Los Angeles County bus drivers say they are regularly becoming ill — sometimes while behind the wheel — from pesticides sprayed inside their vehicles by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. At least 14 Metro drivers are pursuing workers’ compensation claims, and more than 110 have signed a petition that demands a halt to the spraying, according [...]
L.A. Metro bus operator killed in crash
June 14, 2013
A Los Angeles Metro bus operator and SMART TD member was killed early Wednesday, June 12, in a head-on crash with a speeding flatbed tow truck. Olivia Gamboa, 47, a member of SMART TD Local 1563 at El Monte, Calif., was transported to a hospital in critical condition and later died, Local Treasurer Pedro Lara [...]
School bus driver fired for Facebook post
June 12, 2013
A school bus driver for Haralson County Schools in Alabama was terminated after he posted a comment on Facebook about a student not receiving a free lunch. The case serves as the latest example of the confusing and risky nature of social media posts by school employees and calls to light the importance of school [...]
SMART bus operators reject Teamster advances
June 5, 2013
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – SMART Transportation Division organizers, representatives and members of Local 1715 at Charlotte, N.C., have turned back the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in an attempted raid of SMART membership. Local 1715 represents bus operators employed by the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). On May 31, the National Labor Relations Board released the official [...]
Congressmen announce public transportation caucus
May 24, 2013
U.S. Reps. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) and Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.) announced May 23 the formation of the Congressional Public Transportation Caucus aimed at addressing issues facing the country’s public transportation systems, including rail, light rail, bus rapid transit, and traditional bus service. The bipartisan Caucus will provide a forum for members of Congress to engage in [...]
Your union needs you!
May 16, 2013
The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers is conducting a survey to better understand your experience as a member of this union. Your participation in this survey would be greatly appreciated. As a member of the Transportation Division of SMART, your feedback and insight are critical to discovering how we can [...]
Changes to Discipline/Income Protection Program
May 10, 2013
Effective April 2, 2013, item 12 has been added to the list of exclusions for which benefits under the Discipline/Income Protection Program will not be paid to a participant who is suspended or discharged from employment for disciplinary/decertification reason. Item 12 has been added to the list as a result of action taken by SMART [...]
150 workers die daily from injury, disease
May 9, 2013
WASHINGTON – In 2011, 4,693 workers were killed on the job, according to a new AFL-CIO report, “Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect.” That is an average of 13 workers every day. In addition, another estimated 50,000 die every year from occupational diseases – an average of 137 a day, bringing the total [...]
Court rules to overturn NLRB union poster rule
May 8, 2013
The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled on Tuesday against the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and their ruling that workplaces must display posters about union organizing, bargaining and protests. The law would have insisted that more than six million private employers post a “notification of employee rights.” The one-page poster was to include basic rights [...]
Bill proposes ignition interlock for N.Y. bus drivers
May 7, 2013
A bill in the New York Legislature is proposing that ignition interlocks be placed on all school buses. The ignition interlock would detect alcohol on the driver’s breath and would refuse to start up if alcohol is detected. This bill was prompted by several accidents involving intoxicated bus drivers in N.Y. within the past year. [...]
