The FRA’s late-Friday decision to cut required human track inspections in half directly increases the risk for rail workers, communities, and the national network by relying more heavily on automated systems that miss many defects trained inspectors routinely catch. Read on to see how SMART-TD National Safety & Legislative Director Jared Cassity explains the dangers of this rule change, the industry motives behind it, and why every railroad worker’s safety is now more at stake.
The post FRA Doubles Our Risk By Reducing Track Inspections appeared first on SMART Union.
— Dec 8
Lisa DuPuis of Local 47 (Ottawa, Ontario) is a journeyperson, executive board member and local women’s committee chair. In a recent episode of SMART News, DuPuis looked back on when she first entered the sheet metal industry and spoke proudly about how the number of sisters in the trades has grown since then.
The post Building a union for all members: Interview with Local 47 member Lisa DuPuis appeared first on SMART Union.
— Dec 8
Unions provide the stability and protection that non-union workers increasingly lack in an economy defined by mass layoffs. This reality is underscored by decades of job cuts in sectors like technology, finance, and manufacturing. Read one to see how our recent job-security gains prove that union solidarity is still the strongest defense against becoming a labor department statistic.
The post Value of Unions appeared first on SMART Union.
— Dec 5
On Wednesday afternoon, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey strengthened protections for public and private transit workers by signing H. 4645 into law. Several SMART-TD members championed this legislation from Day 1, pushed to get it over the finish line, and were present for the signing. Read on to learn about the new protections and how they could lead to improved conditions for workers across the country.
The post New Mass. Law Protects SMART-TD Transit Members appeared first on SMART Union.
— Dec 4