Category: Leadership Messages
Time to rise to the challenge
As we turn from enduring a difficult winter and the challenges of a pandemic that has tested our resilience and our country for more than a year, our organization has continued to press ahead to better serve you. The core purpose of SMART-TD is to aggressively and vigorously [...]
Nevada gov. honors railroaders with proclamation
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has issued a proclamation praising America’s railroaders, declaring Wednesday, April 28, 2021, as “A Day In Honor of Railroad Workers.” A portion of the proclamation reads: “The safe and efficient movement of the trains transporting… freight an [...]
Video: The Benefits of American Rescue Plan for SMART Members
In this month’s video address from SMART General President Joseph Sellers, he looks at the recent passage of the American Rescue Plan. The plan does more than provide direct cash relief through payments to working Americans and resources for COVID-19 vaccination efforts [...]
VICE article explains the dangers of PSR
Members and leaders of the SMART Transportation Division as well as the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department, spelled out why U.S. freight railroads’ obsession with Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) increases the danger to the public and railroad workers alike. Journa [...]
VSTD waiver of elimination period extended through June 2021
Dear Member: As many of you may recall, the SMART Voluntary Short Term Disability Plan temporarily suspended the Elimination Period for COVID-19 (Coronavirus) disabilities. In an announcement to you dated April 15, 2020, we communicated that the Elimination Period was being w [...]
Signing of COVID aid bill enables SMART-TD bus, transit members to get rolling
President Joe Biden today signed his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan intended to stabilize the nation’s economy as it continues the task of rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 525,000 people in the United States. The plan has $30.5 billion in em [...]
NLD Hynes appears on the Rick Smith Show
National Legislative Director Gregory Hynes was a guest on the labor-oriented Rick Smith Show on Feb. 24 where he discussed the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling earlier this week that threw out the Federal Railroad Administration’s negative preemption claim which w [...]