News Archive
Two more suits added against CSX alleging FMLA violations
According to the Jacksonville Business Journal, two more lawsuits were filed Nov. 29 alleging that CSX Corp. has violated employees’ rights protected under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). According to the Department of Labor, “FMLA provides eligible emplo [...]
SMOHIT HELPLINE, SMART MAP: Support 24/7/365 FOR Canada AND U.S. Members
By now you’ve seen the stickers on flyers and hardhats and in SMOHIT tweets and FB posts. I know because I am getting calls about assistance as well as calls asking what exactly a person can call about. I’m talking about the SMOHIT helpline. I’m the trained counselor who resp [...]
Alaska Railroad back to running at full throttle after earthquake
The Alaska Railroad (ARR) is back up and running after Friday’s 7.0-magnitude earthquake. Regularly scheduled freight services started running again Tuesday, Dec. 4. ARR suspended all service after the quake in order to assess damage along its nearly 500 miles of tracka [...]
UPDATED: Two TD Connect workshops remain open for 2019
Because of great demand, a new round of workshops has been added to help local treasurers learn how to use TD Connect, the new eBilling system that also manages member records. A series of five prior workshops scheduled for late 2018 filled to capacity. A second round was add [...]
Alaska Railroad stalled by earthquake damage
A magnitude-7.0 earthquake rippled through Matanuska-Susitna Borough and Anchorage, Alaska, causing collapses and damage to Alaska’s infrastructure on Friday, Nov. 30. More than 200 aftershocks, some up to 5.7 magnitude, continued for 12 hours after the initial quake. D [...]
NS asked to confer with STB on implementation of Precision Scheduled Railroading
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) chairwoman has asked Norfolk Southern’s CEO to keep the board apprised as the carrier begins to add elements of Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) to its operations, Trains Magazine reports. The letter from Ann Begeman, sent Nov [...]
An Important Message from SMART General President Sellers Re: Retirement Benefits
Today, November 30, is the date that was set as the deadline for the Joint Select Committee to agree upon legislation for troubled multi-employer pension plans and the impending insolvency of the PBGC. Co-Chairmen Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) released a sta [...]
Final FMCSA rule regarding operators with diabetes takes effect
A final rule published from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) permits medical examiners to allow commercial operators with insulated-treated diabetes to get behind the wheel without a months-long waiting period, Transport Topics reports. The permission g [...]