UTU Illinois State Legislative Director Joe Szabo has been confirmed by the Senate for the Federal Railroad Administration position as nominated by President Barack Obama. Szabo, a fifth-generation railroader, hired out with the Illinois Central (now part of Canadian National) in 1976. Senate Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) predicted, “Joe will bring his passion
A resolution, presented to the House of Representatives by Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL), asks for support of National Train Day. With a statement that remembers Promontory Point and the “Golden Spike” the resolution brings back the thoughts of when the United States was coming together. Amtrak and intercity passenger rail were also credited as keeping
Clear support of high speed rail and Amtrak came from both sides of the aisle in the April 1, 2009 House Committee on Appropriations hearing to discuss the future of high speed rail, intercity passenger rail and Amtrak. “This is a breath of fresh air, just a few years ago we were talking about how
Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) was a sponsor of the original Employee Free Choice Act in 2003, he supported the bill again in 2005 and voted against a Republican filibuster of it in 2007, but he recently announced that he would support a filibuster this year in an attempt to block the legislation from coming to
President Barack Obama nominated Joe Szabo to the FRA Administrator position at the Department of Transportation. Szabo is currently the Illinois State Legislative Director for the United Transportation Union. He also serves on the Federal Railroad Administration’s Rail Safety Advisory Committee developing federal regulations on rail safety. Prior to that, he served as the Mayor
Linda A. Puchala has been nominated by President Barack Obama for a member of the National Mediation Board. She is currently the Sr. Mediator at the National Mediation Board. Puchala joined the National Mediation Board in May 1999, as a Mediator, working on both airline and railroad cases. She directs the Board’s training programs, develops and
The recent AFL-CIO meetings provided the opportunity to meet important leaders who could make decisions that will greatly affect the membership of TCU. International President Bob Scardelletti met with; Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, to put forth personally the needs of TCU members. Important issues facing
TCU International President Bob Scardelletti and TCU Assistant National Legislative Director Tony Padilla attended the official swearing-in ceremony of Hilda Solis as Secretary of Labor. The swearing-in begins a new era at the Department of Labor where the needs and rights of working men and women have a voice over corporate interests. A longtime supporter
From left: TCU Assistant National Legislative Director Tony Padilla, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, IAM GVP Robert Roach and TCU International President Bob Scardelletti. TCU International President Bob Scardelletti, Robert Roach GVP IAM, and Tony Padilla TCU Assistant National Legislative Director met with Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood at the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO
President Obama spoke to the AFL-CIO Executive Council by electronic means and made it clear that he intends to pass the Employee Free Choice Act. His comments are reassuring particularly in the wake of efforts by opponents to try to put the measure on the back burner. In his remarks President Obama promised that labor
