News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has posted new frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the agency’s standard for respirable crystalline silica in general industry. OSHA developed the FAQs in consultation with industry and union stakeholders to provide guidance to employers and employees on the standard’s requirements, such…

A bill called the Transportation Funding Fairness Act (TFFA), introduced by first-term U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski (D) of New Jersey, would give more latitude for states to use federal funds to help pay for projects, such as the Gateway Tunnel between New York and New Jersey. “The TFFA will clear one of the obstacles the…

Willis Croonquist, of Local 1177 (Willmar, Minn.), a former United Transportation Union Minnesota state legislative director and alternate national legislative director in the 1980s and ’90s, died Jan. 24. He was 81. Croonquist had been a member of the union since 1955, and served as a guiding light to many on the legislative side of…

Members and their families are eligible to apply for Union Plus scholarships ranging from $500 to $4,000, but the deadline to be considered is quickly approaching with all applications due by noon EST on January 31, 2019. Applicants are evaluated according to academic ability, social awareness, financial need and appreciation of labor. A GPA of…

With the partial federal government shutdown in its 35th day on Jan. 25, many small- to mid-sized transit agencies are reporting a financial pinch, Politico.com reports. Agencies in North Carolina, Missouri, Arizona and California all say that cuts in service are on the table if the shutdown persists. And at least one transit provider, Cape…