Press Releases and Statements

WASHINGTON, DC— Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) issued this statement to commemorate National Maritime Day: “As we celebrate the 79th National Maritime Day in the U.S., we express our gratitude to the nation’s skilled maritime and longshore workers who endure hardships and make sacrifices to keep cargo and people moving…

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WASHINGTON, DC— Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) President Edward Wytkind issued this statement in support of Rep. Nick Rahall’s (D-WV) Motion to Instruct Conferees on the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012 (H.R.4348): “Transportation labor wholeheartedly endorses a Motion to Instruct Conferees by Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV) that will boost the U.S. manufacturing sector and…

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WASHINGTON, DC—Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) President Edward Wytkind issued this statement following TTD’s submission of comments to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration pertaining to the in-flight transport of lithium cells and batteries (Docket No. PHMSA-2009-0095 (HM-224F)): “Fire is the most serious threat to an aircraft in flight, especially when it is due…

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WASHINGTON, DC— Edward Wytkind (@EdWytkind), president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued this statement following the decision by Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to squander a chance to boost domestic manufacturing in the selection of a rail car supplier: “Today the BART Board gave its stamp of approval to a rail car manufacturing…

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WASHINGTON, DC— Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued the following statement ahead of this week’s House-Senate conference on surface transportation reauthorization legislation: “As House and Senate conferees begin negotiations on surface transportation legislation tomorrow, nearly 2 million current jobs, and up to 1 million new jobs, are at stake in…

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WASHINGTON, DC— Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued the following statement in response to passage of the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2012 (H.R.4348): “The House of Representatives made the right decision today when it put a myriad of ideological interests aside in favor of moving toward negotiating a jobs-creating,…

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WASHINGTON, DC—Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, issued this statement following the passing of Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO President Mark H. Ayers on April 8: “The labor movement has lost a fighter and a friend. “We offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mark Ayers, and to…

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WASHINGTON, DC— Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), offers the following statement in response to the House FY 2013 budget resolution released by Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI): “The Ryan budget resolution released today is the worst for transportation that we have ever seen. “It not only turns a blind…

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WASHINGTON, DC— Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued the following statement in response to Senate passage, by a vote of 74-22, of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century surface transportation bill (S.1813), known as MAP-21. “The Senate today has proven that bipartisanship can boost the economy, fix…

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ORLANDO, FL—Leaders from 32 transportation unions gathered here to forge a transportation investment, jobs and safety agenda vital to a strong industry and thriving economy. “The old playbook in Washington has been tossed out by many lawmakers, and bipartisan support traditionally seen for transportation jobs bills that fuel the economy is evaporating,” Edward Wytkind, president…

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