News and Media

 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Rob Menendez is leading a bipartisan coalition of 114 Members of Congress, urging the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to immediately act on rulemaking required by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) to protect public transit operators from assault. The call to address America’s transit worker safety crisis is supported by the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), the […]

WASHINGTON — Greg Regan and Shari Semelsberger, President and Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD), issued this statement following the nomination of Michael Whitaker to lead the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA): “As the nation’s largest transportation labor federation, we welcome President Biden’s nomination of Michael Whitaker to lead the FAA. The agency is […]

Opinion Contributors Ray LaHood and Greg Regan for the Hill.

High-speed rail is coming to America, and working people should take notice.

The Biden Administration is planning to use funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to construct multiple high-speed rail lines. This is a very big deal for American workers.

In addition to transforming daily commutes, expanding access to affordable housing and helping win the fight against climate change, high-speed rail projects will create a whole new field of exciting work opportunities — and they’re already creating thousands of good union jobs today.

WASHINGTON—Greg Regan, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued this statement following the FAA’s decision to consider imposing stricter regulations on public charter operations at regional airlines. “This decision is a step in the right direction for aviation professionals and passengers. Regional airlines must follow the procedures and training requirements that make flying […]

The major freight railroads say a disagreement over whether they will be allowed to discipline some workers who use a government hotline to report safety concerns has kept them from following through on the promise they made back in March to join the program after a fiery Ohio derailment prompted calls for reforms.

Unions and workplace safety experts say the idea of disciplining workers who report safety concerns undermines the purpose of creating such a hotline because workers won’t use it if they fear retribution. Programs like this one overseen by the Federal Railroad Administration are especially important in an industry like railroads where there is a long history of workers being fired for reporting safety violations or injuries, experts say.

LAS VEGAS, NV – On Friday, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) held a press conference calling on the U.S. Department of Transportation to fund Nevada’s application for federal funding to construct the Brightline West high-speed rail project, which will boost Nevada’s tourism economy. She was joined by Brightline CEO Michael Reininger, Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft, […]

WASHINGTON—Greg Regan, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued this statement following the Biden Administration’s announcement that Brendan Danaher, Senior Labor Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Transportation, will join the White House as the new deputy director of the National Economic Council for labor and economy. Prior to joining USDOT, Brendan […]

Reported by Nick Niedzwiadek and Olivia Olander for Politico Pro.

President Joe Biden has tapped former union leader Brendan Danaher to serve as a top labor adviser at the White House.

Danaher fills the role — deputy director of the National Economic Council for labor and economy — left by Celeste Drake, who stepped down from the administration last month to serve at the International Labor Organization, a United Nations agency. He joins Erika Dinkel-Smith, who tackles labor issues under the White House’s Office of Political Strategy and Outreach.

“Brendan’s deep experience and relationships in government and the labor movement will make him a tremendous asset as the National Economic Council’s Labor Deputy,” NEC Director Lael Brainard said in a statement. “Brendan will help ensure that working Americans remain at the center of President Biden’s economic policy.”

Reported by Benjamin Kail for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

U.S. Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman are pressing Norfolk Southern to join a federal rail safety program that the company said it would join more than four months ago, after one of its freight trains derailed in East Palestine, Ohio in February.

The Federal Railroad Administration’s Confidential Close Call Reporting System allows employees to report near-misses or close calls on railroads and protects them from discipline for reporting such incidents.

Norfolk Southern said in March that it was engaged in a working group on the program and planned to join, noting it would build on its own close-call reporting system and mark “another step we are taking to further our commitment to safety,” according to CEO Alan Shaw.

Reported by Vegas Business Digest.

Yesterday, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) held a press conference to call on the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to fund Nevada’s application, seeking $3.75 billion in federal funding to construct the Brightline West’s 218-mile high-speed rail project. The project will connect Nevada and Southern California through planned stations in Las Vegas and San Bernardino County, with connectivity into Los Angeles County through Metrolink.

Brightline CEO Michael Reininger confirmed that the project has completed all environmental review process and is shovel-ready to break ground in the fall of this year if the federal funding comes through and open before the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.