Maritime

As the Commerce Committee considers marking up the Port Performance Act (S. 1298), I urge you to remove or significantly modify language in the bill (currently Section 4) that would improperly mandate the federal collection of port performance data leading up to and during maritime labor negotiations. This language would misuse statistics to tilt the balance against port workers in collective bargaining disputes and undermine the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by needlessly politicizing the agency’s data collection process. If this language is not removed or modified, we will strongly oppose the bill and urge Commerce Committee members to vote against it during the markup.

Almost one in three adults has a record that will show up in a criminal background check, creating a serious barrier to employment for millions of workers. Today, TTD was proud to add our name to a letter asking President Obama to ensure that otherwise qualified job applicants who have a criminal conviction or have […]

ATLANTA, GA—The Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) and its 32 affiliated unions waded into every major transportation policy debate in Washington and focused on expanding transportation investments, reforming safety policy, protecting workers’ rights, and rejecting job-killing trade policies. “2015 must be the year when we break the stalemate on funding our badly deteriorated transportation system […]

For numerous unrepresented civilian mariners employed by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) that are seeking representation, including over 60 Operations Officers, the agency is using the pretense of national security concerns to undermine their right to join a union and collectively bargain. Specifically, the MSC is seeking to expand the application of an executive order […]

For six decades, the United States has played a leading role in helping to alleviate global hunger through the Food for Peace Program. This history of success stems in part from the program’s dual mission of distributing food aid to people in need while simultaneously supporting an American maritime industry capable of meeting our military’s […]

In recent years, Congress has generated bad ideas with such regularity that the shock value has diminished. But the latest proposal from Senator John McCain still packs a wallop. With the U.S. economy creating jobs at the fastest pace in 15 years, Senator McCain apparently believes that we can afford to lose close to half […]

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I urge you to oppose an amendment filed by Senator John McCain to S.1, the Keystone XL Pipeline Act. This ideologically driven amendment, which seeks to repeal components of the Jones Act, would outsource American jobs; jeopardize our domestic shipping industry; undermine our nation’s economic, national and homeland security and has no place during a debate over energy policy.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—TTD President Edward Wytkind issued the following statement today on the Howard Coble Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014: “We are pleased that congressional negotiators have reached an agreement on the Coast Guard’s 2014 Reauthorization bill and urge the House and Senate to approve this legislation before Congress adjourns for the year. This […]

Washington, DC – Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) today commented on the pending markup of the THUD Appropriations bill before the Senate Appropriations Committee: “The Senate transportation funding bill is a solid step forward in meeting our immediate transportation needs and ensuring that we don’t weaken the nation’s fragile economy […]

Washington, DC –  TTD President Edward Wytkind hailed the passage of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014 today, calling it a victory for the U.S. Merchant Marine, middle class jobs and the broader economy. “The passage of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014 is good news for workers, the […]