WASHINGTON, DC – Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issues the following statement in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:
“As we look back at the historic work of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who lifted the lives of so many hard-working Americans through his profound leadership and activism, we realize there is much work to be done to advance initiatives that put people to work and to stop federal and state anti-worker policies from taking root.
“While it is encouraging that the unemployment rate has eased a bit, we are faced with the reality that 13 million Americans are out of work, and millions more struggle in part-time jobs. As Dr. King stated: ‘The impact on our economy and our society from unemployment cannot be fully measured by these numbers. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.’
“Neither can this nation sit idly by as many in Congress and state governments push anti-worker policies that roll-back the collective bargaining rights fought for over many decades. These legislative assaults are all designed to accomplish a single objective: to erode the ability of working people to mobilize together and negotiate for good jobs and middle-class wages.
“We can never rest. There is so much more to be done to make the case for billions in new investments in our transportation system – a sure recipe for job creation in an economy that is still teetering. And we must use the inspiration of Dr. King to never stop protecting the livelihood and safety of American workers and the basic right to organize and join unions.”
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The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, represents 32 member unions in the aviation, rail, transit, motor carrier, highway, longshore, maritime and related industries. For more information, visit us at ttd.org or on Facebook and Twitter.
