Transportation News

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

SMART Transportation Division obtains authorization to strike

An open letter from the office of SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson Dear Brothers and Sisters, Earlier today, I advised our Rail General Chairpersons involved in national bargaining that the cooling-off period after our release by the NMB will be ending Monday, July 18, at 1 [...]

The TRUTH about the railroad supply chain and labor negotiations

SMART Transportation Division (SMART-TD) would like to take a few moments to update the thousands of essential rail workers whom we proudly represent, the rail shippers and customers, as well as the public at large on the real status of labor negotiations and about the seriou [...]

Local 1420 mourns death of Local Chairperson Kevin Spragg

Robert Kevin Spragg, 59, passed away Monday, June 20, 2022. An active member of Local 1420 (Memphis, Tenn.) since August 1998, Spragg served as the local chairperson for LCA-001A (BNSF) since 2012 and as a delegate at the 2014 and 2019 conventions. He was a dedicated union ma [...]

Watch the Skies — It’s National Lightning Safety Week!

Each year, about 20 million bolts of lightning strike the earth’s surface, and each can carry upwards of 300 million volts and 30,000 amps. While being struck by lightning is a rare event, over the past 10 years around 250 Americans have died this way, and thousands have been [...]

Former VP Robert Earley passes away

Former Vice President Robert “Bob” W. Earley, who served our union’s membership for decades, died June 7, 2022, at Jones Memorial Hospital in Wellsville, N.Y., after a short illness. Brother Earley, a member of Local 610 (Baltimore, Md.), began his railroad career in 1963 sta [...]

NMB proffers arbitration to United Rail Unions

The United Rail Unions issued the following statement on June 15, 2022: Following the conclusion of our third week of compulsory mediation conducted by the National Mediation Board (NMB), the rail unions who are bargaining as part of the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition (CBC) [...]

TD President Ferguson to testify before House rail subcommittee

SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy R. Ferguson is scheduled to be a featured witness testifying next week in a hearing before the U.S. House Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee. The hearing on freight rail safety is scheduled 10 a.m. June 14 [...]

United Rail Unions’ statement following NMB sessions

The United Rail Unions issued the following statement June 2, 2022: The rail unions who are bargaining as part of the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition (CBC) and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way/SMART Mechanical Coalition concluded their second week of compulsory joint Na [...]