Political Action- Get Involved
It’s important to understand how local and national issues impact workers lives. Concerns such as highways infrastructure worker safety on the job, a decent hourly-wage, affordable healthcare benefits and the freedom for workers to bargain collectively. The members of LIUNA have strength in numbers.
Highway Bill
LIUNA members build America from our roads and bridges to our transit systems. However, the transportation system that was once the envy of the world has now fallen into disrepair – putting lives at risk and jeopardizing our economic competitiveness. Our needs are great and are far outpacing investment. The American Society of Civil Engineers rated the condition of our nation’s bridges with a C+ and roads received a D. Roads and bridges are also chronically under-invested in – each year falling billions short of what’s needed.
In 2012, after several short-term extensions, Congress passed MAP-21, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, funding surface transportation programs at over $105 billion for fiscal years 2013 and 2014. While the funding in MAP-21 was needed and long overdue, it was only a portion of the total funding needed to fix America’s infrastructure, and it lacked the long-term investment in our transportation infrastructure that America needs. The 2012 bill was extended again in 2014 through May 31, 2015.
Nearly a fourth of bridges are deficient or obsolete, and poor road conditions contribute to a third of all traffic fatalities. Congress should pass a long-term Highway Bill to fully invest in the safety and reliability of our roads and bridges – before May 31.
Bringing our highways up to par would create more than 1 million jobs a year and leave behind real assets for future generations.
The Highway Bill is the single-largest jobs-creating legislation in the nation and is mainly how highways, bridges and transit systems are built and maintained. A long-term vision is needed to build and maintain safe and efficient transportation systems that will promote our economic competitiveness in the future.
Deteriorating roads are a threat to public safety and to our quality of life.
The U.S. highway system marveled the world when it was built as a response to the nation’s security needs. Today it has fallen into disrepair and is stretched beyond capacity to the point where it is no longer functional in many regions. Without the same visionary leadership and national will that created our highway system, this fundamental piece of surface transportation will cripple America’s ability to compete in the global economy. The U.S. economy is dependent on surface transportation – $1 of every $10 of the gross domestic product is tied to moving goods and people. Yet, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 170,000 miles of our roads are in poor condition. Traffic congestion costs commuters and businesses $170 billion a year due to 4 billion hours in delays, the DOT’s chief economist has determined. The cost is growing at twice the rate of the economy, placing a significant drag on competitiveness. Motorists pay on nearly $400 each every year for gas they waste due to traffic congestion and repairs due to faulty roads.
According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, roadway conditions are a significant factor in about one-third of traffic fatalities. Rush hour has doubled in urban areas from three to six hours. In 1982, Los Angeles was the only urban area in the U.S. where commuters lost 40 or more hours a year to traffic delays. Now, 28 urban areas face those conditions.
Resources
LIUNA. America’s Roads and Bridges Need a Raise
LIUNA. Letter to U.S. Senate Expressing Support for S. 1813
Summary of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s Bipartisan Proposal (MAP-21)
ASCE. Summary of the economic impact of America’s failing transportation infrastructure
LIUNA. Print ad in Beltway publications
LIUNA. “America’s Bridges Falling Down” Radio Ad
LIUNA. “We’re Playing Russian Roulette with Our Bridges” Radio Ad
If you have a cell phone or the Internet, it’s easier than ever to get involved and stay informed about labor and other worker issues. The Mobile Action LIUNA! will send notifications with information about when and where labor activism can make a difference!. Get the latest labor alerts and other messages, sign petitions, and download union ringtones.
Be “in-the-know” by joining other activist of your union’s political and organizing efforts. Send a text message now on your cell phone with the word LIUNA to the number 69866. You can also join the LIUNA! Action Network to receive the LIUNA One Minute Update and other action alerts.
Have you registered to vote yet? Now more than ever your vote can make a difference for all working families! An estimated 51 million eligible Americans remain unregistered to vote, but it’s not too late to register and there are multiple ways to go about it. Please check with your Local Central Labor Council for Get out the Vote Mobilization Activities.
Related links
The Reality of Right to Work (link to pdf that was uploaded to web file system)