WASHINGTON — Greg Regan and Shari Semelsberger, President and Secretary-Treasurer of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issued the following statement after the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued a first-ever General Directive aimed at protecting America’s frontline transit workers from assault:
“Earlier today, a bus was hijacked at gunpoint in Los Angeles. While the driver was thankfully unharmed, one passenger was fatally shot. This incident demonstrates the clear need for federal action to better protect our nation’s transit systems. It is unacceptable that today’s transit workers go to work uncertain whether they will be safe from physical violence or emotional turmoil on the job.
“We commend the FTA for recognizing the surge in assaults, and working with transportation unions on direct action to alleviate these assaults. The General Directive is an important step in protecting our nation’s transit workers, ensuring that these incidents are thoroughly investigated and comprehensive safety plans are enacted.”
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