WASHINGTON, DC— Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) President Edward Wytkind issues this statement following the re-election of President Barack Obama:
“We congratulate President Obama for his historic re-election.
“The American people re-elected a president who offers a vision to expand our middle class, create millions of jobs and ‘nation build at home’ by modernizing and investing in our aging transportation system. Transportation workers were proud to stand with President Obama as part of a highly motivated labor movement that helped secure last night’s victory.
“Throughout this campaign we made sure our members, and those that rely on our transportation system, understood what was at stake in this election and the vastly different views the candidates offered. Governor Romney sought to reward the super-rich with tax cuts they don’t need and impose drastic cuts in transportation investments while President Obama offered a plan to grow our economy from the middle out with transportation investments as key elements of his economic vision.
“Our members also understood that their ability to create and protect good, safe jobs was at risk in this election. President Obama said that giving more workers the power of collective bargaining is the clearest path to rebuilding the middle class. Gov. Romney vowed to eviscerate the very rights that empower Americans to fight for good wages, health care and retirement security.
“We are proud of the work we did this year to target the issues that motivated our members to be heard on Election Day. We are pleased that our members responded by supporting a president who understands the important role of transportation in our economic future. Now we will deploy similar strategies in advocating an aggressive legislative agenda focused on long-term transportation investments, job creation and workers’ rights.
“Looking ahead we will work with the president to transform his vision into a long-term plan to expand the middle class. And as we have for more than two decades, we will seek out bipartisan support from lawmakers who share our view that America’s competitiveness and millions of middle-class jobs are at risk if we fail to invest long-term in our neglected transportation system.”
CONTACT: Jennifer Michels
(O)202.628.9262 (M)703.395-2195
JenniferM@ttd.org
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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.