Still debating whether to attend a SMART-TD Regional Training Seminar (RTS) in 2025? If so, the time to act is NOW! 

Last Chance to Finalize Anaheim RTS Arrangements

If you plan on attending the Anaheim RTS next month, TODAY (Monday, August 18) is the LAST DAY to book a room at the discounted rate.  
 
Click here to reserve your hotel room at the discounted rate ►

Please note: Attendees are responsible for making their hotel reservations.

All attendees must register to attend the RTS, even if you’re commuting home each day. The registration fee covers a DLC sponsored Welcome Reception and a daily breakfast and lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday. For planning purposes, there is no ON-SITE registration.

Register for Classes Here: RTS Registration ►   

Registration Now Open for Atlanta RTS 

The Atlanta Regional Training Seminar (RTS) begins on  Monday, October 27, 2025, with an evening Welcome Reception. The training will cover topics such as local governance, the roles and responsibilities of local presidents, secretaries, treasurers, legislative representatives, and local chairpersons in member advocacy, an overview of the SMART Constitution, and other key subjects.   

• Location: Wyndham Atlanta Buckhead  
• Dates: October 27-30, 2025 (S&T: October 27-31)  
• Room Rate: $159/night   
• Registration Fee: $75   

For a detailed meeting agenda, please visit the Meetings page via the SMART Union mobile app.

All RTS presentations will be available on the SMART University site, and those attending future meetings can print them off to assist in following along when attending the in-person classes.

We look forward to seeing you in Atlanta!

Space in some of the training tracks is limited and will be filled on a first-come first-served basis. Online Registration Is Required!

Registration closes on October 13, 2025, and there will be no onsite registration available.   

To Register for Classes: RTS Registration ►   
To Book Your Hotel Reservation: Hotel Reservation Link ► 

Please note: Attendees are responsible for making their hotel reservations.

To ensure that you secure a room at the discounted rate, please make your reservation by October 6.

For more information, contact Nick Torres in the SMART-TD office at 216-227-5269 or by email at ntorres@smart-union.org.   
 
This is your last chance to take advantage of this opportunity until next year: make your plan to attend the Anaheim or Atlanta RTS today! 

The post Make Plans to Attend a Regional Training Seminar Today! appeared first on SMART Union.

SMART Local 55 members are experiencing the power of collective bargaining in new ways in the Tri-City area of Washington, where a new primary care clinic exclusively for union members and families has opened. Pacific Health Coalition — a member-governed health care group made up of 44 unions across Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada — launched its first Washington-based clinic in June, offering primary care services to union members and their families who are part of the coalition.

That includes the members and dependents of Local 55 covered under the Northwest Sheet Metal Workers Healthcare Trust health plan.

In a statement to Tri-Cities Business News, Kolby Hanson, Local 55 regional manager, explained that “there is a great need for quality primary care that is accessible to members in the Tri-City and Spokane area. ‘The new clinics emphasize same-day or next-day appointments where a comprehensive exam can be performed. Having an on-site pharmacy will also be a nice convenience for our members,’ Hanson said.”

The region has recently encountered a major shortage in primary care providers. Previous reporting by the Business News noted that wait times at some of the region’s major clinics were between three and six months.

Patients at the new Coalition Health Center, on the other hand, can get an appointment within 48 hours, with access to primary care, blood work and prescriptions. According to local union leaders, the center will hire additional staff as needed to make sure wait times stay low. (Along with Local 55, the United Association of Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 598 and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 112 also currently have access to the clinic.) 

At a time when cuts to Medicaid and funding for rural hospitals — due to the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” — look set to negatively affect SMART members and working families nationwide, the Coalition Health Center is especially impactful. Not only does the clinic fill the gap in terms of access to health care; because the PHC consists of so many union members across the American West, representing 250,000 people total, it has the bargaining power to negotiate the best prices for members, according to local union officers.

The clinic, operated by the company Marathon Health, has four exam rooms, a laboratory, office space, a waiting area and a behavioral health area, plus a pharmacy. For non-primary-care needs, the Pacific Health Coalition has contracts with providers in the area who can offer needed procedures via referral.

All told, the Coalition Health Center is a brick-and-mortar representation of what our union fights for every day.

“The clinic is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with early morning and evening appointments available to accommodate busy schedules,” Local 55 wrote to members.

“This is just one more way that the Northwest Sheet Metal Workers Healthcare Trust is working to keep our union families healthy, strong and protected.”

The post New clinic for members, families opens in Washington appeared first on SMART Union.

With a message-sending 92% approval rate, the members of Local 1909 (St. Andrews, California) have ratified a new three-year contract with First Student. 
 
Locking in higher pay, better benefits, and improved working conditions, our brothers and sisters made notable gains while most importantly not giving up anything in return.  

Fighting for Raises Front and Center  

Local 1909 is the latest in an ever-growing list of SMART-TD locals that have recently approved strong contracts, sending a message that they deserve to be recognized for their knowledge, professionalism, and expertise.  
 
That doesn’t mean that the road to get there was easy, explains General Chairperson of GCA-FSG Maria Morales.  
 
“It was a hard fight with [First Student],” she said. “We had to do this on Zoom. It was never in person.”  
 
When negotiations began, the other side wasn’t interested in discussing raises and wages. GC Morales, who has worked for First Student for over 20 years, wouldn’t hear it.  

“I told them ‘We’re still here for a reason. We’re here, because we’re loyal and you guys don’t want to give us a raise,’” GC Morales explained. “You’ve got members that are here over 20-25 plus years and that means loyalty. That’s my word: loyalty. And you don’t want to give us a raise? That’s the fight that I was fighting for.”  

Contract Includes Overtime Fix, Fair Route Assignments, 401(k) Increases 

The new agreement goes into effect September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2028, and includes: 

• Wages & Raises: Members receive significant annual raises over the lifetime of the agreement. GC Morales says that this win is what she’s most proud of out of everything that the union achieved. 
• 20-Day Limit on Discipline: Clear, 20-day deadline for issuing discipline after an incident, preventing delays or other arbitrary action.  
• Overtime Improvements: Time-and-a-half is earned after working eight hours in a day or 40 hours in a week. Previously, it was only available after 40 hours worked in a week.  
• 401(k) Boosts: Starting with Year 2 of the contract, the match is increased to $350 and $500 in Year 3. 
• Fair Route Assignment: Unbid routes are assigned by reverse seniority instead of management choice.  

Perseverance Gets Strong Results

SMART-TD Bus Department Vice President James Sandoval assisted GC Morales throughout the negotiations.  
 
“James is a fighter. He won’t give up,” said GC Morales. “He’ll try and he’ll keep on trying. He takes this to the heart…he’ll do something to learn and keep on learning. That’s his thing: I have to fight, and I’m going to continue fighting.” 
 
That energy was matched by GC Morales. 
 
“She’s not afraid to dig in and fight for her members, especially when their livelihoods are on the line,” explained VP Sandoval. “This agreement is proof of that. Because of her determination and perseverance, the members of Local 1909 are protected by a strong agreement that is a true reflection of their worth and the value they bring to the craft.”

As the membership celebrates this win, GC Morales isn’t slowing down. 
 
Instead, she’s already looking ahead to 2028 when negotiations will ramp up and plans to be more prepared than ever.   
 
“We’re gonna fight again,” she declared.  

The post Tenacity Yields Strong Contract for Local 1909 School Bus Drivers appeared first on SMART Union.

On August 11, SMART-TD was proud to be represented at the reopening of the Natick Center train station in Massachusetts, marking a major step forward in making public transit more accessible for all. The state-funded renovation added features to better serve riders with physical disabilities, improving safety, comfort, and convenience. 

When the Governor and Lieutenant Governor hosted the ribbon-cutting ceremony, SMART-TD’s New England Safety and Legislative Director Dave Stevenson and SMART-TD Local 898 Local Chairperson and Assistant Chair of the BTAPS Committee Cole Czub were invited to join the celebration. Their presence highlighted the important role our union plays in working with state leaders on rail and transit issues. 

For MBTA and Keolis members, these improvements not only serve the public but also help to grow ridership, which strengthens the long-term stability of our jobs. The event was also a clear sign that in Massachusetts, when decision-makers talk about railroads, they turn to SMART-TD as a trusted partner and source of expertise. 

We thank Brothers Stevenson, Czub, and the entire New England Legislative Board for their dedication and the impact they are making on behalf of SMART-TD members across the region. 

The post Natick Station Reopens in Massachusetts appeared first on SMART Union.

Reports from our health insurance providers show that SMART-TD members rarely use the mental health benefit afforded to us.

Those same reports reveal another alarming trend: our spouses and our kids use the mental health benefit more often than we do.

Think about that.

Using the Benefits We Fought to Win

It’s a fact: we have damn good health care. Using it, even for just an hour every two weeks, to talk with someone who carries no bias is freeing.

Counselors aren’t there to judge us or form opinions about the challenges we’re facing. They give us the tools we need to manage our stress more effectively, leave work at the door and ultimately, navigate toward a better tomorrow.    

Our mental health benefit exists because our brothers and sisters before us knew that we needed it, and they fought to get it into our contracts.

Using it not only honors their legacy but also protects our mental well-being and the ones closest to us.

The Hidden Cost

Too often, our families inadvertently end up being the ones who feel the effects of stress, bad sleep, and the sometimes-lengthy time away, paying the price for the mental toll of our jobs.

If a railroad or transit agency was physically harming your family, there wouldn’t be one of us who would stay quiet. Take the same stand to protect their mental and emotional well-being, too.

By addressing these issues head-on, we can stop letting stress creep into our homes and leave work issues at the crew room door where they belong.

But every door has two sides, and it’s not uncommon to have stressors from our personal lives spill over when we’re on the job. It’s just as important to do our best to leave those issues at that same crew room door.

“A Silent Killer”

One of our State Safety and Legislative Directors shared something his therapist once told him: “Mental health issues are a silent killer.” And in his words, “The loudest noise we hear is when we are in silence with our thoughts.”

Whether you’re from the rail or transit side of our union, we’re all worn thin. We either don’t have enough manpower, or we have too much and live with the worry of furloughs hanging over our heads. That kind of uncertainty piles up and is tough to ignore.

We fight battles with anxiety and depression, navigate strained relationships, and stress about how to make ends meet. The list goes on.

The good news is that help is readily available. All you have to do is ask.  

Make a Commitment to Yourself: Use the Benefit If You Need It

We wouldn’t ignore a broken leg or limp around on a busted knee. We’d use our hard-earned, employer-funded insurance and get it fixed. So why are we limping around with stress, burnout, and anger when we have the same coverage for that, too?

Please, take the time to:

• Call a counselor
• Use your EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
• Talk to someone you trust
• Reach out to Operation RedBlock (CSX)
• Connect with leaders at your church or in your community

Don’t wait until things blow up. Bring the real you home, the one your family deserves.

Being strong doesn’t mean going at it alone, and there is never any shame in reaching out.

We all work long hours together and our union is a family. That means we should always have each other’s backs, especially when one of us needs help.

If you’re ready to get started, talk to your Local Chairperson or visit your health plan’s website.

Make it a point to prioritize your mental well-being: you and your family deserve nothing less.

The post Is Your Family Paying the Price for Your Job? appeared first on SMART Union.

Earlier this year, SMART-TD drew attention to what was quickly becoming an alarming trend: transit agencies across the country were making headlines for funding shortfalls and looming fiscal cliffs, leading to difficult decisions about future service and possible cuts. 
 
Unfortunately, very little about the situation has changed in the past four months while two new noticeable patterns have emerged: even more cities are confronting transit funding gaps and many of those facing the issue in the spring still haven’t agreed on a long-term solution. 
 
Let’s call this what it is: a nationwide transit funding crisis that’s spreading uncontrollably and showing no signs of slowing down. 

Budget Shortfalls Impact Riders, Workers

Elected or transit officials are usually the ones who are the most vocal about this problem, but the impacts will be felt by the riding public and SMART-TD members.  
 
Take the mass transit funding situation unfolding in Pennsylvania as a case in point. 
 
With just days left before SEPTA in Philadelphia signaled it will be forced to cut services without a reliable funding solution, lawmakers are scrambling to pass legislation that would stop the agency’s financial bleeding while also helping the transit system in Pittsburgh.  

If they can’t pass the bill, Philadelphia riders will endure crippling 20% service cuts, which would climb to 45% by the end of the year. Fare increases would also go into effect, just one day before Philadelphia public school students return to class.  
 
With many students in the area relying on public transportation to get to school, those traditional first day of school jitters would be heightened by a lack of a reliable way to even get there.

In addition, many of our SMART-TD transit brothers and sisters work for SEPTA and would undoubtedly be affected (even if not directly) by the service cuts. 
 
The bottom line: this is an unacceptable situation as a result of legislators kicking the can down the road instead of drafting a meaningful action plan. 

The “Pennsylvania Panic” joined by Arizona, Illinois, North Carolina

Regional Transportation Authority officials in Chicago are still in search of a fix for its nearly $800 million budget gap and North Carolinians will decide whether to approve a sales tax referendum to fund public transit when they head to the polls in November.  
 
In Arizona, the Tucson City Council just approved free bus fares while not hiding from the fact that it’s still looking for viable ways to fund public transit, leading one Councilmember to point out the rapidly approaching fiscal “cliff.”  
 
As the problem widens, it has become clear that no city is insulated.

Renewing Our Call to Action

We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: all Americans deserve access to reliable, fully funded public transit.   
 
Simply ignoring our deepening, nationwide transit funding crisis will not make it go away; lawmakers at all levels of government must step up and fully fund the transit systems that so many of us rely on every day.  
 
Anything else is a blatant dereliction of duty and a broken promise to protect the constituents who elected them to office.  
 
SMART-TD will continue fighting to ensure that transit systems across the country are fully-funded and our brothers’ and sisters’ jobs are protected.

The post Transit Funding Crisis Deepens appeared first on SMART Union.

INDEPENDENCE, OH – Celebrating our pride and unity is a hallmark of the SMART Union. 
 
Our Sheet Metal brothers and sisters have a long tradition of displaying hard hat stickers that reflect not only their trade but their strong connection to their local. They put these stickers on their hard hats, lunch coolers, coffee thermoses, and rumor has it that they occasionally appear on the back of a manager’s truck!

TD Members also express themselves through their shirts — we’ve seen some great ones at member gatherings across the country. Let’s show the rest of the world that the transportation side of this union has just as much heart, pride, and creativity. 

To get the ball rolling SMART-TD is launching our first ever Local Pride T-shirt Contest! 

Prizes 

We’ll start with the good stuff: the union will reimburse two winning locals for the production of their shirts. The First-place design will earn up to $2,500 while a People’s Choice award will pay up to $1,500. This can be spent to print new shirts, or to reimburse the local for shirts already produced.  

Submitting a Shirt 

Full details, along with the necessary legalese are at the bottom of this article, but put simply: 

• Send your shirt design to contest@smart-union.org before Aug 20, 2025 
• Any SMART-TD local (bus, freight or transit) can participate. 
• Email either the design file or pictures of your shirt. 
• Finalists will be posted by Aug 22 for online voting. 
• Winners will be announced on Aug 29. 
• Locals will be reimbursed for t-shirt related expenses up to the prize amount. The expectation is that members of the winning locals will receive free shirts with a few left to spare. 

If your local has been on the fence about creating a shirt, this is your call to action. No matter how you choose to share your design, just make sure your local pride is front and center! 

Choosing the Winners 

An impartial judging committee nominated by President Ferguson will review the submissions and select the top five finalists. The committee will select the First-place winner. All five finalists will be posted on the SMART-TD Facebook page to compete for the People’s Choice award. The shirt with the most likes on our page by noon ET on August 28 will win the prize.  

Winners will be formally announced on Friday August 29, just before Labor Day weekend.  

Let’s put our unity, humor, and creativity on full display. Whether it’s bold, funny, classic, or edgy, we want to see what makes your local unique. 

To enter, send your submission to: 
Email: contest@smart-union.org 
Mail: SMART-TD Local Pride Contest 
6060 Rockside Woods Blvd. N., Suite 325 
Independence, OH 44131 

We can’t wait to see what you create! 

Official Rules and Conditions 

Click here to access Official Rules and Conditions for the contest ► 

The post Submit Your Local Pride T-Shirt Design Ideas by August 20! appeared first on SMART Union.

UPDATED AUGUST 11, 2025

If you plan on attending the upcoming Anaheim Regional Training Seminar (RTS) next month and have not booked your hotel room, the last day to lock in the discounted rate is now Monday, August 18.

Availability is limited, so please don’t delay and finalize your hotel reservation today.

Click here to reserve your hotel room at the discounted rate ►

Please note: Attendees are responsible for making their hotel reservations. 

All attendees must register to attend the RTS, even if you’re commuting home each day. The registration fee covers a DLC sponsored Welcome Reception and a daily breakfast and lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday. For planning purposes, there is no ON-SITE registration.

Register for Classes Here: RTS Registration ►  

INFORMATION BELOW CURRENT AS OF JULY 15

The Anaheim Regional Training Seminar (RTS) begins on Monday, September 8, 2025, with an evening Welcome Reception. The training will cover topics such as local governance, the roles and responsibilities of local presidents, secretaries, treasurers, legislative representatives, and local chairpersons in member advocacy, an overview of the SMART Constitution, and other key subjects.  

• Location: Hotel FERA Anaheim, a DoubleTree by Hilton 
• Dates: September 8-11, 2025 (S&T : September 8-12) 
• Room Rate: $159/night  
• Registration Fee: $75  

For a detailed meeting agenda, please visit the Meetings page via the SMART Union mobile app.  

All RTS presentations will be available on the SMART University site, and those attending future meetings can print them off to assist in following along when attending the in-person classes.

We look forward to seeing you in Anaheim!  

Space in some of the training tracks is limited and will be filled on a first-come first-served basis. Online Registration Is Required!

Registration closes on August 25, 2025, and there will be no onsite registration available.   

To Register for Classes: RTS Registration ►  
To Book Your Hotel Reservation: Hotel Reservation Link ►  

Please note: Attendees are responsible for making their hotel reservations. To ensure that you secure a room at the discounted rate, please make your reservation by August 11. 

For more information, contact Nick Torres in the SMART-TD office at 216-227-5269 or by email at ntorres@smart-union.org.  

The post UPDATE: Hotel Reservation Deadline Extended for Anaheim Regional Training Seminar appeared first on SMART Union.

Several important updates are now live on the SMART Union Mobile App. 

These include… 

• Messaging: Members receive a Push Notification alert when a message from the SMART Union Mobile App is sent to them 
• Digital TD Membership Card (available for active members only and includes the local, craft, and carrier)  
• TD Label Changes
  • DIPP now appears as Job Income Insurance (DIPP) 
  • VSTD/VLTD Rail now appears as Short-and Long-Term Disability (Rail) 
    • Requires logging into the Member Portal 
  • VSTD/VLTD Bus now appears as Short-Term Disability (Bus) 
    • Requires logging into the Member Portal 

To ensure you’re receiving this new information, you’re encouraged to double-check that you’re using the latest version of the app.

If you’re not sure or if it’s been a while since you ran an update on your iPhone or Android, there are a few easy steps that you can take to check.

To verify that you’re using the latest version of the SMART Union Mobile App, follow these steps: 

• Open the SMART Union Mobile App 
• Tap on the three horizontal bars in the upper left corner of the home screen 
• Check to make sure that it says “Current Version: 4.2.03” at the bottom of the blue pop-out menu that appears 

If you are not using the current version of the app, you’ll need to update it manually on your device. This process is unique for every user, so please follow the steps that you would normally take to update any other app on your iPhone or Android. 

Don’t have the SMART Union Mobile App? Download it for free today by scanning the QR code or clicking on the link below. 

Click here to download the SMART app ►  

The post New SMART Union Mobile App Update Available appeared first on SMART Union.

Click here to donate to Brother Malleck’s GoFundMe ►   

When one of our own is hurting, SMART-TD members stand together.  

Brother Brian Malleck, a proud 19-year member of Local 626 working out of McCook, Nebraska on the BNSF Railroad, suffered a life-altering injury in an incident that could have happened to any of us.  

While putting his train away at his away-from-home terminal in Denver, Colorado, he was making a move we’ve all done countless times when the car he was riding derailed and landed on top of him. Tragically, the accident cost him his leg. 

Brian is a respected union brother, a husband, a father, and a grandfather. His family now faces an incredibly difficult road ahead.  

Brother Malleck’s Local 626 brothers and sisters have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help support him and his loved ones during this trying time. 

We urge all SMART-TD members, railroaders across the nation, and anyone who believes in looking out for one another to please consider donating whatever you can. 

This accident is a stark reminder of the risks we all face daily, and it’s a moment for us to show what union solidarity truly means. 

The post Support SMART-TD Brother Who Lost His Leg in Denver Derailment appeared first on SMART Union.