Policy Statements

In its rush to strike a new trade deal with the European Union (EU), the Administration is pushing a wildly unpopular and misguided regulatory change that would allow foreign interests, including foreign airlines, to exercise actual control of U.S. airlines.  This initiative, unveiled as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) last fall, has significant security […]

Transportation labor strongly endorses the Day of Action being organized by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and urges all transportation unions to participate in the May 17, 2007 event in Washington, DC.For five years transportation workers and their families have been painfully living out the theme of the rally, “Enough is Enough.”  They […]

In the wake of two bus fires in less than five months, and persistent violations of basic safety and operational rules, federal and local officials must do a better job of regulating so-called curb-side bus operators that provide service between major cities in the Northeast, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.  Failure to […]

Our nation’s air traffic controllers, technicians and other employees work together to safely guide nearly 90,000 planes each day.  These highly skilled men and women work tirelessly to ensure the safety of our nation’s skies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.As the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) engages in collective […]

The safe and secure transportation of hazardous materials and toxic chemicals is a vital national interest, particularly in a post 9/11 world. It is critical that the safety laws surrounding hazmat transportation are maintained and enforced, and that employees in this perilous environment are well prepared for and protected from the risks they face on […]

A scathing report recently issued by the Inspector General (IG) at the U.S. Department of Transportation confirms what transportation workers have known for years -the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) must be more aggressive in policing safety at the nation’s railroads.Transportation labor has long argued that the FRA is too cozy with the industry it regulates […]

As Amtrak prepares to fight for its very existence, its own Board of Directors has abandoned its fiduciary responsibility and instead appears willing, at the direction of the White House, to put the carrier into bankruptcy. While the Board’s strategy to dismantle Amtrak from within is being directed by an Administration that has long sought […]

Over three years have passed since the horrific events of 9/11, yet amazingly too little has been done to secure our nation’s transportation network from another terrorist attack. Sufficient resources have not been allocated, common-sense requirements have not been imposed, and too often employees and their unions have not been enlisted as true partners in […]

At the behest of the railroad industry, Bush appointees to the National Mediation Board (NMB) are poised to use the thin bureaucratic smokescreen of new “filing fees” to suppress rail workers from speaking out on critical issues of working conditions, safety, and pay. Transportation labor strongly condemns this egregious and misguided effort to silence workers.For […]

The reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) is at a critical juncture.  President Bush continues to publicize his staunch opposition to a fully-funded reauthorization bill, and most recently has threatened to veto any legislation over $270 billion.  Despite this intense political pressure from the White House, Congress must pass a […]