Category: Front Page
SMART-TD: Built by Members, Driven by Your Voice
Starting today, members may receive an e-mail or text from the National Safety & Legislative Department with a link to a confidential, anonymous survey conducted by a trusted third-party partner. If you receive the survey, please complete it to help us better serve you. Read on for details.
Conductor, Volunteer Firefighter Injured and Needs our Help
While responding to a call as a volunteer firefighter, Brother Chris Brick (Local 316) suffered serious injuries to his face and head. Currently in the ICU, he will require multiple surgeries and needs to have his jaw wired shut. He and his family need our support as he recovers. Read on to learn how you can help our union brother in need.
Local 85 members organize 5K to address mental health, suicide in the construction industry
In the construction industry, suicide is an urgent crisis — one that isn't talked about nearly enough. That's why Local 85 apprentice Dee Lee and Nathan Allred, assistant shop foreman at RF Knox, decided to take action to take action: organizing the first-ever Healing for Hardhats 5K event to raise money for suicide prevention.
FRA Doubles Our Risk By Reducing Track Inspections
The FRA’s late-Friday decision to cut required human track inspections in half directly increases the risk for rail workers, communities, and the national network by relying more heavily on automated systems that miss many defects trained inspectors routinely catch. Read on to see how SMART-TD National Safety & Legislative Director Jared Cassity explains the dangers of this rule change, the industry motives behind it, and why every railroad worker’s safety is now more at stake.
Building a union for all members: Interview with Local 47 member Lisa DuPuis
Lisa DuPuis of Local 47 (Ottawa, Ontario) is a journeyperson, executive board member and local women’s committee chair. In a recent episode of SMART News, DuPuis looked back on when she first entered the sheet metal industry and spoke proudly about how the number of sisters in the trades has grown since then.
Value of Unions
Unions provide the stability and protection that non-union workers increasingly lack in an economy defined by mass layoffs. This reality is underscored by decades of job cuts in sectors like technology, finance, and manufacturing. Read one to see how our recent job-security gains prove that union solidarity is still the strongest defense against becoming a labor department statistic.
New Mass. Law Protects SMART-TD Transit Members
On Wednesday afternoon, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey strengthened protections for public and private transit workers by signing H. 4645 into law. Several SMART-TD members championed this legislation from Day 1, pushed to get it over the finish line, and were present for the signing. Read on to learn about the new protections and how they could lead to improved conditions for workers across the country.
Bills Mount After Texas Conductor Loses a Leg
Raul Gomez (Local 18, El Paso), a union brother known for dropping everything to help a friend or co-worker in need, lost his leg in a devastating on-the-job accident nearly 20 months ago. Unable to work, his family is now buried under a mountain of bills and everyday expenses. He needs our help to catch up. Read on to learn about his accident and how you can help.