As president of the SMART Transportation Division and on behalf of General President Joseph Sellers, I want to wish every member happy holidays. We are all one family, and this season is a time when we have our loved ones in our thoughts and on our minds. As your president, y [...]
SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy Ferguson has requested that the Federal Railroad Administration issue an emergency order to carriers that train car valves prone to leakage during cold temperatures be replaced and/or repaired immediately. “The FRA and the AAR ha [...]
The tariff strategy was not enough to preserve the jobs of 1,500 steel workers in the Detroit area who are being laid off by U.S. Steel. The Great Lakes Works in Ecorse and River Rouge, Mich., will have three portions of its operations drawn down with iron and steelmaking ope [...]
Ohio State Legislative Director Stuart Gardner reports that we need some activism to push H.B. 186, which is comprehensive railroad safety legislation, over the line and out of the Ohio House Transportation and Public Safety Committee. First, he is seeking photos of example o [...]
When an accident occurs and one of our members is on site — be it a bus operator or rail conductor — it often falls on that SMART Transportation Division member to provide assistance as the FIRST responder to the situation. The member must assess and relay information about t [...]
Class I carrier Union Pacific announced Monday that it has completed implementation of Positive Train Control (PTC) on all federally mandated freight and passenger routes requiring the collision avoidance technology. The carrier still must achieve full interoperability, that [...]
SMART Transportation Division member Curtis C. McConihay of Local 1386 (Parkersburg, W.Va.) was killed in an accident on CSX property in Washington, W.Va., on Saturday. Brother McConihay, 32, was a U.S. Marine veteran and lived in Southside, W.Va., with his wife, Megan, and t [...]
Retirees, and those planning retirement, should be aware of the Railroad Retirement laws and rules governing benefit payments to annuitants who work after retirement. The following questions and answers describe these Railroad Retirement work restrictions and earnings limitat [...]
Legislative Representative Jordan Boone of Local 445 (Niota, Ill.) reports that National Legislative Director Greg Hynes will be speaking Sunday at a rally in support of the Safe Freight Act (H.R. 1748/S.1979) national two-person crew legislation. The rally is scheduled to be [...]
SMART Transportation Division-represented members who work on the Louisiana and North West (LNW) Railroad recently ratified a new contract to run through 2023. The agreement allows for a 3% raise, effective June 2019; a 3% raise in June 2020; and a 3% raise in June 2021. Thes [...]
