With a unanimous vote, the members of SMART-TD Local 1590 (Van Nuys, Calif.) have ratified a contract with WeDriveU!

Covering bus operators and dispatchers, the agreement includes…

• An immediate, significant hourly wage increase
• Just Cause job protections
• Union Orientation for new hires
• The ability to wear union insignia at work

Ratification Comes After Years of Unexpected Detours on the Road to a Contract

Negotiations are rarely ever considered “easy,” but Local 1590 had a particularly long, hard-fought journey before reaching its recent milestone that demanded years of perseverance.

Originally, the members were employed by Coach USA in California and bounced between a few other properties before eventually ending up at another company called Four Seasons.

Instead of coming to the bargaining table to negotiate a contract once they took over, Four Season simply chose not to recognize the workers as a bargaining unit after realizing that they were organized.

By this point, Local 1590 was simply working off its old, original agreement with Coach USA from several years before.

That’s when SMART-TD leadership got involved and things took an interesting turn.

Close, But No Contract for Local 1590

After Four Season started playing games, SMART-TD Bus Department Vice President James Sandoval and former General Chairperson of GCA-Coach-Pacific Coast (878) Travis Johnson took the situation to the National Labor Relations Board whose decision was straightforward: Four Seasons had to recognize Local 1590, start bargaining a new contract, and post a notice to all employees that they will not interfere with their union protections and bargain in good faith. The company agreed and said that it would follow through with the requirements the Board had given it.

With the decision handed down, VP Sandoval and GC Johnson immediately got to work negotiating a new contract that would replace the old, outdated one.

But after a few months of negotiations with Four Seasons, they were blindsided.

The property was abruptly sold to what was now a fourth company and the significant progress that had been made towards securing a contract was thrown into limbo.

Years of Dedication, Persistence Eventually Pay Off with WeDriveU

Through years of uncertainty and anti-union sentiment from each of the various companies, Local 1590 finally won the contract it deserved with WeDriveU thanks to the tenacity and determination of VP Sandoval and GC Johnson.

It would have been easier to simply throw in the towel over the course of this multi-year fight, but VP Sandoval notes that GC Johnson refused to let that happen.

“Most people or unions would have given up somewhere along the way, but Travis and Local 1590 did the exact opposite,” said VP Sandoval. “Every member of this group deserves credit for knowing what they wanted and that it was worth fighting for. Travis made sure that everyone stuck together, and it paid off.”

Local 1590’s vote is personal for VP Sandoval: it’s his first unanimous ratification vote.

“This is a great feeling. This vote took years to accomplish, especially with everything that the local had thrown at it. I’m proud of Travis and the members for the example that they’ve set within our union.”

Congratulations to Local 1590 for ratifying your new agreement after years of work!

The post Local 1590 Unanimously Ratifies New Agreement with WeDriveU appeared first on SMART Union.

There comes a point in every negotiation when words are no longer enough.

According to SMART-TD General Chairperson Rick Lee of General Committee GO-049, together with his fellow General Chairpersons on CSX’s Southern Region, representing the largest bargaining unit craft on CSX, that point has now arrived.

Negotiations in the railroad industry are never easy. They demand equal parts passion and patience. Lee says SMART-TD’s members have shown plenty of both. But after working without a new agreement for more than a year, he believes it’s time for CSX to stop talking and start showing exactly what it is asking its employees to accept.

His message to the railroad is simple.

“Put your money where your mouth is.”

“We’ve spent enough time listening to talking points, national agreement pattern arguments, and rumors,” Lee said. “If CSX truly believes its on-property proposal is as good as it says it is, then let’s stop the games. Let’s put the offers on the table where the people who actually do the work can see them.”

A Public Challenge

Lee is calling on CSX Labor Relations to join SMART-TD on neutral ground for a public town hall focused on one issue: transparency.

The proposal is straightforward.

Both sides would present their current bargaining positions for CSX employees to see. Members could compare the proposals themselves instead of relying on Carrier publications, rumors, social media posts, or secondhand accounts.

“If they’re proud of their current offer in mediation, then show it,” Lee said. “I’m more than prepared to do the same.”

Lee says railroaders at CSX deserve to know why negotiations remain unfinished and exactly where the differences between the two sides still exist.

“Our members have earned that much,” he said.

Members Already Spoke Once

The current dispute did not begin yesterday.

In the fall of 2024, SMART-TD GO-049 General Chairperson Rick Lee and CSX reached a Tentative Agreement (TA) before formal bargaining for the 2025 bargaining round had fully opened. When that agreement was presented to the membership, it was rejected by a decisive margin of 66%. The CSRA SMART-TD General Committees did not reach a TA with CSX in 2024, due to conflicts with CSX’s proposal and their CSRA Agreement.  

The vote under GO-049, and the nearly 2400 members it represents at CSX, sent a clear message.

Members wanted changes.

According to Lee, SMART-TD expected CSX to return to the bargaining table and negotiate. That is the obvious expectation anyone would have, and that the Carrier’s next proposal would move closer to the concerns expressed by the membership. Instead, the offers CSX has presented during negotiations, and continues to present in mediation today, have moved in the opposite direction. “Their proposals have actually been getting worse, not better,” Lee said.

“Our members have already made it clear they are not willing to accept CSX’s initial settlement offer, and, apparently in some form of retaliation against its own employees, the Carrier’s proposals have continued to move further away from an acceptable resolution,” Lee said. “It doesn’t make sense to come back with a proposal the membership views as less valuable. That is not how good faith negotiations work, and it certainly is not how you demonstrate respect for my men and women, who are CSX’s employees.”

Fairness Matters

One of the biggest issues to date involves other on-property negotiated patterns in the 2025 bargaining round. That local pattern at CSX is based on term years and overall value.

The SMART-TD General Committees at CSX were the first T&E transportation service bargaining groups on CSX to negotiate paid sick leave. GO-049 negotiated their paid sick leave agreement in April of 2023. The CSRA paid sick leave agreement came shortly after. That achievement did not come automatically. It was won through bargaining on quid pro quo concepts, and concessions during bargaining were made to secure it.

Since then, engineers represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) negotiated paid sick leave in their 2025 on-property agreement during last year’s 2025 bargaining round.

Lee of GO-049, together with the CSRA General Chairpersons, argues that those improvements added significant economic value to the BLET’s 2025 bargaining round settlement. However, because SMART-TD members had already negotiated paid sick leave on other quid pro quo bases, CSX has refused to provide equivalent economic value in SMART-TD’s 2025 on-property bargaining package.

Their position is fundamentally sound. The on-property pattern established during the 2025 bargaining round at CSX is based on the overall economic value of the settlement, and our members should not receive less value simply because SMART-TD successfully negotiated paid sick leave through quid pro quo exchanges in 2023, helping establish the industry’s paid sick leave pattern.

“Doing the right thing first shouldn’t put you behind everyone else,” Lee said.

The Clock Keeps Ticking

While negotiations continue at a snail’s pace due to the Carrier’s resistance to offer proposals on fair overall value, thousands of SMART-TD members continue moving freight across the CSX system every day, shouldering the significant impacts of sharp inflation.

They remain available around the clock, work on holidays, weekends, and nights, and continue serving customers, all while waiting for a new 2025 agreement.

Lee and the CSRA General Chairpersons reject suggestions that SMART-TD is intentionally delaying the process.

“We have every reason to get this settled,” Lee said. “The people I and my fellow General Chairpersons on the south represent are the ones living without the pay increases since July 1, 2024. Nobody on our side benefits from dragging this out.”

He also emphasized that agreements have been reached, or are progressing, with multiple other railroads represented under Lee’s General Committee.

“That tells me the problem isn’t that SMART-TD isn’t willing to negotiate,” Lee said. “The problem is getting meaningful engagement and movement from CSX. I currently preside over and administer fifteen (15) different rail agreements and have reached on-property settlements with several other Carriers that passed with an overwhelming majority of the affected members. Dealing with CSX, on the other hand, at least these days, is nearly impossible because they do not engage in good faith bargaining. Rather, they want to tell you what they will offer and refuse to negotiate from there. That mentality only serves as a recipe for a stalemate.

That is the reason CSX is trying to put us, by way of denying their employees a fair deal, in the ‘penalty box,’ so to speak. Their tactic is to pressure employees into accepting a deal on CSX’s terms through frustration and duress, while hoping the members will believe it is the Union’s fault. That is why I am very thankful we have such a strong membership. Our members who work at CSX know exactly the games the Carrier likes to play.

At the end of the day, we stand united, and we are all in this together until we get a fair deal. Period.”

Time For the Truth

Lee believes the quickest way to end speculation is for both sides to let railroaders who will live under this contract judge the facts for themselves.

For years, railroaders have heard competing claims about who is responsible for the slow pace of bargaining and whether the current proposals are fair.

Lee says there is a simple solution.

Release the offers.

Let the men and women whose lives are directly affected see what is actually on the table. In contract negotiations, the parties typically cannot disclose what items are being bargained on in real time, because in the natural course of negotiations things can change at any time, or items can be traded in quid pro quo exchanges at some point, in order to reach a final deal. The Carrier operates under this same and centralized bargaining logic. However, now they attempt to distribute misinformation on what their current proposal really is.

“CSX has spent plenty of time telling people how good its offer is, and that SMART-TD is the problem standing in the way of a good contract,” Lee said. “Now we’re just asking them to prove it.”

In like fashion, the SMART-TD General Chairpersons on CSX’s Southern Region (CSRA), Joe Bennett, Brian Killough, and Travis Raynes, share the same sentiments as General Chairperson Lee on the Northern Mid Atlantic District. While they are governed by their own CSRA on property Agreement, they indicate that CSX has continued to play the same games with them, and their members likewise remain without a new agreement or pay increases since their last increase on July 1, 2024, under the 2020 bargaining round.

“CSX needs to put its ego aside and come to the bargaining table with a fair deal. While we did not reach a Tentative Agreement in 2024 like GO-049, due to our own issues and conflicts under the CSRA Agreement, CSX has likewise retreated to a childish style of system wide punishment directed at its own workforce. It is time for CSX to offer a proposal that reflects the same overall economic value as other local agreements reached through collective bargaining, just as we are seeking. We join General Chairperson Lee in challenging CSX to discuss the details publicly so the truth is out for everyone to see. Just name the time and place,” Joe Bennett, Brian Killough, and Travis Raynes said.

For SMART-TD, this challenge is about more than one contract.

It is about respect.

It is about transparency.

It is about the fact that railroaders deserve not to be lied to.

And above all, it is about making sure the railroaders who keep CSX moving every single day have the opportunity to see exactly what both sides are asking them to support.

The challenge has been issued.

The next move belongs to CSX.

The post “Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is”: SMART-TD Challenges CSX to Make Its Current Contract Offer Public appeared first on SMART Union.

SMART-TD’s General Committee of Adjustment (GCA) 457 has concluded the ratification vote on the proposed Tentative Agreement (TA) covering members in the Central and Southern Regions of CPKC Railway.

The membership voted to reject the agreement.

Final certified results are as follows:

• YES — Accept the Tentative Agreement: 266 votes (41.96%)
• NO — Reject the Tentative Agreement: 368 votes (58.04%)
• Total Ballots Cast: 634

The ratification vote closed on May 21, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Most notably, 91.5% of all eligible members participated in this vote, an exceptionally strong turnout that reflects the seriousness with which our members approached this decision. SMART-TD leadership is encouraged to see this level of engagement and participation from our brothers and sisters, especially when considering an agreement that would have established long-term terms and conditions affecting members for years to come.

SMART-TD thanks every member who took the time to stay informed, review the agreement, and participate in the vote. SMART News will keep you updated as this situation moves forward.

The post GCA 457 Members Vote Down Tentative Agreement with CPKC appeared first on SMART Union.

On April 13, 2026, SMART-TD’s General Committee of Adjustment (GCA) 457 reached a Tentative Agreement (TA) with the CPKC Railway covering members in the Central and Southern Regions. This agreement represents years of work to secure strong wages, protect benefits, and improve quality of life for our members.

Ballots will be mailed to all eligible SMART-TD members of GCA 457 beginning April 29, 2026. Voting will remain open through May 21, 2026, and will be conducted by BallotPoint. This is the same secure and trusted election service used in previous national and carrier-specific agreement votes.

An 8-Year Agreement with Industry-Leading Gains

This Tentative Agreement spans eight years, making it three years longer than the standard “pattern” agreements reached at other carriers across other crafts in the rail industry. This extended term provides long-term stability, predictability, and sustained wage growth for our membership.

One of the most significant highlights is a 32.5% General Wage Increase (GWI) over the life of the agreement. The first increase is effective July 1, 2025, with continued increases each year through 2033, steadily raising pay rates across all classifications.

If ratified by GCA 457 membership, the general wage increase will be retroactive to July 1, 2025.

Protection of Benefits and Core Agreements

The TA protects the National Health and Welfare plan for both current and future members. GCA 457 General Chairperson, Sam Habjan, pointed out just how critical priority is in today’s bargaining environment. It also reaffirms crew consist protections, maintaining the integrity of our agreements and preserving jobs.

Quality of Life Improvements

In addition to a 32.5% wage gain, this agreement includes meaningful improvements to members’ quality of life:

• Scheduled Rest: All employees, including extra boards and pool service, will receive at least two consecutive rest days each workweek.
• Held Away Pay: Members held away from their home terminal will receive continuous pay after 16 hours, improving compensation during extended delays.
• Meal Allowances: Additional meal payments are provided when tied up away from home.
• Personal Leave Improvements: Enhanced personal leave structure, with up to 12 days based on years of service, while protecting all existing entitlements.

Earnings and Work Opportunities

The agreement establishes clear pay structures and predictable earnings potential across multiple work schedules, including 5×2, 6×2, and 4×3 assignments. These structures provide members with the ability to plan their work-life balance while benefiting from increased compensation over time.

Guaranteed Extra Board provisions and alternative work opportunities, such as Alternate Training Status (ATS), also provide income stability during periods of reduced service.

Work Rule and Contract Improvements

Additional provisions in the TA include:

• Defined basic day and overtime rules, ensuring overtime compensation after 10 hours of service
• Improved claim handling and discipline timelines, reducing delays in resolving issues
• Clear rules governing job assignments, bidding, and scheduling under a 7-day mark system

Vacation qualifications and usage have also been clarified, allowing members greater flexibility, including the ability to take vacation in single-day increments.

What methods will be used for voting

Packets mailed on April 29th will include personalized 12-digit access codes and instructions for dial-in telephonic voting. In the following week, text message and email reminders will be sent out to all eligible members who have not yet voted. Those electronic messages will include links to vote using a secure web-based portal.

When will voting end? How soon will we see the results?

Our 21-day ratification will close on Thursday, May 21, at 5:00 p.m. (ET). Results will be announced the following morning.

Is it true that if I abstain from voting, my vote is automatically counted as a vote to “ACCEPT”?

Despite this being completely false, the rumor circulates every time we have a tentative agreement. Every vote is important, and only the votes cast will get counted, so don’t miss your opportunity!

What should I do if I don’t receive a ballot in the mail?

In most cases, this happens when members fail to update SMART-TD with their current home address. Occasionally, there are delays with USPS. If you still haven’t received your ballot by the second week of May, please contact us by calling (620) 704-5384, or by sending an email to: smarttdgca457@gmail.com

A Step Forward and a Voice for Every Member 

We sincerely hope that our members recognize the value and importance of this TA and the hard work that went into arriving at this point. In any case, we encourage all members to vote and make your voice heard.

We also encourage all members to review the full TA, which can be found here and forward any questions they have to their Local Chairperson and/or General Chairperson. It is important to cast an informed and educated vote!

The post Tentative Agreement Reached With CPKC appeared first on SMART Union.

When negotiations opened at the Colorado Pacific Rio Grande Railroad, management came to the table seeking a series of concessions from SMART-TD Local 204 (Pueblo, Colo.). While early conversations included proposals that would have negatively impacted our members’ compensation structure, what the carrier ultimately pursued were cost-saving adjustments.

They believed they had the upper hand, but they ultimately underestimated who they were dealing with.

SMART-TD Local 204 members stood united. General Committee GO-020 General Chairperson Justin Schrock and Vice President Gary Crest made it clear from the outset: whatever discussions took place, our members would not move backward.

What followed was not a long, drawn-out fight. But it was an unusual and highly technical negotiation that required creativity, clarity, and solidarity.

When the dust settled, Local 204 ratified an agreement unanimously that delivers a 25% hourly wage increase over three years, along with meaningful quality-of-life improvements.

But this wasn’t a traditional wage increase story.

It took more outside-the-box thinking than that.

Understanding the Wage Structure

Prior to this agreement, members were compensated based on a 50-hour weekly guarantee. Unless they worked more than 50 hours a week, they received the same weekly pay. Overtime only began after surpassing that 50-hour threshold.

When the railroad sought concessions, your negotiating team developed an outside-the-box solution.

Rather than reducing the weekly compensation paid to our members, the agreement reduces the number of hours tied to that weekly guarantee.

Here’s what that means:

• Members continue to receive the same base weekly pay.
• The number of hours covered under that guarantee is lower.
• Overtime now begins sooner.
• The effective hourly rate increases because the same weekly pay is tied to fewer guaranteed hours.
• When additional hours are worked, they are paid at a higher overtime rate sooner than before.

In other words, the carrier came looking for givebacks.

Our members ratified an agreement that keeps their weekly earnings whole, reduces the number of hours they are on the hook for, improves quality of life, and increases the rate of pay when additional work is required.

That’s not putting the train in reverse. That’s changing notches while keeping it moving forward.

The Gains

Wages

Conductors, Engineers, and Designated Supervisors of Locomotive Engineers (DSLE) will realize a 25% wage increase over the life of the agreement. While the mechanics of that increase involve adjustments to the guaranteed hours structure, the result is higher effective hourly earnings and improved overtime opportunities.

Holiday Improvement

For years, Local 204 members had Easter Sunday listed as one of their contractual holidays even though this shortline railroad does not operate on Sundays, meaning that one of our members’ negotiated holidays was effectively wasted every single year.

This agreement fixes that.

Easter Sunday has been swapped for Christmas Eve, a day that doesn’t play favorites based on the calendar. December 24th falls on a scheduled workday at CXRG six out of every seven years.

In practical terms, this change is like adding a real holiday for Local 204 without giving anything up except the frustration of watching one of their contractual holidays consistently land on a day the railroad wasn’t operating in the first place.

That’s a quality-of-life win that members will actually feel.

PTO Cash-Out

Members can now cash out up to 10 hours of PTO each quarter, for a total of up to 40 hours annually.

Boot Allowance

A $150 annual boot reimbursement was secured.

Borrow-Out Protection

The ownership group behind Colorado Pacific Rio Grande operates three railroads under its umbrella. CXRG is the only one of the three that is organized and protected by a union agreement.

Prior to this agreement, when CXRG employees borrowed out to protect work on one of the other two sister railroads, they were not guaranteed the wages or rule protections they had secured on their home road. Those non-union properties operate with significantly lower wage scales and far fewer work-rule protections surrounding discipline and rule compliance.

That changes now.

Under this newly ratified agreement, Local 204 members are guaranteed the pay rates, rules, interpretations, and protections of their union agreement no matter which of the three railroads they answer the call to work on.

Our brothers and sisters will no longer leave their contractual protections behind when they cross property lines.

Union wages.
Union protections.

Every time.

Strategy, Solidarity, and Creative Leadership

This negotiation required a different kind of approach. It wasn’t about digging in for a prolonged standoff. It was about recognizing the carrier’s objectives and finding a solution that protected our members while improving their overall position.

“This carrier came to the table looking for concessions,” said General Chairperson Justin Schrock. “We were clear from the beginning that our members would not be moving backward. By thinking creatively and staying unified, we were able to restructure the guarantee in a way that protects pay, improves quality of life, and increases earning potential.”

Vice President Gary Crest emphasized the importance of solidarity in achieving that outcome.

“Our job was to keep the train moving forward,” Crest said. “In negotiations like this, you don’t always run it wide open in the 8th notch. Sometimes strategy requires adjusting the throttle. But the reverser? That never moves. Our members stayed together, trusted the process, and the result speaks for itself. Always forward.”

The post Notches Change, The Reverser DOESN’T appeared first on SMART Union.

Metro Micro Operators have voted overwhelmingly to ratify their first collective bargaining agreement. SMART-TD congratulates the Metro Micro Operators on this important milestone achieved with Crosby Street Transit.

Crosby Street Transit assumed operations of the Metro Micro service in 2025. Productive negotiations on a new contract commenced shortly thereafter, allowing for a smooth transition and a collaborative process that resulted in key protections and benefits for our members.

“SMART GCA-875 is proud to represent these hardworking Operators who have been critical to the early success of this program,” said GCA 875 General Chairperson John M. Ellis. “Many of these Operators have been with the Metro Micro program since the initial pilot, and we admire their professional operation and dedication in providing transportation to the public.”

Vice General Chairperson and Local Chairperson of Local 1565 Quintin Wormley emphasized the critical role played by General Chairperson Ellis and Local Chairperson of Local 1564 Andy Carter throughout the negotiations. He also extended appreciation to SMART-TD Bus Vice President James Sandoval for his valuable contributions.

“This is a big day for our union,” added General Chairperson Ellis. “Our members stepped up, stuck together, and showed what working people can do when they take ownership of their future. That speaks volumes about the strength of SMART-TD and the work being done by GCA-875.”

Special recognition is also extended to the leadership team whose efforts supported this achievement, including Julio Mejia, GCA-875 Secretary and Local Chairperson of Local 1607, Edgar Menendez, Local Chairperson of Local 1608, Jamie Delgadillo, Local Chairperson of Local 1563, and Juan Gonzalez, Local Chairperson of Local 1605 (rail).

The post Metro Micro Operators Overwhelmingly Ratify First Contract appeared first on SMART Union.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Independence, OH — 11/28/25 — Members of SMART-TD working on Union Pacific (UP) properties have decisively voted to ratify the 2025 Tentative Agreement (TA), with over 80 percent of ballots cast in favor. This is a clear signal of overwhelming support for the contract.

After nearly a year of determined negotiations, SMART-TD and UP reached a TA that mirrors the recently ratified national pattern agreement while securing additional, critical protections tailored for our UP members.

 What the Agreement Delivers

• Substantial Wage Increases — The contract provides a compounded wage increase of 18.77 percent over the five-year life of the agreement, as detailed in the national SMART-TD agreement ratified on October 30, 2025.
• Enhanced Benefits & Quality-of-Life Improvements — Members will see strengthened health benefits (medical, dental, vision), improved vacation accrual, and other quality-of-life enhancements reflected in the national agreement.
• Critical Protections for UP Members — Importantly, the TA resolves longstanding issues unique to UP:
  • It ends the rail carrier’s two-decade-long practice of deducting “outside earnings” from back pay awards in wrongful termination cases. This is a major win for fairness and financial security.
  • It ensures fully reinstated members are made whole, reimbursing medical premiums and expenses incurred while awaiting arbitration decisions.
  • It expands meal allowances in recognition of the changing costs rail workers bear on duty.

A Strong Vote of Confidence

The decisive “yes” vote demonstrates members’ trust in SMART-TD’s bargaining team and the value placed on the protections and improvements secured under the TA. The overwhelming results affirm that the membership believes this contract moves the union and its members forward, materially improving wages, benefits, and job security.

“This ratification reflects our members’ unified voice and confidence in what was negotiated,” said SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson. “The decisive support underscores a shared commitment to preserving good jobs, strong benefits, and fairness for all members working on Union Pacific. I want to thank all of the General Chairpersons and their General Committees from our Union Pacific properties for their hard work negotiating this agreement. Their leadership in this process will protect our people and their families’ interests over the next five years.”

What Comes Next

With ratification confirmed, the TA becomes binding. UP-employed SMART-TD members will begin receiving the agreed wage increases, benefit enhancements, and the new protections outlined in the agreement. Union leadership encourages all members to review the full text of the agreement. This includes the wage schedule, benefit provisions, and protections. SMART-TD wants to ensure our UP members have a full understanding of what was won.

SMART-TD remains committed to representing the interests of all its members. Though this agreement covers those on UP properties, the union continues its work across all railroads to ensure every member benefits from strong contracts now and into the future.

For more information or to connect with SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson or a member of his staff, please contact:

Dan Banks
dbanks@smart-union.org 
(216) 227-5283 (Office) 
(330) 322-5949 (Cell) 

Alyssa Hansen
alyssa.hansen@smart-union.org

The post SMART-TD Members on UP Properties Ratify Five-Year Agreement appeared first on SMART Union.

The members of SMART-TD Local 1707 (Perris, California) who work for First Transit have ratified a new four-year contract. The agreement provides significant gains while, most importantly, not making any concessions! 

The agreement includes: 

• A significant, compounded pay increase over the lifetime of the contract, with retroactive pay from July 1, 2025. 
• An additional paid holiday. 
• Health and welfare improvements, including up to 40 hours of sick leave. 
• Improvements to bereavement leave, giving members the ability to use it non-consecutively and additional consideration for traveling over 300 miles in one direction.  
• Release time for local officers (presidents, secretaries, and treasurers) to attend trainings to sharpen their leadership skills. 

Automation Protections Lead the List of Contract Wins

One of the most important wins in the agreement covers automation protections for members, where the company is required to give 30 days’ notice and bargain with the union over how certain employees will be affected.  
 
“On this property, we don’t just have drivers. We have all work classifications,” explained General Committee of Adjustment (GCA) 020 General Chairperson Justin Schrock. “[For example], we have customer service representatives, and they’re worried that the automation programming that they’re going to start using is going to limit their job. So that was one of the main reasons we put that in there.” 
 
“If a job’s affected, then you’ve got to bargain with us on that employee. Do we retrain them somewhere else in another position?” 
 
The negotiating team was led by GC Schrock and assisted by SMART-TD Bus Department Vice President James Sandoval, LCA 020U (First Transit) Local Chairperson Rickey Davis, and LCA 020U (First Transit) Vice Local Chairperson and Local 1707 President Averiel Mason.

Local Leadership Makes a Big Difference

Since 2020, GC Schrock noted that there’s been an incredibly significant increase in pay raises for the property, even without considering compounding increases, a trend that he hopes will continue.  
 
“We just continue to make progress on this property and bring them up to the livable standard that we all expect as professional drivers and professional transit members,” he said.  
 
In particular, he recognized the leadership of Davis and Vice LC/Local 1707 President Mason for their extra effort in communicating with the membership. Their ability to ensure member’s needs were understood and addressed was invaluable.  
 
“We knew automation was going to be a big deal, but we listened to our members and pretty much hit on everything they wanted,” Schrock explained. “It’s easy for James and me to sit in an office and think we know what they want, but for them to actually take the time to go to meetings and talk to everybody and hit on stuff that they were concerned about was huge out of that officer team.”  
 
Congratulations to Local 1707 for becoming the latest addition to SMART-TD’s list of newly ratified, precedent-setting agreements!

The post Automation Protection Headlines New Contract for Local 1707 appeared first on SMART Union.

Last week, our brothers and sisters at Local 1741 (San Francisco, California) ratified not one but three agreements with San Francisco School Bus Drivers-ZUM, covering bus drivers, SMART-TD members who work in the office, and yard workers. 

Hat Trick Results in Big Gains, Protections for Workers 

Reflecting on the negotiations, General Chairperson of GCA-SFS Gene Guzman noted that even though the overall process was smooth, workers still held their ground when needed and fought for what they deserved.

“We put a lot of effort into it, and I think we did really well,” he said.

The new, six-year agreement includes: 

• Significant wage increases over the life of the contract. 
• Health care plan improvements. 
• Personal leave of absence protections. 
• Maintenance of 10-hour spread overtime after the company tried to urge the drivers to give it up. 

SMART members who work in the office in particular will see a significant wage increase during the first year of the contract, followed by the same percentage raises as the drivers for the remaining years.

“Both the union and the company saw that [SMART members who work in the office] had been left behind and needed to be caught up financially to us and to get the same percentages of increase going forward now,” explained Guzman. 

New GC Brings a Fresh Perspective on Negotiations

This was GC Guzman’s first time having a front-row seat while securing a new agreement as a General Chairperson, and he said that not fully knowing what to expect in that role wasn’t a bad thing. 

“I wouldn’t say that I had a lot of expectations coming in, so I just basically stayed in the present and did the best I could,” he said. “Having achieved the contract that [our whole negotiating team] achieved and doing as well as we did, I’m very happy about it.”

In particular, GC Guzman highlighted the tireless work of the committee, including Local 1741 President Meghann Adams and SMART-TD Bus Department Vice President James Sandoval.

“It was my responsibility to be the lead negotiator as the chairperson…best thing I ever did was turn that over to James,” he said, laughing. “James is a very calm negotiator. No matter what the circumstances, he doesn’t get excited. He’s Superman. He really is phenomenal, and I couldn’t have more respect for anyone than I do for James.”

VP Sandoval praised the solidarity and determination of both GC Guzman and the entire SFS negotiating team.  

“You wouldn’t guess this was Brother Guzman’s first time at the bargaining table,” said VP Sandoval. “He stayed calm and collected, leaning on the strength of his team and helping everyone bring their best forward. His steady presence kept the focus on unity and making sure our members’ needs were front and center. That’s what leadership and solidarity look like, and I’m very proud of GC Guzman, the rest of the bargaining team (Meghann, Keva, Angela, Leslie, Jim, Paul), and all of our Local 1741 brothers and sisters.”

A Lasting Legacy 

As GC Guzman prepares to celebrate his 74^th birthday in October and starts to see retirement slowly approaching on the horizon, he hopes that this new agreement reflects how much he cares about his members and their futures. 
 
“All three got good pay bumps. I know most people are quite happy about it. And you know, what else can you want?” GC Guzman asked. “My goal in becoming chairperson was to set up the membership with a good contract, and we did so that’s very satisfying.”

The post Local 1741 Ratifies Trio of Strong Agreements appeared first on SMART Union.

With a message-sending 92% approval rate, the members of Local 1909 (St. Andrews, California) have ratified a new three-year contract with First Student. 
 
Locking in higher pay, better benefits, and improved working conditions, our brothers and sisters made notable gains while most importantly not giving up anything in return.  

Fighting for Raises Front and Center  

Local 1909 is the latest in an ever-growing list of SMART-TD locals that have recently approved strong contracts, sending a message that they deserve to be recognized for their knowledge, professionalism, and expertise.  
 
That doesn’t mean that the road to get there was easy, explains General Chairperson of GCA-FSG Maria Morales.  
 
“It was a hard fight with [First Student],” she said. “We had to do this on Zoom. It was never in person.”  
 
When negotiations began, the other side wasn’t interested in discussing raises and wages. GC Morales, who has worked for First Student for over 20 years, wouldn’t hear it.  

“I told them ‘We’re still here for a reason. We’re here, because we’re loyal and you guys don’t want to give us a raise,’” GC Morales explained. “You’ve got members that are here over 20-25 plus years and that means loyalty. That’s my word: loyalty. And you don’t want to give us a raise? That’s the fight that I was fighting for.”  

Contract Includes Overtime Fix, Fair Route Assignments, 401(k) Increases 

The new agreement goes into effect September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2028, and includes: 

• Wages & Raises: Members receive significant annual raises over the lifetime of the agreement. GC Morales says that this win is what she’s most proud of out of everything that the union achieved. 
• 20-Day Limit on Discipline: Clear, 20-day deadline for issuing discipline after an incident, preventing delays or other arbitrary action.  
• Overtime Improvements: Time-and-a-half is earned after working eight hours in a day or 40 hours in a week. Previously, it was only available after 40 hours worked in a week.  
• 401(k) Boosts: Starting with Year 2 of the contract, the match is increased to $350 and $500 in Year 3. 
• Fair Route Assignment: Unbid routes are assigned by reverse seniority instead of management choice.  

Perseverance Gets Strong Results

SMART-TD Bus Department Vice President James Sandoval assisted GC Morales throughout the negotiations.  
 
“James is a fighter. He won’t give up,” said GC Morales. “He’ll try and he’ll keep on trying. He takes this to the heart…he’ll do something to learn and keep on learning. That’s his thing: I have to fight, and I’m going to continue fighting.” 
 
That energy was matched by GC Morales. 
 
“She’s not afraid to dig in and fight for her members, especially when their livelihoods are on the line,” explained VP Sandoval. “This agreement is proof of that. Because of her determination and perseverance, the members of Local 1909 are protected by a strong agreement that is a true reflection of their worth and the value they bring to the craft.”

As the membership celebrates this win, GC Morales isn’t slowing down. 
 
Instead, she’s already looking ahead to 2028 when negotiations will ramp up and plans to be more prepared than ever.   
 
“We’re gonna fight again,” she declared.  

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