The House recently passed Amtrak reauthorization legislation, The Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act H.R.749, authorizing nearly $8 billion in funding for Amtrak that would expire in 2019. The 316-101 vote badly divided Republicans, as all of the no votes came from firebrand conservatives. The Bill wouldn’t have passed except for the support of all
TCU President Bob Scardelletti wrote a letter to Congress in support of H.R 749, supporting Amtrak funding. In the letter President Scardelletti writes; “On behalf of the Transportation Communications Union/IAM, I am writing you to urge the members of the House of Representatives to pass, without amendment, H.R. 749, the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment
Edward Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), of which TCU is a member, recently issued a statement about the markup of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015: “We are pleased that the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved a bipartisan passenger rail bill that provides multi-year investment for Amtrak while
In 1993, Intel shipped the first-generation Pentium chips and Nintendo released Star Fox for the Super Nintendo system; the average monthly rent was $532.00; and tuition to Harvard University cost $23,514. A lot has changed since then. One thing, though, hasn’t changed at all: the federal gas tax. When last raised – to 18.4 cents
The National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) reviewed the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015 (PRRIA 2015) introduced by the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, the NARP found many commonsense reforms but is concerned over the following issues: PRRIA Ignores Funding Question, Caps Capacity Improvements: PRRIA Fragments National Network PRRIA Shortchanges Equipment And
The Legislative Department As National Legislative Director, National Vice President Ron Kloos oversees TCU’s legislative and political action programs. The Legislative Department’s challenge is to protect the gains our members have made over the years and to work for legislation to further improve conditions in the workplace and in society. Department staff work both at
Tuesday, November 4 is Election Day, TCU members in every state will be affected by the results. If right-wing extremists take over both houses of Congress, then transportation infrastructure, pensions, health care and many other important issues are at risk. And if anti-worker, anti-retiree governors take over state houses, then more issues are at risk,
The USDOT is allocating $600 million for transportation projects in 46 states and the District of Columbia. Grants totaling more than $131 million were awarded to 17 rail and transit-related projects, including: • $20 million for upgrades to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Ruggles Station; • $12.5 million for improvements along Amtrak’s Southwest Chief corridor
Pictured Presenting MNPL check from left to right, IAM Legislative Representative Matt McKinnon and TCU Lodge 1315 Local Chairperson Olivia Nelson-Richards, Congresswoman Karen Bass, DL 725 Organizer Walter Carroll, Organizing Director Joe Solis and Organizer Calixto Tapia Karen Bass (D-CA) received a check from the IAM MNPL in recognition of her strong support of TCU
Transportation Trades Department’s (TTD), of which TCU is a member, rail safety agenda got a boost last week when Senator Richard Blumenthal, along with three other Senators, included several reforms that rail labor has long championed in their Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2014. Some 130,000 miles of freight rail tracks crisscross the United States,
