's safety and legislative directors fight to pass legislation to address this issue in every state. Colorado’s pending new law creates harsher penalties for transit assault, but can it pass before the legislature adjourns? Read on to find out what’s in the bill, who is backing it, and what hurdles remain before it reaches the Governor’s desk.
Our union mourns the loss of Brother John A. Saunders, a longtime union member and first chairman of the Union Pacific Caucus, who passed away on January 28 at the age of 84. Read on to learn more about Brother Saunders’s career on the railroad and how his family legacy lives on.
A coalition of Kansas labor organizations succeeded in creating a dedicated funding mechanism for Amtrak and intercity passenger rail service in the sunflower state. With federal funding for similar projects across the country on the chopping block, our legislative victory demonstrates that progress is still possible. Read on to learn which projects the new Passenger Rail Service Revolving Fund will boost.
