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On June 30, 2025, Brother Greg Hynes, director of the SMART-TD National Safety and Legislative Department, officially retired. While his departure left large shoes to fill, the legacy he leaves behind is one that will guide and inspire our mission for generations to come.

Brother Hynes’s decades-long commitment to SMART-TD was not just a job, it was a calling. That calling not only changed the lives of TD members, it reshaped the landscape of labor advocacy across the country.

“It’s one thing to be a railroader and complain about the conditions. It’s another thing to stand up and do something about it. That’s what I did, and it’s been the greatest honor of my life,” Hynes said.

A lifelong unionist

Greg Hynes’ journey in railroading began not just with a job but with a legacy. A fifth-generation railroader born in Winslow, Arizona, Brother Hynes hired out with Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in Los Angeles in 1995 before transferring to Phoenix in 1997. It didn’t take long for Greg to make his mark in union leadership. By 2003, he was elected legislative representative for Local 1081 in Glendale. One year later, he became Arizona’s assistant state legislative director and ascended to state director by 2009, a position he held with distinction until he was called to serve on a national scale. 

Building a national legacy: from the locomotive cab to the nation’s capital

Hynes’s contributions to SMART-TD and rail labor are monumental. After chairing the UTU Rail Safety Task Force in 2009, he was elected alternate national legislative director in 2014 and took over as national legislative director in 2019, a role to which he was re-elected in 2024. Under his leadership, the Safety and Legislative Department transformed into one of the most effective engines for labor advocacy in the nation. 

He wasn’t just present in Washington, DC; he wore out the steps of the Capitol. Whether walking the halls of Congress or visiting statehouses across the country, Brother Hynes made it his mission to ensure that the voices of SMART-TD members (rail and bus alike) were heard, respected, and protected. 

Perhaps no achievement shines brighter than his role in the landmark 2024 federal rulemaking mandating two-person freight crews across the United States. While many claimed credit, those who know the story understand that Greg Hynes was the unstoppable force behind that victory. 

His fingerprints are also all over the push for paid sick leave for rail workers, a victory realized for 90% of the industry in no small part because of Greg’s tenacity. He was instrumental in championing the 2024 REEF Act, guaranteeing equitable treatment for railroaders receiving Railroad Retirement Board benefits.

These were not just policy wins. They were quality-of-life wins for his brothers and sisters. 

Forging new traditions in labor advocacy

Hynes didn’t follow tradition; he created new ones. He redefined Railroad Day on the Hill from an industry event into the most powerful lobbying effort for rail labor, giving members direct access and influence in shaping policy. He also pioneered Bus and Transit Safety Day on the Hill, which immediately bore fruit in the form of stronger assault prevention regulations out of the FTA. The next event is already scheduled for this fall, a testament to the momentum Greg built. 

From the Federal Railroad Administration’s RSAC to the SOFA Working Group and the Department of Transportation’s Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking, Greg’s influence radiated throughout the national transportation policy landscape. 

Part of Greg’s lasting impact on this union will undoubtedly be the example he set for those brothers and sisters that will take up the mantle. Brother Jared Cassity, who served as Greg’s Deputy Director starting in 2019, said: “It has been an absolute honor and privilege to work alongside Greg for the past five years. I am grateful to him for his willingness to accept me into the office, to pass along his knowledge, and for being a good friend. There is no one I would have rather learned the intricacies of DC with than him. He has been a warrior for SMART-TD and for all working families, leaving a legacy that is sure to live on. His presence will be missed, but I congratulate him on a retirement well earned. Hopefully, there are many stages in his future.”

Cassity took over Hynes’s position as director on July 1, with former SMART-TD Michigan Safety and Legislative Director Don Roach moving into the deputy director position. More about Cassity and Roach will appear in the next issue of the Members’ Journal.

Beyond the tracks and the Hill: a renaissance man

Greg Hynes is more than a labor leader; he’s a renaissance man. A talented actor and musician, Greg has been featured in multiple plays, working as an actor in productions all across Arizona. As an actor, Brother Hynes saw the same kind of success we witnessed him have as a Safety and Legislative director. Hynes starred in off-Broadway productions of Steven Sondheim’s Into the Woods and Assassins, along with many other plays. He once took the stage as Colonel Jessup in A Few Good Men, channeling Jack Nicholson with grit and charisma. It wasn’t just the railroads that couldn’t handle the truth Hynes was bringing to that production. In his theater career, he was nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor multiple times, and won awards for Best Production as well as Best Director. 

Before he ever wore the blue collar of the rails, he was known as Mr. Wonderful, pounding out rhythms on his drums, belting out vocals, and filling clubs with the raw energy of punk rock. He was a fixture in bands such as the Teds, Jodie Foster’s Army, the Skeletones, and the legendary Mighty Sphincter. 

Greg found success with all of his bands in the thriving punk scene of Phoenix in the 80’s and 90’s, but with the Mighty Sphincters, he hit it big. They opened shows for Social Distortion and The Dead Kennedys and have influenced the likes of Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, White Zombie and GWAR.  

To many outside our union, Greg is known as the guy who stole the show with hard-hitting, relentless rhythms at a concert or a scene-stealing performance on the theater stage. To us at SMART-TD, he’s known simply as the best damn Safety and Legislative Director in rail labor history. 

To those who worked closely with him, Greg’s greatest legacy is one of professionalism and humble leadership, an idea that Safety & Legislative Department Chief of Staff Jenny Miller emphasized to SMART News. 

“Greg’s humility and kindness stood out in Washington. Even as one of the most influential lobbyists on the Hill, he never considered himself to be above anyone else,” explained Miller, who served in her role during Brother Hynes’ tenure and beyond. “Whether interacting with the lowest member of the office staff or a sitting U.S. Senator, Greg treated both with the same level of respect. That’s a special quality of his that I personally admire and one that will be missed by everyone who’s had the honor of working with him. Even though Greg accomplished more in this role than anyone in the history of SMART-TD, I’ll always think of him first and foremost as my friend.” 

An icon in work boots and windbreakers

Brother Hynes’ unconventional approach has made him unforgettable. Take, for example, the October 2024 TD Board of Directors meeting in Houston, Texas. Officers were asked to wear sports coats in a rare dress code moment for SMART-TD. Hynes, a proud son of Arizona, walked in confidently wearing a Phoenix Suns windbreaker. When questioned on it, his answer was as classic as it was logical: “I don’t understand the problem. This is a jacket, and basketball is a sport.” 

That’s Greg in a nutshell: clever, principled and impossible to pigeonhole. 

A legacy that will echo for generations

As he stepped into retirement, SMART-TD saluted Greg Hynes for a career of relentless advocacy, fearless leadership and boundless originality. He reimagined what this union could be and then worked hard enough to make it real. His humor, drive and sincerity made him not only a powerful advocate but a beloved brother to us all. 

As President Jeremy Ferguson put it, “Greg Hynes accomplished what few have done in our union’s history. He secured landmark legislative victories and set a new standard for rail and transit safety. His work has directly improved the lives of our members and their families for generations to come. Two things are certain. Greg will absolutely be missed around here, and he will never be forgotten in this union or anywhere else he goes.” 

After more than four years of tireless effort and advocacy, SMART-TD announced the successful passage of the Railroad Employee Equity and Fairness (REEF) Act in December 2024, with President Biden signing the bill into law in January 2025. This historic legislation permanently exempts Railroad Unemployment Insurance Benefits from sequestration, ending a 5.7% reduction that railroaders have unfairly borne for years. In simple terms, this bill ends the outdated tax of $50 every two weeks on railroaders drawing unemployment benefits from the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB).

The REEF Act rights a longstanding wrong that has disproportionately impacted railroad workers, particularly those who find themselves furloughed or medically unable to work. These workers, many of whom already face significant financial hardship when transitioning from regular railroad wages to the modest $450 every two weeks provided by the RRB, were subjected to sequestration that further reduced this already limited benefit.

“For most Americans, a $50 cut may seem insignificant, but to a railroader relying on a fixed benefit, it’s a financial crisis,” said SMART-TD National Safety and Legislative Director Greg Hynes. “After years of fighting this injustice, the REEF Act’s passage is proof that persistence pays off. The work we’ve done on Capitol Hill to secure this victory is worth every ounce of effort and all the shoe leather we left on the steps of the House and Senate buildings.”

The process to get this bill over the line was not easy. It took consistent advocacy, relentless lobbying and cooperation across political parties. SMART-TD’s Hynes and Jared Cassity, who collectively bring decades of experience from BNSF and CSX, respectively, led the charge, ensuring that Congress understood the gravity of the situation faced by railroad workers.

“We understand the struggle because we’ve lived it. We know how much that small cut impacts an out-of-work railroader’s ability to make ends meet,” said Deputy National Safety and Legislative Director Cassity. “This legislation is a direct result of the tireless advocacy of our members, who took the time to speak out, engage with lawmakers and apply pressure at every step

Cassity continued: “Railroad workers not only sell their labor, they sacrifice more than most to care for themselves and their families. It is through their hard work and efforts that railroad retirement is funded, which is why it is so rewarding to see the senseless reductions from sequestration finally lifted. In this process of advocating for REEF, our brothers and sisters have proven that they are willing to stand in solidarity to put up a fight. I couldn’t be prouder of our members for their tenacity to win back not just what was earned — but what is deserved.”

The REEF Act’s passage is a powerful reminder of what is possible when unions, lawmakers and working people come together to fight for fairness. Cassity and Hynes extended their deepest thanks, on behalf of SMART-TD, to all of the sponsors and cosponsors who supported this bill, as well as the thousands of TD members who stood united throughout the process.

“SMART-TD members have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with us every step of the way, from rallies to calls to congressional offices. This victory belongs to every one of our members who answered the call and fought to make sure their voices were heard,” said Hynes. “It is because of their engagement, their commitment and their perseverance that we’ve been able to secure this long-overdue relief.”

Greg Hynes, SMART-TD national legislative director

It’s difficult to imagine trying to pass off reducing the braking power of a freight train as a safety precaution, but that is exactly what BNSF attempted to do recently in a request to the FRA for a variance to increase the allowable amount of flow from 90 CFM to 120 CFM.

In their request, BNSF states that in order to reduce the slip/trip/fall risk that goes along with conductors and carmen walking a consist looking for leaks in a brake line, that they think it’s safer to depart the train with up to 120 CFM of flow and assume it will be able to stop when it has to.

FRA put out a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) requesting public comments on BNSF’s request, and SMART-TD’s National Legislative Department was happy to oblige them. Below you can read SMART-TD’s response to FRA from Brother Greg Hynes, SMART-TD’s national legislative director.

BNSF-NPRM-Air-Flow-increase-Comments-FINALDownload

SMART Transportation Division Alternate Legislative Director Greg Hynes was appointed to the federal Department of Transportation’s Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking (ACHT) in early October.
“Your experience and leadership as a representative of rail and labor will add valuable insights that will help further ACTH’s mission,” Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao said in a letter announcing Hynes’ appointment.
The committee, required by the Combating Human Trafficking in Commercial Vehicles Act, consists of stakeholders from trafficking advocacy organizations, law enforcement and trucking, bus, rail, aviation, maritime and port sectors, including industry and labor.
“Members of this committee have extensive experience in combating human trafficking, and the Department looks forward to receiving their recommendations and reports,” Chao said in a DOT release.
According to the release, the new 15-member committee is to provide recommendations to Chao before July 3, 2019 on:

  • Strategies for identifying and reporting instances of human trafficking.
  • Recommendations for administrative or legislative changes to use programs, properties, or other resources owned, operated, or funded by the Department to combat human trafficking.
  • Best practices for state and local transportation stakeholders based on multidisciplinary research and promising evidence-based models and programs, including sample training materials and strategies to identify victims.

The committee’s first meeting will be announced at a future date.
A member of Local 1031, Hynes has served as alternate legislative director since 2014 and has served on the Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC). His complete biography is here.

two-person_crewIn a letter to state directors, National Legislative Director John Risch and Alternate National Legislative Director Greg Hynes report the following:

“Unfortunately, a two-person crew amendment WILL NOT be offered to H.R. 3763, the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform (STRR) Act of 2015.

“Due to the expected rules governing consideration of the legislation and agreements among the leadership of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on which amendments will be allowed, there is no path for the amendment to pass or receive strong support. A significant loss on the floor would set back our efforts.

“Please pass this information down the chain to your LRs and other members you are able to reach.

“While this is not the result we hoped for, we ask that you all continue to push forward and generate support for the stand-alone, two-person crew legislation, H.R. 1763, the Safe Freight Act. The more cosponsors we have on H.R. 1763, the better position we will be in to pass it as a stand-alone bill or attach it to a larger bill next time the House considers rail safety legislation.

“As always, thank you for all of your hard work and willingness to assist in our efforts.”

Hynes
Hynes

Alternate National Legislative Director Greg Hynes testified Thursday, August 28 at the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Risk Reduction public hearing.

The FRA published a notice of proposed rulemaking February 27, 2015 requiring certain railroads to develop a Risk Reduction Program (RRP). The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 already requires the development and implementation of railroad safety risk reduction programs.

Risk reduction is a comprehensive, system-oriented approach to safety that: (1.) Determines an operation’s level of risk by identifying and analyzing applicable hazards; and (2.) involves the development of plans to mitigate that risk.

Each RRP is statutorily required to be supported by a risk analysis and a Risk Reduction Program Plan (RRPP), which must include a technology implementation plan and a fatigue management plan.

Below is Hynes’ testimony.

“On April 28, 2015 SMART and six other labor organizations submitted written views on the proposed rulemaking. My testimony will further explain the concerns of SMART.

“I acknowledge that the rail unions agreed to the draft of the risk reduction proposal. However, the proposed rulemaking takes excessive liberty with that tentative agreement. The technical drafting by FRA is not acceptable and we submit it varies from what was approved in the Rail Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) deliberations.

“I want to reiterate the strong opposition to the Baker Botts study relied upon by FRA to restrict discovery. You should be aware that Baker Botts is a political surrogate for the railroads. The report it submitted reflects this bias. Clearly, the study lacks the objectivity that FRA should have required for an issue so controversial. Its conclusion that the information compiled for the risk reduction plan should be secret is not supported by the statutes it reviewed. FRA needs to recognize that each of the statutes mentioned by Baker Botts limits discovery only in a limited way, and discovery is allowed in every safety statute. The exception is for discovery of governmental documents.

“Our members have voiced great concern that FRA’s proposal here would have a significant negative impact on safety. If a safety hazard exists of which a railroad has knowledge, then the public and railroad employees should not be prevented from knowing such information. Congress has mandated that FRA, in carrying out its duties, shall consider the assignment and maintenance of safety as the highest priority. And it must recognize the clear intent of Congress for the furtherance of the highest degree of safety in railroad transportation. Restricting the public’s access to the railroad’s knowledge of a safety hazard does not comply with the statutory mandate.

“It became clear early in the RSAC working group that FRA was planning to provide the railroads complete protection to keep secret its risk reduction plan. Therefore, it was incumbent upon rail labor to insist that any such information contained therein be compiled “solely” for the risk reduction plan. Any information currently discoverable would continue to be. The problem is that the railroads might attempt to insert many items into the plan and state that they were collected solely for the plan. FRA must clearly specify that such maneuvers would violate the regulation. Also, the labor organizations previously submitted a list of documents that had been discoverable in court proceedings. In order to limit future litigation costs, this list should be restated in the final plan. Otherwise, FRA will be creating a legal nightmare, because the railroads would likely argue in court that almost everything sought was compiled solely for the risk reduction plan.

“Another major concern is that the proposed rulemaking limits the involvement of the collective bargaining representatives in compiling the safety hazards and their mitigation. Unless we are given an equal role, as the railroads to develop the plan many safety hazards likely will be overlooked. The current draft does not comply with the “best efforts and good faith” statutory mandate in development of a railroad’s risk reduction plan. We commend FRA in its explanation of the meaning of best efforts and good faith. However, FRA’s statement in the proposed rulemaking that it will simply “consider” the comments submitted regarding the consultation process requirements when developing the final rule is not acceptable. The workers should be on an equal footing with the railroads in developing the plan. If a railroad does not agree with a union that an issue is a safety hazard, the railroad should be required to show good cause for not including it in the mitigation plan. The railroads must be required to demonstrate substantial grounds not to include an identified safety hazard.

“There are several other points regarding the development of the plan which need to be addressed. FRA has not imposed any time limits upon the industry to consult with the workers or to develop the plan. Rather, the employees are given 60 days notice prior to the consultation. If there are no time limits for completing the plan, then the carriers could drag their feet indefinitely.

“Next, it is not clear why FRA in Appendix B suggests that the railroads should wait one year after publication of the rule to hold substantive consultations. Consultations should begin as soon as possible. Safety delayed is safety denied.

“Another time issue is in section 271.103 (a)(2). The railroads are given 36 months to fully implement the risk–based hazard management plan. If the carriers know the safety problems and how to mitigate them, the plan should be implemented no later than six months after FRA’s approval. There may be minor exceptions only with the approval of the employees.

“In conclusion, in the interests of safety, we strongly encourage FRA to amend the proposed rulemaking in accordance with our suggestions.”

PHOENIX – UTU Arizona State Legislative Director Greg Hynes has seen the political attack on organized labor unfold in the Southeast, the Midwest and north in Idaho, knowing it was but a matter of time before the extremists came knocking on the door in the his state. When they did, Hynes and other labor union officers were prepared to fight back.

A federal district court in Phoenix listened carefully — and agreed — as organized labor challenged a new state law aimed squarely at diluting the political power of labor unions in Arizona.

An anti-union Arizona legislative majority decreed that some labor unions – but not the ones with which they curry favor; and certainly not employers – should be restricted in making contributions to political candidates or causes.

A First Amendment violation was made clear to the federal court – that the law’s intent was arbitrarily to restrict the free speech of targeted labor unions – and the state was ordered by the court not to enforce the law on its effective date of Oct. 1. The court now will now consider imposing a permanent injunction.

In the fashion of the novel “1984” by George Orwell, which probed mass mind control, the law’s authors spitefully misnamed it, “Protect Arizona Employees’ Paychecks from Politics Act.”

The law is intended to restrict targeted labor unions – presumably those unions that support political opponents and policies of the legislative majority – from using paycheck deductions of its members to fund political activities or causes.

The law does not impose similar restrictions on unions representing police officers, or on employers who make political contributions. As such, the federal district court said the law violates the free speech rights of the targeted unions.

The court held that the law “violates the First Amendment” by discriminating against ‘those wishing to express less favored or more controversial views”; and “by imposing its burdens on the political speech of some unions and other organizations and not imposing like costs upon other similarly-situated unions, or on other organizations that can use the funds for political activity, the law is under-inclusive and discriminates according to speaker.”

Hynes said the law, put on hold by the court, is “part of a comprehensive legislative campaign to quash speech in Arizona by labor organizations and groups representing employees.” One news organization quoted a sponsor of the law as saying it is intended to prevent unions “from taking their First Amendment rights too far and infringing on the rights of employers.”

Specifically, the law requires unions collecting dues money through payroll deduction either to “affirm to the employers who process the deductions that none of their general fund is used for political purposes or to specify the percentage of their general fund to be used for political purposes.” The term “political purposes” is defined by the law as “supporting or opposing any candidate for public office, political party, referendum, initiative, political issue, advocacy, political action committee, or other similar group.”