Greg Regan, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss his recent testimony on public transit in America. Regan also discussed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) efforts to set a federal standard for worker protection against extreme temperatures and the positives from Solidarity Summer.
Regan recently provided written testimony during a hearing with the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. The hearing focused on the current state of public transit in America and lessons learned from the pandemic. He talked about the positive reception to his testimony and how this hearing might be one of the most important for the future of transportation workers in the country. Regan discussed the future of public transit and how the upcoming transportation reauthorization bill will be crucial to the success of these critical services for Americans.
With the recent high temperatures impacting millions of people in America, health concerns for workers become more important. Regan talked about the work that OSHA is doing to help create a federal heat protection standard for workers. Regan said that at the end of the day, all workers deserve basic protections, and through federal regulation, this is possible.
Solidarity Summer, an effort to support several workers fighting for a new contract, began with nationwide demonstrations by the Association of Flight Attendants. Regan talked about the efforts to increase awareness around the ongoing contract negotiations that have not progressed for flight attendants. Regan talked about the limitations that the flight attendants face in potential actions against stalled negotiations and how workers in the commuter rail industry face similar limitations. Regan explained how added pressure generated by public support during Solidarity Summer could help push contract negotiations forward.
To hear more from Regan, please listen to the show above.
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