Category Archives: Legislative Outlook

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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TCU Demands Congress Support Commuter Rail Workers

Thousands of commuter rail workers have worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, only to contract the disease, resulting in many deaths. With CARES Act funding due to expire, the IAM and TCU-IAM demand that Congress provide additional funding to ensure the safety and security of all employees. TAKE ACTION: Tell Congress to Support Commuter Rail

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Senators slam Amtrak over proposed cuts

Eleven U.S. Senators wrote Amtrak this week in two separate letters that criticized Amtrak’s proposed cuts to long-distance train service and plans to eliminate 20% of the workforce – many of which would be TCU members. As the largest union on Amtrak – representing approx. 6,800 Amtrak employees nationwide – our union is fighting diligently

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House Committee includes pro-rail worker provisions in INVEST in America Act

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee recently passed the INVEST in America Act (H.R. 2). The bill will now go to the House floor for consideration. Amtrak The bill authorizes a record $29.3 billion over five years in grants supporting Amtrak, while including numerous provisions to help Amtrak workers in their fight to be treated

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TCU Supports the INVEST in America Act, Urges Swift Passage

TCU National President Bob Scardelletti and National President-elect Artie Maratea issued the following statement on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee’s INVEST in America Act: “After decades of calling for massive investments in our country’s infrastructure, the INVEST in America Act finally delivers. This is the kind of bold, transformative legislation that will lead rail

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Larry I. Willis, President Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO Testified Before The Senate Committee On Commerce, Science and Transportation

Larry Willis, President of the Transportation Trades Department AFL-CIO (TTD), of which TCU is a member, testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, And Transportation in a hearing titled: “THE STATE OF TRANSPORTATION AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE: EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC” In the written statement from TTD president Willis:   On behalf

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TCU Fights for Jobs, Calls out Amtrak over Furloughs and Insufficient Funding Request

Amtrak recently requested nearly $1.5 billion in supplemental funding from the federal government in fiscal 2021 to maintain “minimum service levels,” anticipating ridership will not recover to pre-pandemic levels in fiscal 2021. Amtrak also announced a reduction of up to 20 percent of its staff. The reductions will come to about 3,700 jobs. Amtrak is

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TTD Release – Joe Biden is the Best Candidate for Transportation Workers and their Families

In a recent release from the Transportation Trades Department AFL-CIO (TTD), of which TCU is a member: The past three years have shined a spotlight on two vastly different Americas. In one, the richest among us continue to amass wealth and influence, seemingly unaffected by economic and political crises. In the other, working-class people struggle

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TCU Urges Additional Support for New York’s MTA

Leaders of TCU wrote to Congress this week to push for urgent action on increased funding for the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). Approximately 3,600 TCU members work at the MTA and its commuter railroads, the Long Island Railroad (LIRR), Metro North Railroad (MNR) and Staten Island Rapid Transit (SIRTOA). “Our members are braving the pandemic

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