Category: Washington
Risch appears before STB, discusses excessive CSX train length
Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers’ Transportation Division National Legislative Director John Risch appeared this morning (Wednesday, Oct. 11) before the Surface Transportation Board (STB) at a listening session about service disruptions caused by CSX’s [...]
National Negotiations update: Coordinated Bargaining Group unions reach tentative national contract agreement
Independence, Ohio, October 5 — Rail Unions making up the Coordinated Bargaining Group (CBG) announced today that they have reached a Tentative National Agreement with the Nation’s Freight Rail Carriers. The CBG is comprised of six unions: the American Train Dispatchers Assoc [...]
STB Vice Chairman Elliott announces departure from STB
Surface Transportation Board (STB) Vice Chairman Daniel R. Elliott III announced he will leave the Board September 30, 2017. He informed President Donald J. Trump of his plans by letter. Vice Chairman Elliott was appointed Chairman by President Barack Obama and joined the Boa [...]
SMART TD comments to FRA in support of discretionary sounding of train horns
In comments to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), SMART TD’s National Legislative Director John Risch wrote in support of allowing train crews to sound train horns at their discretion when traveling through rural America. The comments were written in response to [...]
Canada Takes Stand Against Right to Work During NAFTA Talks
Canada is formally demanding, in talks on a new NAFTA agreement, that any such pact force the U.S. to eliminate so-called right-to-work laws. During the 2016 U.S. campaign, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump labeled NAFTA “the worst trade pact ever signed” and vowed to dum [...]
Trains could be the next target for terrorists
NJ.com reports that despite legislation requiring strengthened security procedures for railroads having passed a decade ago, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has yet to put any new security measures in place. Both the House Homeland Security Committee and the [...]
Amtrak win: defunding amendment rejected
In a 128-293 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives voted Sept. 6 to reject an amendment introduced by Rep. Mo Brooks (R – Ala.) to eliminate $1.1 billion of federal subsidies for Amtrak for 2018. Click here to read more from Railway Age.
Labor Day – Thank your Union day
By John Risch, National Legislative Director, SMART Transportation Division Enjoy yourself this Labor Day weekend, provided you’re lucky enough to get the weekend off. In my 30 plus years working freight rail, I worked many a Labor Day weekend, but I am lucky to get this one [...]