Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), issues the following statement regarding best practices for labor standards for public-private partnerships issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA):
“We are pleased that the Administration has unveiled a more responsible approach to public-private partnerships, or P3s, by taking into consideration their effect on workers. For several years we have made the case that P3s must not be a tool designed to lower labor standards and undermine employees’ wages, benefits and bargaining rights.
“The Administration’s initiative raises the bar on how the public and private sectors execute transportation P3s and specifically how employees are treated. We are especially pleased that the Administration has adopted the Labor Best Practices chapter, developed jointly by the Departments of Labor and Transportation, to apply to all P3 agreements.
“If not carried out responsibly, P3s can be used to weaken or eliminate collective bargaining rights, slash public sector jobs, eliminate pensions or ignore the public interest. The Administration has provided an important first step in making sure P3s deliver for all parties without eroding long-standing worker protections or harming the employees involved in the design, build, operation and maintenance phases of projects.”
CONTACT: Jonna Huseman, jonnah@ttd.org, 202-628-9262
Administration Takes Critical First Step in Establishing Labor Standards for Transportation P3s (108kb)
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