[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1852]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING THE TRANSPORTATION TRADES DEPARTMENT ON ITS TWENTIETH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GEORGE MILLER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 24, 2010

  Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California. Madam Speaker, I would like to 
congratulate the Transportation Trades Department (TTD), AFL-CIO on its 
twentieth anniversary as an invaluable advocate for our nation's 
transportation workers. As the Chairman of the House Committee on 
Education and Labor, I have seen the critical role that TTD plays in 
making heard the voices of those on the front lines of our nation's 
transit system.
  TTD is a leader in ensuring that an industry as safety- and customer 
service-intensive as transportation has the most well-trained and 
experienced workforce possible. TTD has enabled employees in this 
industry to present a unified and effective voice, one that helps make 
policymakers aware of the needs and concerns of the people who form the 
backbone of the industry. TTD serves as an important check and balance 
guaranteeing that financial pressures do not lead to cutting corners on 
safety and security and ensuring that those in government carry out 
their vital oversight responsibilities in a thorough and effective 
manner. Our nation owes transportation workers and their 
representatives a debt of gratitude on these issues.
  TTD's fight for workplace fairness has most recently turned to a 
proposed rule change at the National Mediation Board (NMB) which would 
allow a majority of voting employees to prevail in a union election 
under the Railway Labor Act. Currently, the NMB treats non-
participating voters as opponents of forming a union. This current rule 
clearly contradicts the standards under which elections are conducted 
in this country. It is a matter of basic fairness that workers covered 
under this Act not have lesser rights than employees in other 
industries. With the transportation industry facing great uncertainty 
and change, it is more important than ever that workers have a fair and 
full voice in the workplace.
  TTD serves an essential role in our nation's labor and transportation 
policy debates. In a responsible and effective manner, they help 
policymakers remember the needs and concerns of the women and men whose 
work contributes so much to our national economy. I congratulate the 
Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO on its many accomplishments 
over the past 20 years, and look forward to continuing to work with 
them on issues of profound public interest, ranging from safety to 
rebuilding and strengthening our nation's middle class.

                          ____________________