Category: News

STUDY: Workers in “Right-to-Work” States Receive 24% More Government Assistance

September 3, 2014 A new study, from University of Illinois-Urbana professors From Labor and Employment Relations professor Robert Bruno and Illinois Economic Policy Institute Director Frank Manzo found that just as “Right-to-Work” allows some workers to freeload to the detriment of others, it [...]

(Video) Al Chesser: A Purpose-Filled Life

September 3, 2014 Video tribute to Al Chesser, former UTU General President who was instrumental in uniting the railroad crafts under the banner of the United Transportation Union. (View video)

Employees of RCP&E Railroad return to SMART

August 29, 2014 In a swift and decisive vote held Aug. 27, employees of Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad selected the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers as their voice on their property. Among 53 eligible voters, 37 employees marked their [...]

Tags Dakota, Director of Organizing Rich Ross, Executive Board member Phillip Craig, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad, Pierre & Eastern Railroad, Rapid City

Panel recommends safety improvements at N.Y. MTA

August 29, 2014 Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) Blue Ribbon Panel studying safety and maintenance practices at its three railroads yesterday announced 29 recommendations to improve operations and safety. Created a year ago after a series of safety-related incidents at MTA [...]

Tags LIRR, Long Island Rail Road, New York MTA, safety

Video: Two Person Crews & Local Autonomy At the First SMART General Convention

August 27, 2014 SMART delegates hold discussion on 2 person crews and local autonomy at the First SMART General Convention. This open discussion happened on the afternoon of Friday, August 15. Both sheet metal and transportation delegates took part in the discussion. Click here to view the video.

Union seeks proposals for Section 6 notices

August 27, 2014 The SMART Transportation Division is beginning the process of formulating Section 6 notices to be served on rail carriers negotiating under the umbrella of the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC), which will include proposals to increase wages, benefits and improve [...]

Tags 2014 Section 6 notices

AFL-CIO's Trumka: 'We won't be turned aside'

August 26, 2014 AFL-CIO President Richard L. Trumka drew several standing ovations during an electrifying speech to delegates and guests on the fourth day of the SMART Convention Aug. 14. The former United Mineworkers’ president began his speech by addressing the merger of the former Sheet M [...]

Tags First SMART General Convention, Trumka

Deadly Arkansas train crash cleanup ongoing

August 26, 2014 An important highway in northeast Arkansas could stay closed into next week as crews clean up the wreckage left from a head-on train collision, a highway official said Wednesday. Two railroad workers were killed and two others were injured when the Union Pacific freight train [...]

Tags collision, Hoxie, Union Pacific, UP

Medicare: Consider insurance when traveling abroad

August 26, 2014 When planning a foreign trip, it’s highly unlikely your first thought would be, “Will Medicare pay if I get injured or have a medical emergency before I get back home?” Many patients think their Medicare benefits will provide coverage, wherever they go. Unfortunately, this is [...]

Tags Medicare, Palmetto GBA, seniors

Railroad man’s dying wish means one last ride

August 25, 2014 Gordon Russ was a railroad man all his life — and beyond. Russ died last year at 94 in Tacoma General Hospital, where he was born in 1919. A train engineer at heart until the end, he left his four children with one last request. Read the complete story at The News Tribune.