As America awaits a long-overdue infrastructure plan from President Trump, one opinion writer highlighted a few of America’s greatest infrastructure needs on CNN. Kate Ascher, a principal at BuroHappold Engineering, listed a number of items on which our country should focus, but first on her list was providing adequate funding for Amtrak’s interstate and long-distance rail.
On Wednesday, labor unions joined together to host a reception in honor of newly-elected Senator Doug Jones of Alabama. Sen. Jones won a hotly contested special election in December over controversial candidate Roy Moore. He now takes over the seat once held by current Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Rail labor – including TCU – invested
UPDATE (1/3/17): DOT Secretary Chao sent letters to the respective leaders of the nation’s railroads asking them to increase the pace at which they are installing PTC. Click HERE to read the letters. Last Thursday, two top Democrats from the Transportation Committee and the Railroads Subcommittee chided both the rail industry as well as the
The executive chairman of BNSF railroad, Matt Rose, penned an editorial in the San Antonio Express-News pleading with lawmakers, including Texas Sen. John Cornyn, not to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Leaving NAFTA, wrote Rose, would end the one million jobs in Texas that rely on the trade deal. Rose noted
In recent news, good paying union jobs from companies like Nabisco and Ford are going to Mexico despite all the tough bravado from President Trump. Both companies released statement that they will be sending hundreds of jobs to Mexico where they will be getting lower costs for labor and tax breaks to incentivize it. Click
On January 1, 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will update its drug testing regulations for all transportation workers, including railroads, aviation and transit.
Yesterday, the Senate Commerce Committee voted largely along party lines to approve Lynn Westmoreland for a five-year term on the Amtrak Board of Directors. Final approval of Mr. Westmoreland will now head to the full Senate where he’s likely to get confirmed. It’s unclear when the final vote will occur. A few weeks ago, TCU posted
On Wednesday night, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm President Trump’s package of three nominees to the National Mediation Board (NMB). With these confirmations, the Board is now officially in Republican control and their decisions will be decidedly pro-management for the near future. The NMB is the agency charged with settling labor disputes in
The 2017 AFL-CIO Convention wrapped up yesterday, and with it the adoption of a number of resolutions meant to guide the organization – and the labor movement – as it continues to fight for working families. Click HERE to see all the resolutions passed. Some of the highlights: Resolution #1 – A Worker’s Bill of
Recently, the Jones Act has come under heavy scrutiny from those in the press and across the political spectrum. TCU believes that the Jones Act is good for the United States because it strengthens and supports both our national economy and our national defense. In short, the Jones Act is a law that says if
