September 07, 2026
Brothers and sisters,
September led us to the end of this Congress, at least up until the conclusion of the 2026 election season. With the Senate departing Washington DC on the evening of September 30th, we are officially fully into campaign season. As such, it is important to know whether or not you are registered to vote. You can visit the National Association of Secretaries of State here, select your state, fill out the required information, and check your voter registration status. This takes less than 30 seconds and will help ensure that you can have your voice heard in the upcoming election.
Since September pushed us even closer to the election, and since it was the last bit of time for Congress to be in DC, we took advantage of numerous political opportunities. Strategically attending specific events allowed us to support those who support us and set us up for success in the future. Thanks to your support of the ATDA PAC, we can ensure our voice is heard and our support is known. We are more involved than we ever have been in the past, and that is due to your continued engagement and participation.
September also led me to Omaha again, as we continue our organizing push for the Union Pacific train dispatchers. This trip was about working to secure the last few A-cards we needed before filing with the National Mediation Board (NMB). I also attended the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) briefing in Chicago, where Chair Jennifer Homendy announced recommendations for a change in shoving movement rules to make the action safer for railroaders. Before that, I and other members of rail labor had the opportunity to meet with her about numerous rail safety issues, where I continued to discuss the errors and incidents we see in dispatching software. I was proud to see the NTSB take Rail Safety Week seriously. Please see a summary of the press conference and associated recommendations here. Furthermore, see our statement on the importance of Rail Safety Week here.
Lastly, it is important to know that the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee proceeded to vote on nominees for the NMB during their last committee hearing before recess. For those who are not aware, the NMB is the independent federal agency that manages labor relations in the U.S. railroad and airline industries, making it highly influential to all railroaders. The committee favorably voted to advance the new nomination of Capt. Douglas Ralph, as well as the renomination of the chair of the NMB, Loren Sweatt, to a second term. These candidates' full nominations are now before the entire Senate, but they will likely not take up votes on these nominations until after the November election. As always, we will continue to track these developments and keep you up to date on how you may be impacted.
Do not hesitate to reach out.
In solidarity,
Jeffrey Robb
Director of Government Affairs, ATDA
