Transportation News

Visit the digital archive of the SMART-TD News (PDFs)

Operation Lifesaver kicks off 1st U.S. Rail Safety Week

It happens every three hours in the United States: a person or vehicle is struck by a train. When this tragedy occurs, lives are changed forever: for the people involved in the crash, their family, friends and community, and the train crewmembers. To raise awareness of the da [...]

Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program to hold classes

The Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program is pleased to announce the following HazMat/Chemical Emergency Response Training Programs. This training addresses OSHA and DOT required training in addition to procedures, different levels of response and worker protectio [...]

SMART TD General Committees unite for attendance win

Earlier this year, Union Pacific instituted a revised attendance policy for transportation employees.  This new policy contained the following provision which allowed them to discipline employees who utilized their collectively bargained compensated leave days (personal leave [...]

Local officers elected in 2017, LCA officer elections in 2018

Members are reminded that regular elections of Local officers are being conducted in November 2017, but regular elections for Local Committee of Adjustment (LCA) officers are not held until 2018. As per the Constitution’s Article 21B, Section 57, Local officers are elected ev [...]

IAM members back to work after seven week strike

Chicago-area auto mechanics are back to work this morning after a seven-week strike. Members of Local 701 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) was on strike against 130 new car dealerships across the city. The mechanics of the local ratif [...]

Attention furloughed engineers: NJ Transit is hiring

General Chairperson Stephen Burkert reports that New Jersey Transit is actively looking to hire locomotive engineers. Members who have questions can contact Burkert at sburkert@utulocal60.com. Click here for instructions on how to apply. Click here for the job posting on Mons [...]

Canada Takes Stand Against Right to Work During NAFTA Talks

Canada is formally demanding, in talks on a new NAFTA agreement, that any such pact force the U.S. to eliminate so-called right-to-work laws. During the 2016 U.S. campaign, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump labeled NAFTA “the worst trade pact ever signed” and vowed to dum [...]

Member Disaster Relief Needs Increase!

Updated: September 13, 2017 Dear Members of the SMART Transportation Division: The catastrophic storm damage and flood waters caused by Hurricane Harvey and Irma have devastated Texas and Florida with loss of life and immeasurable destruction of property. Some of those affect [...]

Trains could be the next target for terrorists

NJ.com reports that despite legislation requiring strengthened security procedures for railroads having passed a decade ago, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has yet to put any new security measures in place. Both the House Homeland Security Committee and the [...]