Transportation News

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

Fundraiser established for family of late member of Local 1730

An online fundraiser has been established for the family of Local 1730 (Richmond, Calif.) member Charles F. “Chuck” Reiring, who passed away suddenly Dec. 14 at age 41. Brother Reiring joined our union in January 2018 and worked as a conductor for BNSF. Fellow SMA [...]

New SMOHIT Safety Guide Available

SMOHIT has released the latest version of its safety handbook. Focused on workplace safety, the handbook covers a variety of workplace hazards, scaffold and ladder safety, shop safety, ventilation and fire safety, among a multitude of other possible dangers faced by sheet met [...]

Member’s family hit hard by the effects of COVID-19

August 31st was a day that would forever change the lives of member David Mitchell (Local 937 in Mart, Texas) and his family. It was the day that he would come home with a diagnosis of COVID-19. By September 7, Mitchell’s wife, Michelle, would begin to show symptoms, and on S [...]

Former General Chairperson Jackie Pearson passes away

Jacqueline “Jackie” Y. Pearson, former general chairperson of GCA-STU and a former local chairperson for Local 1704 (Kansas City, Mo.), passed away Dec. 13, 2021, at the age of 55. Sister Pearson served more than four years in both of those officer positions as we [...]

SMART-TD, BLET suits seek immediate halt to Amtrak vaccine mandate

CLEVELAND, Ohio, (Dec. 9, 2021) — The Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) yesterday filed motions for a preliminary injunction [...]

Senate confirms Deidre Hamilton to NMB

The U.S. Senate in a 52-48 vote Dec. 7 confirmed labor attorney Deidre Hamilton to the National Mediation Board (NMB), shifting control of the the government body that facilitates labor-management relations in the aviation and rail industries to a 2-to-1 Democratic margin. No [...]

Two-person crew bills introduced in Michigan House and Senate

Legislators in Michigan introduced bills Dec. 2 in both the state House and Senate intended to keep freight rail operations on the state’s more than 3,600 miles of track running safely and efficiently. H.B. 5596 and S.B. 767 require a crew of at least two qualified people in [...]