Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) was a sponsor of the original Employee Free Choice Act in 2003, he supported the bill again in 2005 and voted against a Republican filibuster of it in 2007, but he recently announced that he would support a filibuster this year in an attempt to block the legislation from coming to
President Barack Obama nominated Joe Szabo to the FRA Administrator position at the Department of Transportation. Szabo is currently the Illinois State Legislative Director for the United Transportation Union. He also serves on the Federal Railroad Administration’s Rail Safety Advisory Committee developing federal regulations on rail safety. Prior to that, he served as the Mayor
Linda A. Puchala has been nominated by President Barack Obama for a member of the National Mediation Board. She is currently the Sr. Mediator at the National Mediation Board. Puchala joined the National Mediation Board in May 1999, as a Mediator, working on both airline and railroad cases. She directs the Board’s training programs, develops and
The recent AFL-CIO meetings provided the opportunity to meet important leaders who could make decisions that will greatly affect the membership of TCU. International President Bob Scardelletti met with; Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, to put forth personally the needs of TCU members. Important issues facing
TCU International President Bob Scardelletti and TCU Assistant National Legislative Director Tony Padilla attended the official swearing-in ceremony of Hilda Solis as Secretary of Labor. The swearing-in begins a new era at the Department of Labor where the needs and rights of working men and women have a voice over corporate interests. A longtime supporter
From left: TCU Assistant National Legislative Director Tony Padilla, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, IAM GVP Robert Roach and TCU International President Bob Scardelletti. TCU International President Bob Scardelletti, Robert Roach GVP IAM, and Tony Padilla TCU Assistant National Legislative Director met with Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood at the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO
President Obama spoke to the AFL-CIO Executive Council by electronic means and made it clear that he intends to pass the Employee Free Choice Act. His comments are reassuring particularly in the wake of efforts by opponents to try to put the measure on the back burner. In his remarks President Obama promised that labor
In a Senate vote delayed by Republicans for over 40 days Representative Hilda Solis (D-CA) was confirmed as Secretary of Labor by a margin of 80 to 17. In the vote 56 Democrats and 24 Republicans voted for confirmation. All 17 votes against were cast by Republicans. Rep. Solis has worked tirelessly to expand job training programs,
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, popularly known as the Stimulus Bill, was signed into law February 17, by President Barack Obama. The final bill contains billions of funds for rail and transit projects, and should lead to the creation of new jobs on Amtrak, commuters, transit agencies, and even freight railroads. President
$20 million of unemployment benefits will be extended to railroad workers now that changes have been added to The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed by President Obama on February 17, 2009. The Railroad Retirement Board created the language, and TCU Assistant National Legislative Director Tony Padilla Lobbied members of the conference committee, that provides
