Category Archives: Legislative Outlook

September 30th – Workers to Rally, Call on Congress to Save Jobs, Fund Amtrak

Absent Emergency Funding, Amtrak Plans to Furlough 2,000 Employees and make Substantial Service Cuts WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 28, 2020) —Transportation Communications Union/IAM and the members it represents will rally in four major U.S. cities on Sept. 30th – to urge members of Congress to provide Amtrak emergency funding and protest looming job cuts. More than

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TCU President Maratea Testified Before House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

TCU National President Artie Maratea testified before the House Railroads, Pipelines & HazMat Subcommittee to discuss Amtrak’s Response to COVID-19. He spoke regarding the ongoing challenges TCU members face on the job and the dire need for adequate funding to provide the much-needed employee protections. “I’m here on behalf of Amtrak workers to urge Congress

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TCU President Arthur P. Maratea Will Testify Before Congress Tomorrow

TCU National President Artie Maratea is expected to testify tomorrow, September 9th  before the House Railroads, Pipelines & HazMat Subcommittee to discuss Amtrak’s Response to COVID-19. President Maratea will testify regarding the ongoing challenges TCU members face on the job and the dire need for adequate funding to provide the much needed employee protections. The

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Amtrak Announces Mass Furloughs on Oct. 1st – Unless Congress Acts

Amtrak announced yesterday that it plans to furlough 1,950 union represented employees beginning October 1st. A stalemate on Capitol Hill continues for the next coronavirus relief package. Democrats in the House have already passed multiple bills to avert economic catastrophe, including $10 billion for Amtrak, but Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell continues to prevent

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TCU Joins with Rail Unions and Agencies to Demand Congress Fund Transit

Unions representing frontline public transportation workers joined forces with transit agencies and rider advocates to deliver a stark warning to lawmakers: without at least $32 billion in emergency funding, transit systems in both urban and rural areas face irreversible harm. In a letter to Congressional leadership, 36 organizations explained that physical distancing measures, including stay-at-home

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TTD: Support Amtrak and its Workforce in COVID-19 Relief Package

On behalf of TCU and other rail labor affiliates, the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, sent the following letter to Congressional leadership detailing the urgent need for $4.5 billion in Amtrak relief funding whilst preventing furloughs and protecting service for millions of Americans:   July 28, 2020 The Honorable Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House United

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TCU Statement on House Committee’s FY2021 Spending Bill

TCU National President Bob Scardelletti and National President-Elect Artie Maratea issued the following joint statement on the House Appropriations Committee’s passage of the FY2021 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill: “The House Appropriation Committee’s spending bill delivers record funding levels for Amtrak at a time when it’s needed most. The vision laid out

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