News Archive
In rail safety victory, 2PC signed into law in Ohio
New rail safety rules mandate two-person crews for freight trains traveling in Ohio and require wayside defect detectors be installed 10-15 miles apart. In 1993, newly elected President Bill Clinton was taking the reins from George H.W. Bush. “Home Improvement,” & [...]
The significance of June: BE4ALL turns 18 (months)
June is an important month for SMART: It marks 18 months since the launch of the Belonging and Excellence for All (BE4ALL) effort. This represents a significant milestone for our organization. It underscores our commitment to creating environments where all workers feel se [...]
SMART, SMOHIT recognized for mental health mission
The SMART MAP offers mental health awareness and action training, enabling SMART mentors to provide support for members struggling with substance use disorder or mental health issues.
Michigan repeals anti-worker “right-to-work” law
Pro-labor elected officials in Michigan restored workers’ right to collectively bargain and ensured workers are offered competitive wages, finally rewarding the efforts of union workers and allies. House Democrats voted on March 8 to repeal the state’s decade-old so-cal [...]
SMART members, union volunteers build waterfowl blinds for National Wildlife Refuges
Waterfowlers in the Northwest will have access to several new duck hunting blinds in the Mid- Columbia River National Wildlife Refuge Complex (NWRC) because of a recent Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) Work Boots on the Ground conservation project completed by union volunteers.
EPI study estimates money lost by misclassified workers
A new analysis by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) estimates that misclassified construction workers lose out on as much as $16,729 per year in income and job benefits compared with what they would have earned as employees. The study, which broadly focuses on worker miscl [...]
U.S. Department of Education commits to helping students achieve union careers
United States Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona laid out the Department of Education’s priorities for 2023 during a Raising the Bar event in January — including a new focus on helping students achieve careers in the jobs created by the CHIPS Act, the Inflation Reduction [...]
SMART Rail, Mechanical and Engineering (RME) Department spotlight: Kevin Downing (Local 363), General Committee 2 executive board member
Tell us about yourself and your career at Amtrak. Growing up as a young boy in the inner city of Washington, DC was very tough, but it built me into the man I am today. A memory at the precipice of my mind that I will never forget is losing my mother at the age […]