With a unanimous vote, Wilmington Terminal Railroad joins SMART-TD

Wilmington Terminal Railroad, a subsidiary of Genesse and Wyoming, has voted unanimously to join SMART-TD!

Since coming under G&W ownership in 2005, the workers have been without representation.    

From living in the “Right to Work” state of North Carolina, to dealing with threats from their notorious union-busting employer, the workers’ journey to becoming part of the SMART-TD union family was anything but easy.

New Brother Parker Greenough got tired of G&W’s threats to shut down the terminal and switch the cars elsewhere if organizing talk became a reality.

“I always figured that it [securing union representation] would be difficult and that it would take a long time, but we were finally ready,” Greenough said. “Enough is enough.”

Vice Chairman of General Committee 433 Andy Goeckner is especially proud of how determined Greenough was to fight for representation, no matter what obstacles G&W threw his way.

“Parker did a great job communicating with the crew base and making sure they were singing from the same hymnal, so to speak,” Goeckner reflected.

The Journey to Union Membership

After having important conversations with his co-workers, they decided that they were ready to stand up to G&W’s endless stream of scare tactics and join a union.

There was just one problem: he didn’t know exactly where to start.

A Friday night Google search led him to SMART-TD, and he immediately made a call to the organizing department.

By Monday morning, he was on the phone with Goeckner, who asked Greenough what he and his brothers needed. Authorization Cards were in the mail to them that same day.

Crucial support also came from Local 1105 President Mike Stafford.  He was present during the initial town hall and provided invaluable help as the vote approached.

“I was shocked at how easy SMART-TD and Andy made this process,” Greenough noted. “We could tell that he was excited to be in this fight with us, and that made us even more motivated to organize.”

A Unanimous Vote for a Voice on the Job

Much to the chagrin of G&W, the crew base unanimously voted to join SMART-TD.

Vice Chairman Goeckner then walked our new members through the process of filing the correct documentation with the Department of Labor and other federal organizations.

Fellow North Carolinian Todd McCray, who hails from the CSX General Committee, helped Wilmington Terminal navigate the process at the state level, a responsibility that he wasn’t required to assume.

“Todd’s not an organizer,” Goeckner pointed out. “Being from the same state and having the knowledge to make it happen, he just wanted to help his brothers secure the protection and respect that they deserve. He went above and beyond his job description to bring these guys into our SMART-TD family.”

McCray believes that the vote is a true reflection of the “union difference.”

“SMART has negotiated some great agreements on G&W properties,” McCray said. “These guys see that and what they’re missing out on and what a union can do for you.”

Even in the face of repeated discouragement from organizing for years, Goeckner is impressed that Greenough and his brothers never backed down.

“They didn’t fall for G&W’s blatant attempts to swing the vote and stood firm on what they wanted. That’s what being a part of the SMART-TD union family is all about, and we’re excited to welcome them onboard!”