Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), offers the following statement regarding the Obama Administration’s upcoming high speed rail announcements:
“A new day in rail travel in America has arrived. With the anticipated announcement of high speed rail grant awards, transportation workers around the country look forward to contributing to the success of the President’s vision.
“This historic commitment to high speed rail couldn’t come at a better time. Investing in America’s passenger transportation systems and infrastructure not only builds a lasting contribution to future generations of travelers, it puts people to work at a time when so many Americans are jobless.
“The roll-out of significant investments in passenger rail will also boost Amtrak, America’s only national passenger rail carrier and only current provider of high speed rail. The carrier, a major partner with the states, has a highly skilled workforce and the management expertise needed to deliver on the President’s vision for high speed train service across America.
“This transformational initiative will not only create transportation and construction jobs, but it will also boost American manufacturing jobs if our government vigorously enforces domestic content requirements. This new investment in passenger rail presents a historic opportunity for U.S. manufacturing to seize and flourish.
“Our elected leaders should also build on the momentum from these high speed rail announcements and complete action this winter on a jobs bill that invests in aviation, mass transit, highway, passenger and freight rail, maritime and port infrastructure.”
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The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, represents 32 member unions in the aviation, rail, transit, trucking, highway, longshore, maritime and related industries. For more information, visit www.ttd.org
