Category: News
Rail Safety Is Too Important For Corporate Discretion
A veteran Louisiana railroader dismantles the myth that safety mandates hurt efficiency, arguing from lived experience that federal rail safety rules exist because companies repeatedly choose profit over people when left to police themselves. Read on to see why rail workers, not think tanks or lobbyists, are the true experts on what it takes to keep crews and communities safe, and why the Rail Safety Act deserves a full vote in Congress.
CSX ENDS OPERATION REDBLOCK
On Wednesday, CSX Announced that it's dismantling Operation RedBlock, ending a nationally recognized, union-run safety and substance abuse prevention program that for more than four decades saved lives and kept trains moving safely. Read on to see why rail labor leaders and safety advocates warn that abandoning this trusted, non-punitive program puts workers, communities, and the rail industry at greater risk.
New Jersey Train Length, Crew Size Law Awaits Governor’s Signature
A historic, first-of-its-kind rail safety bill has passed both chambers of the New Jersey Legislature and is now awaiting the Governor’s signature! Read on to see more on the major protections like maximum train length limits and strict two-person crew requirements for freight rail workers.
CSX Conductor, Single Mother Devastated in Head-on Collision
A CSX conductor and single mother was seriously injured in a head-on collision while reporting for duty, leaving her facing a long and difficult road to recovery. Read on to see how union solidarity is coming together to support one of our own and how you can help make a difference for her and her daughter.
Union Mourns the Loss of Brother Charles Harrison
For the second time in two weeks, our union is mourning the loss of one of our own. Brother Charles Harrison (Local 847, Birmingham, Alabama) was killed in an on-duty accident over the weekend. Read on for details.
FRA Issues Grade-Crossing Safety Advisory
The FRA has issued Safety Advisory 2025-02 following several tragic shove-movement accidents, emphasizing the need for railroads to strengthen protections, visibility assessments, and operational practices at passively protected grade crossings. Read on to see how these recommendations call on carriers to improve rules and safeguards, but also to revamp and increase Operational Testing.
Amtrak To Give SMART-TD Members Holiday Bonuses
Amtrak’s Board has ended its executives-only bonus system and will instead provide $900 holiday bonuses to more than 18,000 front-line employees. Read on to see how this marks a turning point for SMART-TD members, recognizing their essential role in delivering Amtrak’s record-setting year.
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.