WASHINGTON, D.C. — Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), offered the following statement in reaction to last night’s historic election of Barack Obama as America’s 44th President.
“Transportation workers joined millions of Americans last night to vote for change. After eight cruel years of anti-worker policies under President Bush, they understood that their jobs, their livelihoods and their futures were on the ballot.
“Transportation workers were part of the American labor movement’s record mobilization to knock on doors, get out the vote, and educate co-workers on the dramatically different paths Barack Obama and John McCain wanted to take this country down.
“Since the beginning of this campaign we have said that the next President must be committed to turning around a failing economy and creating good jobs; investing in our aging transportation systems and infrastructure; rebuilding the middle class by empowering workers to organize new unions and bargain collectively; and advancing long overdue safety and security reforms.
“President-Elect Barack Obama and Vice President-Elect Joe Biden give our members hope that our government will once again fight for them. They are the right leaders at a crucial moment in our history to bring about the lasting change that millions of working people fought for in this election.
“Transportation workers were proud to do their part in making history.”
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The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, represents 32 member unions in the aviation, rail, transit, trucking, highway, longshore, maritime and related industries. For more information, visit ttd.org.
