Posted on 05/16/2014 4:08:45 PM PDT by mdittmar
It's time for America's infrastructure to once again be the envy of the world, said AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD) President Edward Wytkind. The neglect of our country's roads, bridges and transportation systems is "so pervasive, it threatens our economic future."
Today, working people and union members, including Ironworkers, Laborers (LIUNA), Bricklayers (BAC), Boilermakers (IBB), Electrcial Workers (IBEW), Operating Engineers (IUOE), Longshoremen (ILA), AFSCME, Seafarers (SIU), Railroad Signalmen (BRS), Transport Workers (TWU) and TCU/IAM rallied in front of the AFL-CIO's headquarters to lift up the need for jobs that build and move America through investing in our infrastructure.
Speakers at the rally included AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, Wytkind, Brent Booker of North America's Building Trades Unions and U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
Secretary Foxx said the way we've been dealing with our infrastructure has been piecemeal and patchwork. He used the analogy of driving a car with the fuel light on, but only putting two or three dollars in the tank just to get to the next fueling station. We need meaningful investment, said Foxx.
I know infrastructure creates jobs, not because I read it in a book, but because I've seen it.
Spending the money to rebuild our roads and bridges shouldn't scare us because it's not a sacrifice, it's an investment, said Trumka:
Putting money in roads and bridges is like planting seed corn. Investing in good jobs yields a good return. When you put seed in the ground, you get something to harvest. When you put cement in the ground, you get roads. When you put steel in the ground, you get train tracks. You get it.
Trumka said investing in rebuilding America and creating high-quality jobs is going to be an electoral issue. Representatives are going to be accountable for their inaction.
Many of the speakers pointed to the pending insolvency of the Highway Trust Fund happening at the end of the summer and the potential loss of 700,000 jobs if Congress fails to act.
Check out some tweets below from the rally and visit www.infrastructureweek2014.com for more information on Infrastructure Week.
We're ready to #RebuildRenew America. Are you with us? #1u pic.twitter.com/MnIGrLT6U6— AFL-CIO (@AFLCIO) May 15, 2014
Kicking off the rally for good jobs and infrastructure at @aflcio with Joslyn Williams of DC. #RebuildRenew pic.twitter.com/Y7mjKkrF0g— Rachel LaBruyere (@raylab) May 15, 2014
Not a bad rate of return #RebuildRenew pic.twitter.com/lYzV6Tik8l— Tom Martin (@tomwayne) May 15, 2014
It's time to #rebuildrenew America's infrastructure now! Let's make our country more competitive and create #goodjobs pic.twitter.com/b1dJYRfXT4— Liz Shuler (@lizshuler) May 15, 2014
"Our bridges are literally falling down...we going to make this a generation that rebuilds America" - @EdWytkind #RebuildRenew— Andy Richards (@richards_andy) May 15, 2014
"We don't need a one year plan or a two year plan. We need a fifty year plan." #RebuildRenew— Rachel LaBruyere (@raylab) May 15, 2014
3 out of 4 public transit services are cutting jobs and cutting services. Even when public demand is on the rise. #RebuildRenew— Rachel LaBruyere (@raylab) May 15, 2014
Labors show up in the fight to #rebuildrenew US #infrastructure! cc @CompeteNow @RebuildRenew @AFLCIO pic.twitter.com/D1lGgDtNLX— Lisa Hanna (@LDHanna) May 15, 2014
Congress, pass a REAL highway bill! #RebuildRenew pic.twitter.com/qLauUT0iS8— LIUNA (@LIUNA) May 15, 2014
"What do we want? Good jobs! When do we want it? Now!" #RebuildRenew pic.twitter.com/W407rLtO0g— Andy Richards (@richards_andy) May 15, 2014
We are the workers who build America! @LIUNA @TheIronworkers @smwia #RebuildRenew #1u pic.twitter.com/D6MelBIt2E— AFL-CIO (@AFLCIO) May 15, 2014
We've been talking about infrastructure for a long, long time - long enough. It's time for action. #RebuildRenew— Richard L. Trumka (@RichardTrumka) May 15, 2014
No more duct tape, fix our crumbling bridges #RebuildRenew @LIUNA pic.twitter.com/z7AFsC1yM9— AFL-CIO (@AFLCIO) May 15, 2014
Below is a photo of Foxx and Trumka before the rally outside the AFL-CIO.
Hey trumka,your union members aren't getting enough?
Hey trumka, 'Shovel-Ready Was Not as Shovel-Ready as We Expected';)
Talk to the Department of Health and Human Services,their union members got $138,841,591,824 Total Funds Paid Out
and the Department of Education union members got $94,296,130,450 Total Funds Paid Out.
and the Department of Labor union members got $66,377,982,666 Total Funds Paid Out
It goes on,
Hey trumka,maybe obama just doesn't like you.
let’s cut union officials and use the funds to shore up some ridges
bridges
Bammy already squandered his wad.
Nobody remember Stimulus?
Sounds good me.
Let's move some money out of food stamps and welfare and into road and bridge building.
And to get maximum bang for the buck, no more "prevailing wage."
Yes, the money was stolen a long time ago Trumka.
Yer a little late to the discussion.
States should pay for their own roads. Tell the feds that their gas tax is now part of state’s transportation fund. This is a joke, letting the federal government tax gas in which the funds go and line the Ruling Class’ pockets.
Richard Trumka is a terrorist. He led his terrorist United Mine workers on a terror filled strike in SW Va.
Post 9/11 their campaign is one of terror against the coal companies and their communities
The MSM propaganda machine has been overworking (lying) a lot more than usual lately...
Republicans should say fine. And tell the union they are using illegals.
#UnionThug
The guy talks like a Marxist getting ready to implement Agenda 21 guidelines to setup cities and roads. I bet this is where he’s going with this as this sounds like the same type of lingo in the “Safe Streets Act of 2013” which put the feds in control of community development on a widescale with the end result of giving them even more power over your lives by bringing it straight to your doorstep. The progressives look like they’re rallying to pull another fast one.
At the prevailing Mexican wage.
Thanks mdittmar.
Hoffa of the Teamsters trumpeted during the 2004 election campaign that Kerry was going to drill drill drill, including in the ANWR.
The better part of a trillion dollars was paid out under the “stimulus”; around here it appeared to be paid out during the runup to the 2012 election, though in one case (the farmer’s market at Fuller and Fulton in Grand Rapids) the *sign* about the ‘imminent’ work had been bolted up three years earlier.
There’s a new billboard on eastbound I-96 (no attribution, or “paid by” that I can see) claiming that almost all the bridges one is going to drive across are unsafe.
Find who stole our last six trillion dineros, which Obama told us was to include lots of new infrastructure. Use that money. (Or refund it to us )
Just so you guys know, “infrastructure” is a code used by the left to push for increased taxes in the name of “fixing” roads and bridges or whatever.
Stand up trumka,call on your union members to sit out the 2014 midterm elections!
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