A U.S. Senate hearing on Tuesday was billed as a Top Gun style “Need For Speed” vision for transportation technology. Read on to see how Senator Todd Young and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) took the hearing from Top Gun to a horror movie for real-life railroaders.
From June 7-10, 2026, affiliated unions of the AFL-CIO, including SMART, came together for the federation’s convention in Minneapolis, Minn.: charting a path forward for our movement and strategizing on how we can secure a UNIONIZED future. Led by General President Michael Coleman, who also served on the AFL-CIO’s Constitution Committee, SMART delegates attended to bring the voice of sheet metal and transportation members to the largest gathering of organized labor in our nation.
Railroads are spending big bucks fighting common-sense safety reforms while spreading false claims that 2-PC is causing inflation nationwide. Read on to see how SMART-TD’s Jared Cassity exposes the truth on a podcast that came out this week.
As Union Pacific’s Big Boy No. 4014 swung through Northeast Ohio today, the massive crowds gathered were just as enthusiastic about the historic locomotive as they were for crucial rail safety reforms that are making their way through Congress. Read on to find out how SMART-TD encouraged those watching history roll by to get involved with a simple flyer and how you can do the same!
TOMORROW (Tuesday, June 9) is your LAST day to register for the upcoming St. Paul Regional Training Seminar (RTS)! Please make sure that all of your information is submitted by noon ET! No onsite registration will be available, and late registration is subject to an additional $125 late fee. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to strengthen your leadership skills!
Local 33 (Northern Ohio area) has started 2026 with strong organizing momentum, signing six new contractors to date and continuing to grow the local’s market share across multiple districts. These victories are especially significant in West Virginia, where organizing success in a "right-to-work" state requires persistence, relationship-building and commitment from the local’s staff and potential new partners.
The union difference isn’t just something that pays off in better pay, safer working conditions and stronger benefits for union members. Study after study shows that unions raise pay and living standards across entire regions, for both union and nonunion workers alike. That’s why organizing is so important, and why SMART works constantly to bring signatory contractors into every state and province of North America. A recent victory in Vermont demonstrated how that work pays off in practice.
This week, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) unveiled the redesign of myRRB, meaning that users will notice some changes the next time they log into their accounts. Read on to find out what’s changed and what’s staying the same.
White Pass & Yukon Route Railway’s onboard agents, including train agents, dock reps, and train stockers, are SMART-TD’s newest members. Read on to learn why this organizing campaign was somewhat different from others and what message this sends to employees in similar roles on other properties.
Local 85 (Atlanta, Ga.) has an expanded partnership with TOOTRiS, offering members the existing benefit and providing apprentices monthly child care subsidies— delivering added support during the years when new members of our union are just starting their careers.