Redmond Tapped as Secretary-Treasurer, Forming Historic Leadership Team

(Washington, D.C., Aug. 20, 2021)—The AFL-CIO Executive Council today elected Liz Shuler, a visionary leader and longtime trade unionist, to serve as president of the federation of 56 unions and 12.5 million members. Shuler is the first woman to hold the office in the history of the labor federation. The Executive Council also elected United Steelworkers (USW) International Vice President Fred Redmond to succeed Shuler as secretary-treasurer, the first African American to hold the number two office. Tefere Gebre will continue as executive vice president, rounding out the most diverse team of officers ever to lead the AFL-CIO.

The election of Shuler and Redmond comes after the unexpected and untimely passing of Richard Trumka, who served as AFL-CIO president from 2009 until his death on Aug. 5, capping a more than 50-year career of dedication to America’s unions and working people.

“I am humbled, honored and ready to guide this federation forward,” Shuler said after her election. “I believe in my bones the labor movement is the single greatest organized force for progress. This is a moment for us to lead societal transformations—to leverage our power to bring women and people of color from the margins to the center—at work, in our unions and in our economy, and to be the center of gravity for incubating new ideas that will unleash unprecedented union growth.”

“I could not be more excited to get to work with President Shuler so we can build on the labor movement’s legacy of change, writing a new chapter that brings the promise of union membership to workers across this country,” Redmond said. “This is the right team at the right time to help bring about the economic and social justice America is hungry for.”

“Our country is at a crossroads. Now more than ever, the labor movement is the best vehicle to fight inequality, systemic racism, and attacks on our basic rights and freedoms,” said Gebre. “I am honored to work with our historic team led by President Shuler and look forward to fighting every day for working families.”

Shuler grew up in a union household—her father, Lance, was a power lineman and longtime member of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 125 at Portland General Electric and her late mother, Joyce, worked as an estimator in the company’s service and design department. In 1993, Shuler was hired as an organizer at Local 125. When energy giant Enron Corp. tried to muscle electricity deregulation through the Oregon Legislature, Shuler worked with a broad-based coalition of labor, community and environmental activists to challenge and ultimately overcome Enron’s powerhouse lobbying campaign, a victory that sparked her passion for mobilizing workers to make change even when faced with overwhelming odds.

In 1998, Ed Hill, then-secretary-treasurer of the IBEW, assigned Shuler to California where she mobilized IBEW members to help defeat Prop. 226, the so-called paycheck protection initiative that threatened to silence union members in the political process. That victory prompted John J. Barry, then president of the IBEW at that time, to hire her as an international representative in the union’s Political/Legislative Affairs Department in Washington, D.C. In that role, Shuler ran grassroots political mobilization efforts and lobbied Congress on a range of issues important to working families. In 2004, she was promoted to assistant to the international president, where she served President Hill, who had succeeded to that position, in driving the agenda of the nearly 1-million member union.

In 2009, she joined forces with Trumka, becoming the first woman elected to the position of secretary-treasurer at an AFL-CIO convention and the youngest woman ever on the federation’s Executive Council. As secretary-treasurer, she also served as the chief financial officer, turning deficits into surpluses and steering the federation through multiple fiscal crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to her stewardship of the federation’s finances, Shuler led the AFL-CIO’s initiatives on the future of work, retirement security, the clean energy economy, public safety reform, workforce development, and empowering women and young workers. She is committed to busting myths about labor, leveraging the labor movement’s diversity for innovative approaches to social justice and making the benefits of a union voice on the job available to working people everywhere.

Redmond has been a USW member since 1973, when he went to work at Reynolds Metals Co. in Chicago. He became active in his local union almost immediately, serving as shop steward and eventually vice president. He served three terms as local president.

For decades, Redmond served the USW in various staff and leadership roles, assisting local unions, developing and conducting training programs, and bargaining contracts.

As international vice president for human affairs, Redmond oversaw the Civil and Human Rights Department, as well as the union’s shipbuilding, health care and public sector bargaining, and worked with USW allies across the country in responding to attacks on voting rights and in combating economic inequality. Redmond has a long history of leadership on various boards, including the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists and the A. Philip Randolph Institute. In 2021, Redmond was elected president of the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas, a prestigious international post.

The terms of the three executive officers run through June 2022, when delegates to the AFL-CIO Convention in Philadelphia will elect leaders for new four-year terms.

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Amtrak’s Empire Builder, a long-distance route that travels from Chicago to Seattle & Portland.

“Joe Biden ran for President to refocus our nation’s policies on everyday working people, including a commitment to finally invest in our nation’s infrastructure. This bill does just that. At a time when our country is so divided politically and in the midst of battling a pandemic, it’s a relief to see our bipartisan elected leaders put politics aside to do what’s right.

The bipartisan infrastructure legislation coming out of the Senate is a game-changer for our nation’s railroads, including the largest investment in Amtrak since the railroad’s creation 50 years ago. The bill would undoubtedly expand passenger rail access to millions of Americans, whilst creating thousands of good-paying union railroad jobs. It even includes TCU Amtrak-specific language to bolster station agents across the country and give onboard service staff a voice in food and beverage service.

As with any legislation, there can always be improvements, and TCU stands ready to work with House Leadership and Transportation & Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio to ensure that the final bill includes as many pro-rail worker policies as possible. Regardless, this bill would be a massive win for our nation’s railroads and rail workers, and TCU looks forward to hammering out the details with our friends in Congress.”

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About TCU: The Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM) is primarily a railroad union representing 35,000 employees in the clerical, carmen, supervisory and other crafts. TCU members work for our nation’s freight railroads, commuter carriers, transit systems, and we are the largest union on Amtrak, representing almost half of the railroad’s unionized workforce. TCU is a merged affiliate of the IAMAW, having completed the merger in 2012.

Contact:

Kevin Gifford, TCU Communications Director, giffordk@tcunion.org 

The post Statement from TCU National President Artie Maratea on Senate’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation appeared first on IAMAW.

House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Railroads Subcommittee Chairman Donald Payne, Jr (D-NJ).

Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Railroads Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) are requesting the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine the impacts of precision scheduled railroading (PSR) on workers, safety, freight shippers, passenger railroads, and long-term management of the nation’s railroads.

“PSR in practice means the bottom line drives the decisions,” said DeFazio. “Longer trains, unhappy shippers, and a workforce pushed to do more with less is not a model to chase after – unless you’re on Wall Street. But we can’t let hedge fund managers write the rules of railroading. Last Congress, my Committee heard from various stakeholders concerned for the immediate and long-term impacts of PSR. This study, passed by the House last year in my surface transportation reauthorization bill, the INVEST in America Act, will help us find ways to address the impacts this railroad management strategy has on workers, freight shippers, passenger railroads, and rail safety.”

“Precision scheduled railroading is being used more and more throughout the rail industry,” said Payne, Jr. “But I am concerned that this strategy could come at the expense of worker safety and smart, long-term railroad management. We need more information about this practice to determine whether it is beneficial or harmful to our nation’s railroad system.”

“This is a long time coming,” said TCU National President Artie Maratea. “This PSR scheme has seen railroaders furloughed by the many thousands, with those remaining being routinely overworked with zero regard for their safety. We can’t continue to let Wall Street dictate freight rail operations, and we’re grateful for leaders like Chairmen DeFazio and Payne that are stepping up for rail workers.”

The request cites the recent Vice News article where TCU Carmen Division National Representative Jason Cox was quoted saying, “It’s only a matter of time before fatigued workers, unrealistic inspection policies, and unqualified inspections result in a major incident in someone’s neighborhood.”

• Related: CBS News affiliate interviews TCU’s Kevin Loftin on PSR, train safety

In 2019, IAM District 19 Assistant to the President Andrew Sandberg testified before the House Railroads Subcommittee on behalf of IAM and TCU’s railroad membership: “Our union supports efforts to efficiently operate our nation’s railroads. We want our employers to be profitable—as profits lead to raises and quality benefits for our members,” said Sandberg. “However, we are concerned that current PSR schemes are detrimental to the long-term outlook of the rail industry, putting short-term gains ahead of long-term success—furloughing thousands, while degrading safety. PSR schemes are designed to increase short-term profits for shareholders, at any cost.”

The conducting of a GAO study will help shine further light on what railroaders already know: that PSR is killing our jobs while making our nation’s world-class freight rail industry less safe. We are confident that a GAO study will count as an official word on PSR, and encourage other safety and economic regulators at both the state and federal level to increase their scrutiny and policing of the destructive business model.

Click here to read the letter from Chairmen DeFazio and Payne to the GAO

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TCU Members Rob Allshouse, David Arouca, Amanda Chapin, William DeCarlo, Greg Kocialski, Keith Schlamandinger, Kevin Lattimer and William Stocks participated in the annual Railroad Day that was held virtually this year to promote moving essential goods and workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, more funding for the Railroad Retirement Board and promoting good, union rail jobs all across America.

Overall there were more than 260 meetings, TCU Members met with: Donald Payne (D-N.J.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Kevin Brady (R-Texas), Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) Jerry Moran (R-KS), Filemon Vela (D-TX) Michael Bennett (D-CO), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mike Levin (D-CA), Mike Garcia (R-CA), Jackie Walorski (R-IN), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Danny Davis (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Mike Braun (R-IN), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Jack Bergman (R-MI), Anthony Brown (D-MD), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Katherine Clark (D-MA), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Neal (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Donald M. Payne Jr. (D-NJ), Matt Cartwright (D-PA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Conor Lamb (D-PA), Albio Sires (D-NJ), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Susan Wild (D-PA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Joe Morelle (D-NY), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), David Rouzer (R-NC), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Trey Hollingsworth (R-IN), Jackie Walorski (R-IN), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Mike Braun (R-IN), Alma Adams (D-NC), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), David McKinley (R-WV), David Price (D-NC), Carol Miller (R-WV), Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA). 

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COVID-19 economic Stimulus check on blurred USA flag and sun light background. Relief program concept.

President Biden signed the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package on Thursday Mar 11th.

“For over a year the American people were told they were on their own,” said President Biden. “This nation has suffered too much for much too long, and everything in this package is designed to relieve the suffering and to meet the most urgent needs of the nation.”

TCU President Artie Maratea sent a letter to President Biden (see below), thanking him for his efforts: “On behalf of 35,000 TCU members, I want to thank you for enacting the American Rescue Plan, which will have an immediate material impact on the lives of our members.”

President Maratea continued, “Thanks to your leadership and Democrats in Congress, thousands of unemployed railroaders will have their Unemployment Insurance benefits extended through Labor Day. And thanks to you, thousands of Amtrak and transit employees will be coming back to work and/or protected from furlough.”

The TCU/IAM Legislative Department played a significant role in securing many of the provisions in the bill.

TCU-specific provisions:

• Extends $600 Biweekly Supplemental Railroad Unemployment Benefits: Provides an extension of the $600 supplemental unemployment benefits that thousands of railroaders currently rely through September 6, 2021. In addition, the first $10,200 of unemployment compensation ($20,400 for married couples) will not be subject to federal income tax.
• Public Transit: The package provides $30.4 billion of additional relief funding to transit agencies to prevent layoffs of transit workers and prevent severe cuts to transit services that essential workers and the general public rely on. This will help continue to employ TCU members on commuter railroads across the country. [Note: TCU’s Legislative Dept. worked hard to ensure funding flows down to contract transit operators as well, such as Keolis (MBTA Commuter) and TASI (Caltrain)]
• Amtrak: This bill provides $1.7 billion to Amtrak to keep rail service running across the nation, to rehire 1,230 workers who have been involuntarily furloughed after October 1st, 2020 as a result of COVID, and to restore daily long-distance service to rural communities.
• Railroad Retirement Board (RRB): The bill provides a combined $28 million to help the RRB improve services for railroaders. As many know, the pandemic has placed immense stress on the RRB, which was already short-staffed prior to COVID. This funding will help improve staffing levels for handling claims as well as improve their IT infrastructure to modernize the agency processes. [Note: This has been a priority of TCU’s Legislative Department for several years. We’re very pleased it got funded!]

Economic relief provisions:

• $1,400 Direct Payments: Individuals earning up to $75,000 and couples earning up to $150,000 receive the full direct payments of $1,400 per person. Individuals will also receive an additional $1,400 payment for each dependent claimed on their tax returns.  No payment will be sent to single filers earning more than $80,000 or joint filers earning more than $160,000.
• 100% COBRA Subsidy: The bill subsidizes 100 percent of COBRA premiums for six months for individuals who lost employment or had reduced hours. This allows laid off workers to retain their employer provided healthcare with NO premium share.
• Expanded Child Tax Credit: This bill also includes a large expansion of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to $3,000 per child age 6 to 17, and $3,600 per child under age 6. This will be a big help to American families dealing with increased childcare costs in the COVID era. Click HERE for a good explainer of the CTC.
• Veterans: The bill provides funding to waive copays for veterans during the pandemic, and to provide health care services and support to veterans, including COVID-19 vaccine distribution, expanded mental health care, and enhanced telehealth capabilities. It also establishes a new program to provide retraining assistance for veterans who have lost their jobs due to COVID, and includes funding for VA to mitigate the pandemic’s impacts on the benefits claims and appeals backlog.
• And much much more!

The American Rescue Plan is the kind of bold relief that TCU members – and all Americans – have needed since the outset of COVID.

But remember: these laws don’t write themselves!

TCU needs OUR allies on Capitol Hill to continue to prioritize OUR issues, and that means helping them in the voting booth and with their campaigns! Help us help our friends by participating in the Machinists Non-partisan Political League (MNPL)! 

TCU National President Maratea’s letter to President Biden:

The post Biden’s American Rescue Plan Delivers for TCU Members appeared first on IAMAW.

The Senate approved the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package Saturday, over 24 hours after opening debate on the bill. The bill is expected to be signed into law by President Biden. 
 
“For over a year the American people were told they were on their own,” said President Biden “This nation has suffered too much for much too long, and everything in this package is designed to relieve the suffering and to meet the most urgent needs of the nation.”
 
The TCU/IAM Legislative Department played a significant role in the RRB and Transit funding including the Amtrak funding which will expedite the return of the Amtrak workforce.
 
Some of the major highlights that will affect TCU members in the bill are:

• Stimulus Checks
• Increased Child Tax Credit
• RUI – Extends the additional $600 per two-week benefit period for Railroad Unemployment Insurance (RUI) beneficiaries through September 6th, 2021 (Labor Day)
• $1.7 billion for Amtrak (including funds to recall furloughed workers and resume daily long-distance train services)
• $30 billion for transit agencies
• $28 million combined for the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) to update its antiquated IT systems, and facilitate the necessary staffing enhancements to process unemployment claims.

“It is good to finally see meaningful relief for working families who have been impacted by the pandemic,” said TCU President Artie Maratea. “This bill extends the unemployment benefits for workers who are still out of work and provides desperately needed funding for many sectors of commuter rail which I am confident will help get members back to work faster.”

The post Senate Passes COVID Relief Bill appeared first on IAMAW.

The Transportation Trades Department AFL-CIO (TTD) is releasing videos highlighting transportation workers on the frontlines of the COVID pandemic, emphasizing the protection needs of workers going forward. The experiences of TCU members are prominently featured in some of these the videos. Follow these must-see stories at #CovidTransportationStories.

Click here to view the videos.

Click here to view the information on the hearing.

The post TCU Members Highlighted in Video released in Conjunction with T&I Hearing on Protecting Transportation Workers and Passengers from COVID appeared first on IAMAW.

“Our members applaud the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee’s draft stimulus bill, which would put thousands of our members back to work at Amtrak and commuter railroads, while providing much-needed help to railroaders on furlough as a result of the COVID crisis.

TCU calls on the House and Senate to pass this bill swiftly so that our members can get back to work, and deliver real help to those in need.”

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Beginning Monday February 1st, travelers and commuters will be required to wear face masks on nearly all forms of public transportation as part of a new order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). TCU joined with the TTD affiliate unions requesting a mask mandate on all Department of Transportation regulated (DOT) modes.

The importance of mask wearing has been proven to reduce the spread of the virus. And while the CDC guidance is long-overdue – TCU & TTD called for transportation mask mandate last summer – it is a welcome change. It is clear that this Administration’s priority is on keeping working people and the riding public safe from COVID-19.

The CDC guidance states:

“This Order must be followed by all passengers on public conveyances (e.g., airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis, ride-shares) traveling into, within, or out of the United States as well as conveyance operators (e.g., crew, drivers, conductors, and other workers involved in the operation of conveyances) and operators of transportation hubs ( e.g., airports, bus or ferry terminals, train or subway stations, seaports, ports of entry) or any other area that provides transportation in the United States.”

“People must wear masks that cover both the mouth and nose when awaiting, boarding, traveling on, or disembarking public conveyances. People must also wear masks when entering or on the premises of a transportation hub in the United States.”

The guidelines allow for a handful of exceptions. Children under the age of two won’t be required to wear coverings, and neither will anyone with a disability who cannot safely wear a mask. Otherwise, the order says passengers and operators are required to wear their masks at all times except “for brief periods,” such as to eat, drink or take medications.

The agency said that operators must “at the earliest opportunity” remove any passenger who refuses to comply with the mask order. Anyone violating the order could face potential criminal penalties.

Click here to read the TTD letter sent to the DOT.

Click here to read the release from the CDC.

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Earlier this week TCU President Maratea requested that Amtrak work with law enforcement to enact safety measures that ensures the safety of railroad workers and the traveling public that will be traveling leading up the the inauguration in Washington D.C., especially in the wake of the recent violence at the Capitol.

President Maratea stated, “I urge Amtrak to immediately liaise with local and federal law enforcement to ensure a robust and visible police presence at Union Station, and that crowd control measures and fortifications – to the fullest extent practicable – are erected to protect employees and passengers. Amtrak should also explore the practicality of coordinating with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to utilize the “No-fly” list in screening passenger manifests, and deny ticket sales to those passengers.”

“We must not let our nation’s trains or DC’s Union Station – with its surrounding grounds and proximity to the Capitol – become the site of, or aid in, another historically tragic event. We must be prepared for all situations”

Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn responded to the request from TCU: “There is nothing more important than the safety of our employees,” Flynn said in a statement. “Since the start of the pandemic, our dedicated frontline employees have kept our trains running, providing a vital transportation service to essential workers. We join our labor partners in continuing to call upon Congress and the Administration to make assaults against rail workers a Federal crime, as it is for aviation workers, and to expand the TSA’s ‘No Fly List’ to rail passenger service.”

Click here to read the request from TCU President Maratea.

Click here to read the release from Amtrak CEO Flynn

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