Category: Front Page
Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Bill Passed to Address Emergency Preparedness
On February 24, the Trump Administration requested $2.5 billion from Congress in emergency funding to address the COVID-19 pandemic. At the end of the process, the bill came to $7.8 billion in emergency spending with the bulk of funding to Health and Human Services and Cente [...]
Texas court rules that SMART-TD has to negotiate crew consist
A federal court in Texas ruled in favor of rail carriers this week, directing the SMART Transportation Division to negotiate over crew-consist without regard to moratoriums barring such negotiation. U.S. District Court Judge Mark T. Pittman, a January 2019 Trump appointee, is [...]
Ty Dragoo: Making A Difference At Party Conventions
Ty Dragoo: On Making A Difference By Becoming A Convention Delegate Ty Dragoo is the Kansas State Legislative Director for SMART TD. From roll calls and speeches to flags and ticker tape, the national conventions are usually conventional pep rallies for the two majo [...]
Local 276 Helps BC Charity
SMART Sheet Metal Local 276 in Victoria, BC has been working with a local organization called Hero Work. Hero Work brings together companies and workers to perform “Radical Renovations” on buildings that house charities. Most local charities devote all their finances and eff [...]
Listen: General President Sellers on Retirement Security
The inaugural episode of the Talking-SMART podcast looks at a new proposal from Senate Republicans that poses a serious threat to your retirement security. Presented in a white paper by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), this plan would impose a new 10 percent tax on retirees a [...]
Did You See A Change In Tax Liability?
Ahead of the 2020 tax season, SMART is gathering detailed information on how the tax changes signed into law in December 2017 have been affecting our members. Under that plan, which went into effect for tax year 2018, one key change was the elimination of nearly all formerly [...]
SMART 2nd Constitution & Ritual Now Available
The SMART Constitution and Ritual was passed by delegates at the 2nd SMART General Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. Please click on the image to the left or here to view a copy of the document.
Take Action to Protect Pensions
After a lifetime of hard work, working people deserve to retire with dignity. As a result of reckless Wall Street behavior, industry deregulation and courts that allow employers the liberal use of corporate bankruptcy, important parts of that multiemployer pension system are [...]