Category: Leadership
Profits over safety: Rail industry lobbies to stall ECP brake technology
The WashingtonPost.com recently reported that the rail industry is lobbying hard to stall or potentially reverse the FRA’s ruling that freight trains be equipped with ECP (electronically controlled pneumatic) brakes by 2021. Despite the growing number of rail crashes an [...]
Human Rights Committee update
In an effort to improve efficiencies and provide enhanced, more cost effective service to our members, the SMART Transportation Division has recently conducted a review of its internal operations. One of the areas identified for restructuring is the process for providing assi [...]Rail labor seeks federal mediation in national negotiations
On December 5, 2016, Rail Labor’s Coordinated Bargaining Group (CBG) released the following statement, requesting that a federal mediator assist in negotiations: “Despite our best efforts, collective bargaining with the major U.S. Class 1 railroads completely stalled la [...]
GP Sellers: We Continue Working On Our Core Issues
In this election, we worked hard and stayed focused on the issues members said were most important for our union: jobs, growth, pensions and protecting our rights as organized labor. Both Presidential candidates promised more jobs and a stronger economy. The one we endorsed [...]
Risch op-ed: Use rail, not Dakota Pipeline
In an op-ed piece recently published in thedickinsonpress.com, John Risch, native North Dakotan and freight rail operator for more than thirty years, makes the case that the Dakota Access Pipeline is not needed to transport crude oil, as freight rail infrastructure is alread [...]
Know the facts before you vote
By John Previsich, President, SMART Transportation Division It is said that two things to never discuss at a family gathering are religion and politics and for the most part that is very good advice. But I’m going to break that rule here–I view my brothers and sisters in the [...]
Back to basics
By John Lesniewski, Vice President, SMART Transportation Division In the July/August edition of the SMART Transportation Division News, both SMART General President Joseph Sellers and SMART Transportation Division President John Previsich wrote extensively about the importanc [...]