WASHINGTON, DC – Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), offers the following statement upon Senate passage of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization bill:
“Transportation labor praises the Senate for moving us a step closer to enactment of a multi-year FAA bill that addresses the nation’s mounting aviation needs. A vital component of our transportation network and economy, the aviation industry generates nearly $900 billion in economic activity annually, represents nine percent of our GDP, and employs millions of Americans.
“Passage of the Senate FAA legislation advances the process to reconciling a final bill with needed investments in air traffic control modernization and airport infrastructure, a host of critical safety reforms and measures to strengthen worker rights. And as our nation struggles with high unemployment rates, a strong final bill will sustain millions of aviation-related jobs and create hundreds of thousands more.
“I want to thank Majority Leader Reid, Chairman Rockefeller and Subcommittee Chairman Dorgan for their work to advance this legislation through the Senate. Now it is up to the Senate and House to send a bill to the President’s desk that embraces the badly needed reforms advocated by TTD and our aviation unions.”
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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.
