Tentative agreement in lieu of a “National Agreement”

Brothers and Sisters, I would like to take a moment to address the tentative agreements on certain properties, including CSXT, NS, and BNSF, which are currently out for ratification or will be shortly, which for most will be in lieu of the traditional “national agreement.” Undoubtedly, this scenario is a bit unusual to those of…


October 1st 2024
Assistance needed for members affected by Hurricane Helene

Dear members of the SMART Transportation Division: Thousands of our brothers and sisters in the southeastern United States are struggling with the devastation from Hurricane Helene. Many people from big cities to rural areas — are dealing with displacement or damaged homes as that deadly storm caused historic floods and knocked out power. For many…


United for two-person crews and our members’ rights on BNSF

As the SMART Transportation Division’s general chairpersons representing SMART-TD’s BNSF properties, we want to reaffirm our steadfast commitment to our members. Recently, an article from the World Socialist Website (WSWS) suggested that the general chairpersons from the BNSF General Committees and by extension the union has turned our backs on the fight for two-person freight…


September 27th 2024
Leaders in D.C. to Canadian Class Is: Get to work on sick leave … NOW!

Business executives, especially those who reach the top rung becoming president and CEO of Fortune 500 corporate railroads, do not get told what to do all that often. That is exactly what happened today when the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg and Acting Secretary of the Department of Labor Julie Su dropped…


September 26th 2024
SMART-TD Transit Union welcomes FTA’s historic directive to combat operator assaults

In a significant development for transit workers across the nation, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has announced its first-ever general directive aimed at addressing the alarming rise in assaults against transit operators. This directive, formally known as General Directive 24-1, requires more than 700 transit agencies to implement measures to enhance the safety of frontline…