April 08, 2026
Brothers and Sisters,
April brought a significant amount of legislative work. Most notably, H.R. 8410, also known as the Safe Tracks Act, was introduced by Congresswoman Laura Gillen of New York. This bill would provide federal oversight of computer-aided dispatching (CAD) systems and centralized traffic control boards. We ensured that we were loud and clear about our support for this bill, which supports all of you and your work. You can find our press release regarding the bill here.
Additionally, in the Senate, Senator Jim Justice of West Virginia introduced the S. 4310, the No Tax on Overtime for All Workers Act. This bill would ensure that all similarly situated workers nationwide qualify for tax relief under the recently established tax deduction for overtime earnings included in the One Big Beautiful Bill. The tax code uses a limited definition of overtime from the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA). This definition includes a series of exemptions and limitations that prevent millions of transportation workers, including dispatchers, who would otherwise qualify for this benefit from accessing it. This expansion will provide immediate relief to millions of additional workers across the nation by fixing the exclusion for RLA-covered workers. After release of this bill, we joined 23 other labor unions encouraging Congress to co-sponsor and pass this legislation. The legislation currently sits in the Finance Committee in the Senate, and has a companion bill, H.R. 5475, in the House.
Mid-month, I made my way to Boston with President Dowell and Vice President Cross. We were able to tour both the Billerica and Boston dispatching centers, which house members from CSX, Keolis, and Amtrak. I found this experience to be incredibly valuable, as it provided me with a much deeper understanding of the work that our dispatchers do, specifically with passenger trains. Additionally, at the end of the month I took an Amtrak train up to Wilmington to join Vice President Cross at the Wilmington Amtrak dispatching center. I appreciate the members for their time and honest perspectives, and for our local labor leaders for helping to put these trips together. I always enjoy speaking with you all, because it continually makes me a better advocate. While in Wilmington, I witnessed in-person the type of errors you all deal with each day.
Back in DC at the end of the month, myself, President Dowell, and Vice President Denucci attend the FRA Tech Summit to hear about the advances being made in rail technology from industry leaders. We hope that labor continues to be a priority in these developments and we will be on the frontlines ensuring that is reality.
Do not hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns.
In solidarity,
Jeffrey Robb
