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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.

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.

Long-time Union Ally Mikie Sherrill Runs for New Jersey Governor 

If you work in New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill has earned your consideration in the upcoming election. Her voting record and active labor outreach have helped our union countless times in the past. Read on to see how she shows up for SMART and SMART-TD in Washington, and how this will continue if she is elected to lead in New Jersey.

SMART-TD and Union Pacific Announce Landmark Agreement Securing Jobs and the Future of Railroading

A groundbreaking agreement guarantees that SMART-TD members working in train and yardmaster service will have job protection for the length of their careers, following the proposed merger of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern and subject to the usual requirements for continued employment. This is an unprecedented guarantee in the history of American railroading. Read on for details.

Get the Facts on the Union Pacific Arbitration Award from SBA 1208!

Many questions and concerns have surfaced around the Union Pacific arbitration and mediation process, with rumors and misinformation spreading quickly. To ensure that members get the answers that they deserve directly, SMART-TD has set up a dedicated e-mail address where every inquiry will receive a timely response. Read on for details.