Alabama Port Authority learns a lesson in solidarity 

MOBILE, AL — May 9, 2025 — The members of SMART Transportation Division (SMART-TD) Local 598 taught the Alabama Port Authority what solidarity is all about. 598 resisted efforts to divide and conquer to secure an agreement that ensures major gains in wages, benefits, and crew consist protections. They overwhelmingly ratified their hard-fought tentative agreement (TA).  

Workers stand up for the resources needed to do a good job  

The negotiation journey began in January 2023 when both sides served Section 6 notices. While SMART-TD sought fair wage increases, quality-of-life improvements, and equitable health and welfare provisions, the Port Authority sought to eliminate the helper positions from train crews, a direct threat to safety and job security. 

Local 598, led by veteran Local Chairperson Billy Johns and Vice Local Chairman Frank Normand, stood firm. Johns, a 22-year employee of the State Docks, and his members knew that their three-person crews were required to deliver the highly responsive, customer-focused service the docks are known for.  

“We’re not like other railroads,” said Johns. “We don’t jump on a train and go 200 miles. We make our living providing white glove service to our customers.” 

Of equal significance, Local 598 members were clear that they would not accept any adjustments to their existing Crew Consist. This unwavering position (voiced directly from the rank and file to the carrier) was a defining moment in the negotiations and a testament to the power of grassroots advocacy.  

The transfer of member sentiment from the crew room to the boardroom is what every union advocate should strive for. 

Uniting in the face of division, wage disparity erased 

Management attempted to exploit a wage disparity between pre-2008 and post-2008 employees, proposing incentives to divide the membership. 598 refused to take the bait and instead demanded pay equity across the board.  

“They tried to buy us off to cut the Helper,” explained member Herbert Bohannon, “but it would hurt us all in the long run when we started losing customers. We know where our bread is buttered. And that is customer service.” 

Rather than fracture, the local emerged more unified than ever, a fact that surprised and ultimately pressured their employer. “This wasn’t an easy process,” said Johns. “The company wanted our members to turn on each other. The opposite happened.”

Union moves stalled talks forward, brings solutions to the table 

After six months of stalled talks, SMART-TD forced the issue by invoking mediation under the Railway Labor Act. With assistance from SMART-TD Vice President Joe Lopez and unwavering advocacy from General Chairperson Tommy Gholson (GCA-898), the union kept pressing with new proposals until they emerged with a landmark TA nearly a year later. 

Key provisions include: 

• 18% General Wage Increase (GWI) 

• Adoption of the National Health and Welfare Plan, capped at 12% of carrier costs 

• Preservation of Helper Positions 

• No concessions in existing work rules 

“This agreement is not only a victory for its contents, but for the journey we took,” said Gholson. “The carrier learned a lot about unionism and the Railway Labor Act. And they learned that our members still have a voice, and they aren’t afraid to use it.”

Union officers, backed by membership, controlled the negotiations 

Praise for Local 598’s leadership poured in from all sides. “Billy Johns isn’t a big guy in stature,” said Bohannon, “but make no mistake about it, he is a warrior. I take a lot of pride in him, and the guys in this crew room do too.” 

Gholson echoed that sentiment, noting how Johns and Bohannon “never changed their outlook” and “fought vigorously to preserve the helper positions because they knew the impact on safety and well-being. Their stance was also firm because they were there representing all the members of Local 598. They knew what the crew base wanted, and they weren’t coming home without it.” 

In the heat of mediation meetings (including high-stakes sessions in Chicago), Gholson made it clear that SMART-TD would not back down. “Let’s just say,” said Johns, “by the end of the meeting, it wasn’t hard to tell who was in charge of the room.”

The Road Ahead 

With this new agreement ratified, Local 598 has not only secured a better future for its current members but has also set a powerful example of unity, resolve, and effective unionism. The Local has grown in unity over the course of this bargaining round, with each challenge strengthening their resolve and deepening solidarity. As Gholson put it: “This crew base didn’t just negotiate a contract. They taught the company a lesson in solidarity. They stuck together, and they won.”