The ATU attends White House signing of historic U.S. Infrastructure Bill

On November 15th, ATU International Secretary-Treasurer Ken Kirk and Local ATU leaders from across the U.S. had the honor of attending the White House Rose Garden ceremony of President Biden signing the landmark Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law.

“The world has changed, and we have to be ready,” President Biden said at the White House. “My fellow Americans, today I want you to know we hear you and we see you. The bill I’m about to sign into law is proof that despite the cynics, Democrats and Republicans can come together and deliver results. We can do this. We can deliver real results for real people we see in ways that really matter each day to each person out there and we’re taking a monumental step forward to Build Back Better as a nation.” The bill is a massive victory for the ATU, with historic funding for public transit and critical safety protections for our members that ATU has fought hard for. In addition, the bill will provide money to purchase zero-emission buses and develop critical training and apprenticeship programs to ensure our members are prepared to repair, maintain, and operate these vehicles. v

ATU calls for increased safety as gun violence increases at transit systems

With the increase in gun violence on buses, subways, and at transit centers, the ATU has been pushing back to make our transit systems safer by demanding an increase in protection for our members on the job and our riders.

In Kalamazoo, MI, in the wake of the shooting on a bus that left three people shot by a gunman at the Metro Transportation Center, Local 1093-Kalamazoo, MI, and Metro Transit are calling for police at transit centers to ensure worker and rider safety. In St. Louis, MO, a Local 788 bus driver, Jonathan Cobb, was shot on the job by a bullet fired outside his bus, leaving him critically injured. A suspect is charged in the incident while the Local continues to push for better protections for its members. In Edmonton, AB, with serious concerns of more riders carrying weapons, Local 569-Edmonton, AB, is demanding better safety and more power for transit peace officers, after there were calls for five incidents involving bear spray, six involving knives, and three involving firearms within one week. “Nobody should have to go to work fearing for their lives,” said International President John Costa. “This recent rise in gun violence on public transit is devastating. It was only last May that our Local 265-San Jose, CA, brothers were killed in a tragic mass shooting at a VTA rail yard. The ATU is working with our Locals on the ground so that not one more of our members’ lives are put at risk or taken from us for simply doing their jobs. Assaults against transit workers must be stopped.” v