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| TCU-IAM International President Bob Scardelletti testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and called for labor rights to be respected in any high speed rail funding initiatives. |
The merits and challenges of high speed rail service in the United States were debated recently at a House committee hearing in Washington D.C., where visitors frequently filled the hearing room to capacity.
The hearing, held before the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, included testimony from TCU International President Bob Scardelletti, who defended Amtrak and its workforce as the backbone of any high speed rail service in America.
“The most significant challenge is to ensure that these [funding] initiatives are implemented correctly,” said Scardalletti of the current and pending legislation. “It is imperative that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) vigorously enforces the statutory requirements attached to high speed rail funding, particularly those designed to protect the jobs and rights of workers.”
FRA Administrator Joe Szabo echoed those statements, specifically mentioning Railroad Retirement and Railway Labor laws as he made it clear that any grant money received must honor the appropriate worker protection guidelines.
