Legal updates Archives

SMART-TD Stands with FRA in Defense of Two-Person Crew Rule in Federal Appellate Court

June 4, 2025 Yesterday, SMART-TD stood shoulder to shoulder with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) defending the rule requiring a minimum of two crew members on freight trains (2-PC) in federal appellate court. While two groups and several carriers challenge this important rule, our legal team is standing up for our members' safety. Read on for a recap of the day's proceedings, including the vastly different arguments used by the two sides.

Who to call if you are injured or retaliated against for reporting a safety violation on the railroad

May 30, 2025 If you are new to the railroad or are fortunate enough to have never been injured at work, you may not know about a key protection the union provides: a pool of pre-vetted lawyers who can help if you need them. Sara Youngdahl, our DLC coordinator, explains what the Designated Legal Counsel (DLC) is and when you should reach out.

Analysis: Lawsuit means shareholders might not be OK after East Palestine

March 20, 2023 The brutal effects of Precision Scheduled Railroading, better known as PSR, on the lives of railroaders since 2017 have been well-documented. It’s been almost as bad for suppliers, who have seen delays in their products making it to market. It’s been bad for shippers, who hav [...]

Tags East Palestine, Norfolk Southern Corp., precision scheduled railroading

SMART-TD, BLET presidents’ statement on Hi-Viz ruling

February 22, 2022 To receive text messages and the latest alerts regarding the BNSF Hi-Viz policy, please text HiViz to 67336. Today the judge considering the case between BNSF and the SMART-TD and BLET unions over the carrier’s new “Hi-Viz” attendance policy ruled that the dispute was “minor” [...]

Tags attendance, BNSF, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, Dennis Pierce, Hi-Viz policy, Transportation Division President Jeremy Ferguson

SMART-TD, BLET file in opposition to preliminary injunction in attendance dispute at BNSF

February 8, 2022 CLEVELAND, Ohio, (February 8, 2022) — Yesterday, SMART-TD and the BLET filed their oppositions to BNSF’s request for the court to convert the January 25, 2022, Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) into a preliminary injunction. The unions each filed for their own preliminary inj [...]

Tags attendance, BLET, BNSF

SMART-TD, BLET seek immediate federal government investigation of carrier attendance policies

February 1, 2022 CLEVELAND, Ohio, (February 1, 2022) — By letter dated January 31, 2022, SMART-TD and the BLET are seeking review by both the Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Transportation of all Class I attendance policies. In a joint letter to Labor Secretary Martin Walsh and [...]

Tags attendance, BNSF, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, Dennis Pierce, Transportation Division President Jeremy Ferguson, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Transportation

Update in SMART-TD, BLET attendance dispute with BNSF

January 28, 2022 CLEVELAND, Ohio, (January 28, 2022) — SMART-TD and BLET members employed by BNSF Railway continue to labor under a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, which was issued on Tuesday, January 25, 2022. I [...]

Tags attendance, BNSF Railway, Hi-Viz policy

URGENT NOTICE AND INSTRUCTIONS TO ALL BNSF EMPLOYEES REPRESENTED BY THE SMART TRANSPORTATION DIVISION

January 25, 2022 On Tuesday, January 25, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) prohibiting both BLET and SMART-TD from authorizing, encouraging, permitting, calling, or otherwise engaging in any strikes, work stoppages, pic [...]

SMART-TD, BLET rail unions initiate steps to strike BNSF properties over new ‘Hi-Viz’ attendance policy punishing sick rail workers during the pandemic

January 13, 2022 CLEVELAND, Ohio, (January 13, 2022) — Yesterday, members of the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation union (SMART-TD) and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) who work for the BNSF Railwa [...]

Tags BNSF

District court denies SMART-TD, BLET bid to halt Metra vaccine mandate

January 7, 2022 CLEVELAND, Ohio (January 7) — On January 6, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, ruled against the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD) and the Brot [...]