Policy Statements

When the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) became law in 2021, it codified a number of transportation labor’s key priorities, including strengthened worker protections that support high wages and safe jobs, and powerful domestic content requirements, in addition to its historic investments in transportation infrastructure. Now, three years later, we must reflect on the…

Read More

Since the inception of the Postal Service nearly 250 years ago, letter carriers have delivered to every community on every street in the United States, rarely being the targets of violence. In recent years, that has changed. Since 2020, there have been more than 2,000 crimes committed against letter carriers on the job. Many of…

Read More

Labor unions have long led the fight for rail safety improvements; the combined skill and expertise of unionized rail workers prevent accidents and save lives on a daily basis. It is therefore imperative that rail workers are considered equal partners in promoting safety as new technologies, including those driven by artificial intelligence (AI), become more…

Read More

The Washington State Ferry System (WSF) is, indisputably, in crisis. After many years of underinvestment by the state, this vital network of marine highways is hindered by a shortage of vessels, a $270 million deferred maintenance backlog, and, most importantly, a severe staffing crisis. Tens of thousands of Washingtonians rely on state-operated ferry service to…

Read More

The TTD Executive Committee has called upon Congress and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) numerous times to grant full federal employee rights to the nearly 45,000 Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) who keep our nation’s airways, mass transit systems, and large public gatherings safe and secure. After years of continuous effort, TSA employees and their union…

Read More

On October 1st, following the expiration of their six-year contract, and without a serious offer on the table from their employers, East and Gulf Coast longshore workers exercised their right to strike. With the help of the Biden administration, and with the leverage derived from the work stoppage in their grasp, the International Longshoremen’s Association…

Read More

The importance of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) bargaining with its unions is the cornerstone of ensuring the national airspace system’s safety, efficiency, and well-being. The FAA’s highly skilled workforce relies on collective bargaining to advocate for fair compensation, equitable working conditions, and avenues for professional development. Through this process, unions provide valuable insights and…

Read More

Airline pilots have spent decades focused on making airline operations the safest and most secure form of transportation in the world. Airline pilots work with stakeholders routinely to make commercial air transportation safer through improved training and human factors, enhanced technology, advancements in crew resource management, and the creation of positive safety culture. Today, some…

Read More

The tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key (FSK) Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, has highlighted the urgent need for stronger and vigorously enforced international maritime safety standards for cargo ships. Before the container ship MV Dali struck and destroyed the FSK Bridge, the Port of Baltimore played a crucial role in U.S. shipping routes, ranking…

Read More

Extreme temperatures, largely resulting from global climate change, have become an unfortunate new normal for transportation workers. In fact, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that 2023 was the warmest year ever recorded.[1] It has become increasingly clear in recent years that extreme temperatures are not going away. Now more than ever, we must rise…

Read More