Without Highway Bill, 700,000 Jobs at Risk

AFL-CIO ^ | 6/11/2014 | Mike Hall

[mdittmar]

If Congress doesn’t act soon, more than 700,000 middle class jobs building the nation’s highways, bridges and transit systems will be at risk.

While the legislation authorizing the spending for those vital projects doesn’t expire until Sept. 30, the Highway Trust Fund that helps states pay for transportation construction and upkeep is running out of money and layoffs could begin later next month.

Last month President Obama said:

There are more than 100,000 active projects paving roads and rebuilding bridges, modernizing our transit systems. States might have to choose which ones to put the brake on. Some states are already starting to slow down work because they’re worried Congress won’t untangle the gridlock on time.  

The Obama Administration has offered a 4-year reauthorization plan called the Grow America Act and in May the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed a bipartisan bill that reauthorizes transportation spending for six years.

Funding remains uncertain and leaders the Republican-controlled House so far have only floated what AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD) President Ed Wytkind called “a ridiculous proposal” to fund highway projects by eliminating Saturday mail delivery.

"It is disappointing that House Republican leaders have resurrected a strategy – taken right out of the failed playbook from last Congress—of funding surface transportation needs on the backs of workers who have nothing to do with the funding shortfalls we face."   

The transportation reauthorization is the largest jobs-creation bill Congress deals with on a regular basis. It provides certainty needed for projects to move forward and traditionally has been long-term legislation, but in recent years Republican leaders have tried to use the legislation as a vehicle for extremist and partisan provisions.

Operating Engineers President James T. Callahan urged Congress to act swiftly.

"American families are counting on [Congress] to do its jobs…Hundreds of thousands of American workers depend on these investments for their livelihoods. Multi-year funding is the only solution to rebuild our crumbling roads and bridges the right way…We urge lawmakers to move swiftly and move boldly before the Highway Trust Fund runs dry."

[mdittmar]

That's a shame.

The AFL-CIO has always backed amnesty for illegal aliens,maybe we can get those roads repaired cheaper;)

[SADMILLIE]

We are beyond broke. No more highway money. It all went to parasites.

[FlingWingFlyer]

How ‘bout you union clowns wrap up some of the jobs you’ve had going for a year. Geeez. I’m tired of all the orange barrels and cones.

[headstamp 2]

Ah, yes the “Highway Fund” that everybody robs blind.

Shovel-ready my a**.

[mrsmith]

If we agree to buy Chinese made machines and import Chinese workers for the jobs I bet China would loan us the money!

[FlJoePa]

afl-cio: Call Solyndra. They and others like them took it all.

[Aria]

I spent most of my adult life with union employees. I take that back - they didn’t really work for us - we were just the poor suckers who had to pay the union for the privilege of paying the “worker” a ton and then hope said workers actually worked. Never again!

Worse, we kept getting underbid by non-union companies on union jobsites and the union did NOTHING about it despite being legally obligated to do so.
Actually, this is the Obama principle - break the law/rules and there isn’t much anyone can actually do about it.

[peeps36]

The union support of amnesty is a betrayal of every worker in America , especially union members. Amnesty will lower wages and flood the country with cheap labor. It will also increase the cost of the welfare state at a time when we can’t even pay our own bills. Amnesty puts an end to America as we know it.

[dead]

One hot summer day, on our way to Shea Stadium, my friends and I were sitting in miles and miles of bumper to bumper traffic. Finally, we arrive at the cause of the slow down. There's a road crew, with a bunch of lanes blocked, not doing much of anything.

My friend, the driver, rolls down his window and yells to a dumb-looking guido leaning on his shovel, "Hey! Hey buddy!" The guido looks over, smiles, and says, "Yeah?" And my friend yells, "F$CK YOU!"

The guido was like a poked gorilla, stewing and foaming at the mouth, but he wasn't going to walk over to a car full of guys, so he just stewed at us while we pointed and laughed at him.

It was really funny if you were there.

[4Liberty]

If we gave the DNC their usual cut and privatized these projects we’d still be ahead.....

[sickoflibs]

AFL-CIO:”Without Highway Bill, 700,000 Jobs at Risk “

Yes, Put America back to work.

Raise our taxes to give to that union so they can give that (YOUR) money to the DNC. Oh, and lets pass campaign finance reform too.

They need OUR $$$ more than we do.

[lurk]

I can hit a 7 iron from our back yard onto an interstate freeway. Union crews are currently grinding off and re-surfacing and painting stripes for the fourth time since this President came into office.

A very big, repetitive, expensive make-work project for the unions.

[jiggyboy]

Don’t forget Chinese steel and welders too. That’s the gift that keeps on giving on the Bay Bridge here in San Francisco. They’re saying that it might be a problem for the entire life of the bridge — which just started operating last fall.

[GOPJ]

The old ‘highway’ crap - trotted out by democrats before every election. After running on it, nothing will happen. It’s like the promises to blacks... all sizzle - no steak.