SHEET METAL | AIR | RAIL | TRANSPORTATION International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers NEWSNEWS Volume 53 • Number 2 • March / April 2021 Rescue plan gets things rolling Amtrak, other transit workers back on job thanks to funding from legislation President Joe Biden signed his $1.9 trillion Amer- ican Rescue Plan on March 11 that was intended to sta- bilize the nation’s economy as it contin- ues the task RRB Labor of rebound- Member ing from the COVID-19 John Bragg pandemic talks about that has effects of killed more plan, Page 6. than 525,000 people in the United States. The plan has $30.5 billion in emergency funding reserved to assist transit in the country rebound after an immense drop in use as a Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, which passed on a party-line vote by Democratic members of Congress and signed by President Joe result of the coronavirus out- Biden, Amtrak workers who were placed on furlough last autumn are back on the job. As a result of the plan, transit agencies also rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic received financial assistance from the federal government in order to stay financially solvent. Photo courtesy of Brett Continued on Page 2 Bottles, owner of Northeast Ohio Drone and son of TD Alumni Association member Raymond Bottles, a retiree from TD Local 2 (Toledo, Ohio). Next on the agenda: Transportation/infrastructure After the Democratic majorities in Jobs Plan, a $2 trillion bill that would Amtrak, Congress and President Joe Biden transform the nation’s transportation motivated by the gave the country a lifeline to bridge system and its infrastructure. announcement by the Biden the period between the height and It’s no secret that both sides of the administration’s what we all hope are these latter political aisle recognize that the American Jobs days of the COVID-19 pandemic, backbone of our country — the Plan in late the country’s political leadership rails, roads and bridges where the March, released turns toward the future — what the members of SMART Transportation this wish-list map showing pro- Biden campaign dubbed “Building Division work on a daily basis — posed future Back Better.” and how we get around need service expan- On March 31, the administration investment. sions by the released an outline of the American carrier a couple Continued on Page 2 of days later. Inside this issue of the SMART-TD News l AROUND SMART-TD: Three of our l RETIRED: General Chairperson members pass away from on-the- Billy Moye, a long-time fixture on job accidents, Page 3. the Human Rights Committee, pulls the pin on his rail career, Page 7. l LEADERSHIP MESSAGES: The latest updates from SMART GP l GUEST COLUMN: Together the Joseph Sellers and TD President union is super strong, so why do we Jeremy Ferguson, Pages 4-5. weaken ourselves? Page 8. l STATE WATCH: Checking out what l FIGHTING BACK: Labor leaders legislative boards nationwide are help to restore Long Island Rail working on, Pages 5-6. Road cuts, Page 9. Page 2 March / April 2021 s SMART-TD News COVID again stops Vice Magazine article gets truth Regional Meeting The continued challenges posed by the COVID-19 about PSR by talking to TD, TTD pandemic regarding indoor Members and leaders of the in-depth article published work force; the practice of railroads to gatherings led to SMART SMART Transportation Divi- March 22. “It’s going to end have inspectors spend less time leadership voting unani- sion, as well as the AFL-CIO up like Boeing,” President inspecting cars; the deferral of needed mously to cancel the 2021 Transportation Trades Depart- Ferguson warned. maintenance and potential safety SMART Transportation Divi- ment (TTD), spelled out why Scan the QR code at left issues being glossed over so that dwell sion Regional Meeting. U.S. freight railroads’ obses- with your smart device to time is not increased. Alternative educational sion with Precision Scheduled read Gordon’s article that The article paints a very realistic and opportunities are in the Railroading (PSR) increases touched upon many topics clear picture of how the railroads’ oper- process of being planned for the danger to the public and that our members are unfor- ating ratios and profits have been 2021 for TD members and railroad workers alike. tunately already well aware placed well ahead of safety, all in the the union continues to pur- Journalist Aaron Gordon spoke with of, including: the severe reduction of name of PSR. sue a meeting in 2022. TD President Jeremy Ferguson and rail employees which has greatly The lessons learned from past oper- Information will be posted to TTD President Greg Regan about the impacted safe operations; the increase ational mistakes could conceivably the TD website when it degradation in the safety culture of of fatigue associated with the same end up costing railroads in the long becomes available. freight railroads because of PSR in an demanding work, but with a reduced run, interviewees say in the article. Please stay safe! A pledge was made in 2018, and a promise is being kept Up next: Focus on By Terry Tasker transportation and Coordinator, infrastructure TD Alumni Chapter 18 Continued from Page 1 The photo at right was The American Society of taken in 2018 at the Joseph Civil Engineers found that R. Biden Jr. Amtrak station deferred infrastructure main- in Wilmington, Del., with the tenance in the United States assistance of the Amtrak has grown to a $3.2 trillion police. Then-candidate deficit. Biden was asked what Even as Biden’s predeces- SMART and rail labor in sor in the Oval Office held general could expect from a “Infrastructure Week” events Biden administration. in the nation’s capital on a He replied, “better and periodic basis, big projects safer working conditions for such as Amtrak expansion, all railroad workers.” the Hudson Tunnel and the Candidate Biden spoke Gateway Project in the North- directly and was frank about east or the alleviation of port organized labor’s need to This photo from 2018 shows, from left, current SMART National Legislative Director Gregory Hynes, and traffic congestion nation- stay loyal to those who sup- former Delaware State Legislative Director Jim Mallon, current President Joseph Biden, retired Nation- wide never came to pass in port us for better and safer al Legislative Director John Risch and SMART-TD Alumni Association Chapter 18 Coordinator Terry L. those four years. working conditions. Tasker Sr. Some of this is the respon- Since Biden took the oath frontline workers. This plan, Regarding our bus and us a promise made three sibility of the Class I railroads, of office in January, he has in part, recalls 1,200 fur- transit members, “the transit years ago is being kept. who keep their capital expen- ditures on maintenance at kept his word. On March 11, loughed Amtrak employees funding provided by the Tasker, a TD member for 27 he signed H.R. 1319, the and restarts previously can- plan will provide security for years, established Alumni constant levels while raking in American Rescue Plan Act, celed Amtrak services, them going forward,” said Association Chapter 18 in the profits from their Precision which tremendously assist- including long-distance National Legislative Director Wilmington, Del. Scheduled Railroading ed transit agencies and routes that were reduced. Gregory Hynes, showing scheme. Beyond freight rail, there are other places where we as a nation have fallen behind in Rescue plan gets things rolling for furloughed Amtrak, transit members building and maintaining a 21st century infrastructure. Continued from Page 1 for them going forward.” who voted against it. Making our nation travel bet- Amtrak, the nation’s largest passen- The American Rescue Plan provides ter and safer will take a new break one year ago. That amount is ger rail carrier, also experienced a direct payments of $1,400 to individu- generation of good-paying $10.5 billion more than the $20 billion massive decline in ridership as a result als making up to $75,000 annually, union jobs while making requested by Biden in his initial ver- of COVID-19. The carrier is slated to $350 billion in aid to state and local sound choices by preserving sion of the bill that was unveiled get $1.7 billion to help restore service governments and $14 billion for vac- those that already exist. before he took office. that had been reduced last autumn, cine distribution. The bill also provides Elements of H.R. 2, the bill Passenger transit services were hit resulting in furloughs of SMART-TD we were able to get through $130 billion to elementary, middle and hard by the virus with ridership declin- and other unionized workers. the U.S. House last year, are ing 95% for some carriers. In the initial The carrier already announced that high schools to assist with safe a part of this plan. stages of the pandemic, only essential it will resume full long-distance service reopening. Amtrak already has workers used public transportation as as a result of receiving the funds from In addition to providing direct pay- released an expansion plan, many people in a number of highly the relief plan. ments to individuals, the plan also wanting to seize this chance. populated areas went into lockdown. “‘Amtrak Joe’ and Congress has expands jobless benefits through Sep- “President Biden under- “Our bus and transit members have delivered for us,” Hynes said. “The tember and child tax credits to assist stands we need to go big, been on the front lines working to pro- American Rescue Plan is a much- families who are continuing to struggle and this announcement vide for their families and to continue needed boost that will allow Amtrak to through the pandemic.