News

On June 30, SMART TD’s legislative office submitted comments to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Information Collection Request regarding two FRA research studies on locomotive technology and automation. SMART TD urged the FRA to consider the critical factors of fatigue, distraction and disengagement in the studies, with fatigue being a primary concern, and also, to consider…

Duris Jeff  Duris, a member of Local 322 in Milwaukee, died on Saturday evening, July 1, 2017, surrounded by family, reported Local Chairperson Bob Alba. Jeff was diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease on June 19, 2017. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is an incurable and fatal neurological condition. Chairperson Alba set up a GoFundMe Account on behalf of the Duris family….

Recently, employees of the Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway and Brega Transportation both voted for SMART TD representation. Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway, LLC Carmen, train and engine service, locomotive mechanics and maintenance of way personnel of the Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway (BRG) all voted for SMART TD representation June 13….

Tazewell and Peoria (TZPR), Local 198 (Peoria, Ill.) members unanimously ratified a new five-year agreement June 2, 2017. The new agreement duration is retroactive to November 1, 2014 and goes through October 31, 2019, and provides five general wage increases totaling 14 percent with full back pay. An hourly increase of 15 percent will also…

CSX conductors and Local 600 members Jake LaFave and Stephen Deal lost their lives June 27 when they stepped off a CSX locomotive to check an alert and were hit by an Amtrak train. Jake J. LaFave LaFave LaFave, 25, enjoyed spending time with loved ones, working on electronics, playing video and card games, and…