News and Media

Last week, the Jeff Santos Show held a 3-hour special about Fast Track and TPP. TTD President Ed Wytkind joined as a guest to talk about TTD’s opposition to Fast Track and our solidarity with the labor movement in this regard. “This is not a fight that is just about manufacturing workers,” Wytkind explained. “This is […]

As published by Keith Laing in The Hill.   Unions: Obama ‘right’ to push for long-term highway bill The AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD) said Wednesday that President Obama is “right” to push lawmakers to pass a long-term infrastructure funding measure. White House officials sent a six-year, $478 billion transportation bill to Congress on Monday […]

As published by Keith Laing in The Hill.   Senate to consider extending deadline for automating trains The Senate committee that oversees transportation issues is scheduled to mark up a measure on Wednesday that would extend a deadline for U.S. railways to equip their trains with automated control systems by five years. Current law requires that […]

Washington, DC—Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issues this statement about the Senate markup of the Positive Train Control (PTC) extension bill:  “A five-year extension of the deadline by which Positive Train Control (PTC) technology must be implemented cannot be considered in a vacuum or in isolation. Rail employees, first responders, […]

Did you miss TTD Secretary-Treasurer Larry Willis discussing Fast Track and the Amtrak and surface transportation reauthorizations on America’s Work Force Radio on Monday? You’re in luck — you can listen to the show here on the MoveAmerica blog. TTD stands with the AFL-CIO in opposition to Fast Track: as Larry points out in the interview, in the […]

As published by Keith Laing in The Hill   Unions seek to protect federal gas tax A top labor union is fighting to save the federal gas tax, arguing that eliminating it would ruin the nation’s transportation system. The AFL-CIO’s Transportation Trades Department (TTD) said Friday that without the gas tax the nation would be left […]

As published by Joan Lowy for the Associated Press.   House passes bipartisan Amtrak bill that could boost Northeast Corridor service WASHINGTON (AP) — In a rare burst of bipartisanship, the House moved Wednesday to boost Amtrak’s popular service between Boston and Washington while giving states a greater say in the local routes they help […]

As published in Progressive Railroading.   House passes $8 billion Amtrak funding bill The U.S. House yesterday passed a bill that authorizes nearly $8 billion to fund Amtrak over the next four years. The Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015 (PRRIA) would keep Amtrak funded at nearly current levels, about $1.4 billion per year, […]

Washington, DC—Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issues this statement about the House passage of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015 (PRRIA): “Today the House of Representatives took an important step to sustain Amtrak, America’s national passenger railroad. The overwhelming vote today on the floor of the House […]

As published by Keith Laing in The Hill.   Amtrak vote bumped by DHS bill The House has pushed back a vote on a nearly a nearly $8 billion funding bill for Amtrak that was scheduled for a final taplly on Tuesday. The measure, which provides Amtrak about $1.7 billion per year for the next four […]