American Train Dispatchers Association
# American Train Dispatchers Association

The American Train Dispatchers Association or Train Dispatchers is an American trade union representing railroad workers. The Train Dispatchers belong to the AFL–CIO as one of the organization's smallest members.

## Jurisdictions

ATDA operates mostly as a craft union representing railroad dispatchers. Specialized forms of dispatchers including trick train dispatchers, night chief dispatchers and assistant chief dispatchers are also members of the union.

The organization also represents the crafts that provide power to electrified trains, mostly on commuter lines. The titles in this jurisdiction are power supervisors, power directors and load dispatchers.

On short line railroads, the organization acts as more of an industrial union and also represents trainmen, enginemen, maintenance of way employees, mechanics and clerical staff.

## Employers

The Train Dispatchers hold collective bargaining agreements with the following companies:

* Alaska Railroad
* Amtrak
* Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway
* Belt Railway of Chicago
* Conrail Shared Assets
* CSX
* Grand Trunk Western Railroad (CN)
* Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad
* Kansas City Southern Railway
* Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad
* Metra
* Montana Rail Link
* New Jersety Transit
* Norfolk Southern
* PATH
* Soo Line (CP)
* South Shore Line
* Staten Island Railway
* Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis
* Wisconsin Central Ltd. (CN)

## History

The union was founded in 1917 at a convention in Spokane, Washington. An earlier organization called the Train Dispatchers Association of America preceded the establishment of the ATDA by 27 years. During the Great Railroad Strike of 1922, the Train Dispatchers did not participate but neither would they perform work of other unions.

