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 just to stay afloat, while wages and access to good jobs fail to keep pace with the rising costs of healthcare, childcare, housing, and education. The current crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has only highlighted those divisions.
Americans deserve leadership in Washington that will serve those who have worked hard and made sacrifices for the good of this country. They need a leader in the White House who will put their interests first, who knows how to guide our country through this public health and economic crisis, and who understands that smart investments in and support for our transportation network are critical to economic recovery and expansion. That leader is Joe Biden.
The AFL-CIO’s general board endorsed Biden for president, and TTD was proud to support that endorsement. As president, we know that Biden will fight for working families. For more than 36 years, he has stood by his conviction that America works best when we put the needs of working class Americans first. In the Senate, Biden fought for policies to promote middle-class job creation, strengthen union rights, and prioritize workplace safety. As Vice President, he helped pass and implement the largest economic recovery plan in American history, saving and creating millions of jobs for the people hardest hit by the Great Recession.
When it comes to issues important to frontline transportation workers, Biden has long stood with TTD unions on priorities like robust federal investments for infrastructure, strong labor protections, and the broad application of Buy America rules. He understands that a well-funded, safe, and secure transportation system and infrastructure is critical to the health of our economy and the needs of working families. And rather than attacking the federal workers who help deliver and administer the programs that ensure strong federal investments, he embraces the role they have played in our transportation system and the broader economy it supports.
He also knows that workers deserve to be safe on the job. That’s why he has been an outspoken proponent of an emergency temporary standard from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which would require basic protections for frontline workers. He has demanded that those same workers receive priority access to PPE and testing.
As president, Biden will continue fighting for middle-class values. His plan to build a stronger, more inclusive economy starts with placing a check on corporate power and empowering more workers to form and join unions. By investing $1.3 trillion in our nation’s infrastructure over the next 10 years, he will create and sustain millions of good jobs, revitalize communities, expand transportation manufacturing, and offer millions of Americans access to new mobility options. And through his four-point plan for essential workers, he will ensure that those working on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis will finally receive the hazard pay, safety equipment, and respect they deserve.
Joe Biden has long stood with working people, and now it is time for working people to stand with Joe Biden. Together we will fight, win, and create the kind of country, economy, and middle class where working families can prosper.