News Archive
ERMA maximum benefit increase announced for 2018
The lifetime maximum benefit for the Railroad Employees National Early Retirement Major Medical Benefit (ERMA or GA-46000) Plan will increase from $157,800 to $162,500 beginning Jan. 1, 2018. At the end of 2001, Labor and Management had agreed on various procedures to adminis [...]
Read the SMART TD Special Edition on the 2017 National Rail Agreement
Click here or the image below to read the special edition of SMART TD News about the proposed National Rail Agreement. SaveSave SaveSave SaveSaveSaveSave
NTSB: Ignored safety procedures, fractured safety program led to fatal Amtrak derailment
WASHINGTON (Nov. 14, 2017) — The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined the April 3, 2016, derailment of Amtrak train 89 near Chester, Pennsylvania, was caused by deficient safety management across many levels of Amtrak and the resultant lack of a clear, consi [...]
DOT final rule: Workplace drug and alcohol testing procedures
On Nov. 13, 2017, the Department of Transportation (DOT) published a final rule that, among other items, expands DOT’s current drug testing panel to include certain semi-synthetic opioids (i.e., hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone). Testing for methylened [...]
Veterans Day 2017: We honor those who served
Click here for military discounts available on Veterans Day. World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” – officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fig [...]
NATIONAL CONTRACT UPDATE: Ballots are on their way to members
Members of SMART TD eligible to vote on the tentative National Rail Agreement will be receiving packets in the coming days, triggering the 21-day balloting period. Balloting packets left a production facility in Michigan on Friday, which caps off a process that began Oct. 6 w [...]
NATIONAL RAIL AGREEMENT: Update from Coordinated Bargaining Group
Coordinated Bargaining Group Update To All Members For immediate release: November 10, 2017 As previously announced on October 6, 2017, the six Rail Unions comprising the Coordinated Bargaining Group (CBG) have reached a Tentative National Agreement with the Nation’s Freight [...]
Clyde Larson, “pillar” of rail labor in northern Minn. and Wis., dies
Clyde Larson, 62, described as “an absolute pillar” of the railroad labor community in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, died on Nov. 8. “Brother Clyde was a tremendously generous person and assisted all crafts,” said SMART TD Minnesota Legislative Director Phillip Qualy. “Cl [...]