You must notify your manager by email, copying the Local Chairman at localchairman577@yahoo.com within 72 hours of the completion of your Firemen's training if you want to be placed on the Preferential Hiring List. You can find your managers information by clicking on the COMMIT/EQMS section in your MyUP page. Click on the managers name and all their contact info will come up.

Brothers and Sisters,   Union Pacific notified us they will not be participating in the multi-employer bargaining coalition for the upcoming bargaining round (see attached). They served their Section 6 notice to all UP General Committee’s, and each General Committee served their own Section 6 to Union Pacific (both attached).  We held the initial conference with UP on December 5, 2024, to discuss the bargaining process and schedule future meetings. UP wants to negotiate a system wide agreement but has committed to negotiating items specific to each General Committee separately. The next meetings are scheduled for February 19-20 and on March 19-20.     In their Section 6 proposal, UP is seeking to modify or eliminate work rules to increase productivity. This includes running in, out, and through terminals, additional switching duties within terminals, eliminating calling windows, and greater use of technology. Their proposal for compensation and healthcare does not specify the changes they are seeking. We did not discuss proposals during the December 5th meeting but will discuss them in the February 19-20 meeting.  I’ll update the Committee following that meeting.   As you are aware, Section 6 proposals contain all items the parties want to address in bargaining but are not an indication of what a final agreement will be.   The PTRR and Wichita Terminal are both participating in the multi-employer bargaining coalition, as they have done in previous rounds.   As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the office.   Fraternally,   Luke Edington General Chairman SMART TD GO-953

I Know there is not a lot of time here, but I just got this proposal today. This agreement is for December 24th & 31st 2024 only. Please give me a Yes or No in a comment below, thank you.

Brothers and Sisters,   Here’s a couple of updates on important issues within our Committee.    Section 6 Bargaining: Union Pacific notified the Organization they will not be participating in the multi-employer bargaining coalition for the 2025 bargaining round and will be engaging directly with the General Committees.  We have not received a Section 6 proposal from Union Pacific yet but anticipate seeing it soon. Once received, our first meeting may be scheduled before the end of 2024. Our Section 6 proposal is nearly complete and encompasses items submitted by the Locals.    The SMART TD General Chairpersons have requested Vice Presidents Leonard and Crest be assigned to assist throughout the bargaining process.   The Wichita Terminal and Portland Terminal Railroads are still participating in the multi-employer bargaining coalition and will be handled as they were in years past by International.    Articles V-VII Arbitration: The arbitration date for Articles V-VII had to be rescheduled to allow all our witnesses to attend.  The date is now set for January 21-23, 2025. We’re on the final draft of our submission and working on our presentation for the hearing.   We’ll be handling a lot of major issues that could greatly improve our members pay and quality of life.  We’ll have an award over Articles V-VII by the end of February, Section 6 bargaining will be moving ahead in the first quarter of 2025, and our brothers and sisters working passenger service in Chicago will be transitioning to Metra in the first two quarters of 2025.    We greatly appreciate your hard work and support and as always, don’t hesitate to call with any questions.   Fraternally,   Luke Edington General Chairperson SMART TD GO-953

It is vacation submission time again. As always, please have your requests in for vacation by December 1st. E1 Road/Commuter, use the Crew Pro system. CFT, use the paper form found on our website www.smarttd577.com. Thank you.

I am asking you to direct my vote. Simply post yes or no as a comment to this post. I will only accept comments until 10/09/24 as the ballot is due by the next day. This is the final draft of the agreement, there will be no modification of the agreement that has been previously posted. At the end of the day, the federal court ruling stated that Union Pacific had no Common Carrier Obligation to provide this service on behalf of METRA. Simply stated, the Union Pacific can simply walk away. The Purchase of Service Agreement is what kept the work for our Trainmen. By accepting this agreement, you will have the option to work for METRA relinquishing your rights to Union Pacific except as spelled out in the Flow-Back Agreement. I will express to you what I have learned through conversations with the General Chairman's office. If the Union Pacific flips the switch and decides to not provide the manpower, METRA will have to figure it out on their own. Our Trainmen will be returned to Freight service. Currently, we do not have enough work in our district to support this influx of Trainmen. Also, we have no assurances from Union Pacific that they will not furlough as a result. I am sorry to be so blunt, but I want to be transparent.

The General Manager has agreed to not allowing students with employees that have less than a year service in the Chicago service unit. There will be a superintendent bulletin put out tomorrow with clear instructions to follow if you are called and assigned a student in error. Please read this bulletin.

The Claim: • When Engineers/ Setback Engineers are not placed on an 11/4 board due to the Carrier not implementing the conditions of the 2023 Work/Rest Agreement. • Claim basic day per violation of BLE 11/4 work/rest agreement.   Required Documentation: • Time slip with FRA tie up showing what assignment was worked. • Snapshot of the board that you are assigned to that does not have an 11/4 schedule in violation of BLE 11/4 work/rest agreement.   REQUIRED CLAIM LANGUAGE: Claiming a basic day per day for (Pay Half e.g. Aug. 1 through Aug 15)  account my seniority was restricted when Carrier failed to implement the conditions of the 2023 Work Rest Agreement within the specified time limit contained in the Agreement. I was working the (CIRC-7 + BOARD) and Carrier violated the 2023 BLET System Agreement which states “Implementation of the plans should be completed as soon as practicable but no later than one year from the date on notification of ratification.”

Part time Peer-Trainer positions have been advertised by request. This has been done for the EA1, NE2 and CFT. If you are interested in bidding and meet the criteria, please place your bid.

Attached is the OSHA proposal. You are encouraged to comment. https://www.osha.gov/heat-exposure/rulemaking

https://www.smart-union.org/blet-buys-into-ancoras-promises/

We regret to inform you of the loss of our brother Robert Frazier. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family. We will update you an arrangements as soon as inform becomes avaliable.

Brothers and Sisters, The Carrier is requesting docs for members using PS days everyday now. Please pass on the men that until this dispute is resolved,  they should call telehealth when using a day. Some terminals have now 2 dozen members that have received the message.   I understand this may not be a perfect solution, but it is a short term remedy.   Thank you for your help and I appreciate all of you.   S&F, Zach Nagy Sr. Vice General Chairman SMART TD GO-953

https://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2024-04-02/freight-railroads-must-keep-2-person-crews-according-to-new-federal-rule

We regret to inform you of the loss of our brother Jeff Thompson. He passed away Feb. 28th. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family.

The Carrier has decided to use an Conductor out of G4 as Peer-Trainer without bulletin. ANY EA1 employee that wanted to bid a Peer-Trainer position, but was not afforded the oppertunity to place a bid in accordance with our Peer-Trainer Agreement, should put in the following claim: Claiming a days pay at Peer-Trainer rate ($471.08) account the Carrier improperly assigned M Fraas as a Peer-Trainer in violation of the Memorandum of Agreement signed June 10, 2003. Carrier placed M Fraas in CS status to be used as a PLT for the IG4CL on 12/25/23 through 01/07/24 per Doug Lee. Put one in for each day. The following people on the ZS042 XK80 board have a runaround claim for the days they improperly used M Fraas for the Pilot off the pool: S Syas-12/26/23, 16:00 IG4CL 26 D Bamburac-12/28/23, 19:30 IG4CL 27 RD Jackson-01/02/24, 22:00 IG4CLX 02 LM Hooks-01/03/24. 22:00 IG4CL 03 JL Vincent-01/05/24, 22:00 IG4CL 05 LM Hooks-01/07/24, 10:30 IG4CL 06 Claiming a days pay for being runaround by M Fraas for the IG4CL (day) called on (date) at (time) at ZS042. I was first out, rested and available to accept this call for the ZS042 XK80 board.