Mandatory Transit Security Training Inches Closer to Reality

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jenifer McCormick
202-628-9262
JeniferM@ttd.org
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs  approved  the Public Transportation Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007. The bill makes much-needed improvements in transit security. Chief among them is transit worker security training, which the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO has spent years fighting to make mandatory. The following statement was issued today by Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department:

“More than five years after 9/11, workers still do not know what constitutes a security risk, though they are told to be ‘vigilant.’ They do not know how to respond when they see someone or something suspicious – and they certainly do not know what to do in the event of a terrorist attack.

“The vast majority of transit workers are not receiving meaningful security training. Already dealing with extremely tight budgets, experience shows that leaving the choice up to employers does not lead to a sufficient number of workers being trained in a comprehensive way that prepares them for worst-case scenarios.

“We applaud Chairman Christopher Dodd and Ranking Member Richard Shelby for requiring training that will benefit frontline workers and the public they serve.”

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TTD represents 32 member unions in the aviation, rail, transit, trucking, highway, longshore, maritime and related industries. For more information, visit ttd.org.