--- title: "Best of 2024: Jared Cassity, SMART Transportation Division" description: The America’s Work Force Union Podcast is the nation’s premier daily labor program. Jared Cassity from the SMART joined us on today’s show. image: https://awf.labortools.com/hubfs/SMART%20General%20blue%20mic.jpg --- 1 min read Season 5, Episode 258 # Best of 2024: Jared Cassity, SMART Transportation Division [ awfblog ](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/author/awfblog) December 27, 2024 [America's Work Force Union Podcast](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/americas-work-force-union-podcast) [AWF](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/awf) [SMART](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/smart) ![SMART-1](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SMART-1.jpg?width=407&height=407&name=SMART-1.jpg)   Guest Name: --- Jared Cassity Guest Website: --- [SMART](https://www.smart-union.org/)  Guest Social Media: --- [ Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/smartunion/) [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/smartunionworks/) [ YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/c/SMARTUnion) [ LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/iasmart/) Supportive Documents: --- Continuing our Best of 2024 series, we flash back to our April 12 conversation with Jared Cassity, Alternate National Legislative Director for the [International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART)](https://www.smart-union.org/) Transportation Division. During his appearance on America's Workforce Union Podcast, Cassity shared his experiences and insights on rail safety. Cassity recounted his early experiences in the rail industry, highlighting the challenges of harassment and intimidation that workers often face. These experiences motivated him to become actively involved in union leadership, where he has focused on improving safety standards and advocating for workers' rights. A significant portion of the discussion centered on the recent federal regulation mandating two-person crews on trains, a long-fought victory for rail safety. Cassity explained the importance of this regulation, noting that it addresses the industry's push to reduce crew sizes, which could compromise safety. He emphasized that the presence of two crew members has been a critical factor in maintaining safety standards. Cassity also discussed the broader challenges within the rail industry, including the influence of Wall Street and hedge funds, which prioritize profits over safety. He expressed concerns about the industry's resistance to safety regulations and the ongoing battle to pass the Railway Safety Act. Despite these challenges, Cassity remains committed to advocating for policies protecting workers and the communities through which trains travel. For more from this April 12 conversation with Cassity, please listen to the show above. --- America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues. America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers. - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ##### SUBSCRIBE ON: --- [![Group 342](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png?width=171&name=Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/id1511224946) [![Group 341](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Spotify%20Button-Dark.png?width=100&name=Spotify%20Button-Dark.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/0GzkHxFSBxiXvuX0lZpQBn) [![Group 343](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20343.png?width=135&name=Group%20343.png)](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast-62567752/) [![Group 339](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20339.png?width=110&name=Group%20339.png)](https://www.pandora.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/PC:47979) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20397.png?width=125&name=Group%20397.png)](https://americasworkforceradiopodcast.podbean.com/) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/YouTube_button.png?width=125&name=YouTube_button.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQo1PAtRAel1_tS7-PQOkA)   #### [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/brotherhood-of-railroad-signalmen-on-the-union-pacific-merger-threat) : July 6, 2026 # Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat Brandon Elvey, Secretary-Treasurer of the [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen](https://www.brs.org/),... 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