TTD Warns Against Border Crossings

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 12 -- Leaders of some of the nation's transportation unions are urging President Bush to reject a trade dispute panel's decision that could lead to opening America's borders to what they say are unsafe and poorly regulated Mexican trucks.

"American public safety and health is at risk if we allow Mexican trucks and buses that have a 99% chance of never being checked at the border to travel freely throughout our country," said Sonny Hall, president of the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO.

The TTD executive committee, here for the AFL-CIO's winter meeting, unanimously supported the resolution Monday.

In other business, the committee:

• Endorsed Railroad Retirement reform legislation pending in Congress and urged action this year. The bill, derailed last year, would expand survivor benefits, lower the retirement age for long-time employees, expand health benefits and strengthen the plan's solvency.  (BMWE abstained from the vote taken on this issue.)
• Reacted to reports that Bush was considering cutting $568 million in airport capital and Federal Aviation Administration funding in his 2002 budget, and warned against it. "These cuts would deal a crippling blow to the safety and capacity of our aviation system," Hall said.
• Urged Congress to fully fund Amtrak and reverse a plan to make it self-sufficient by the end of 2002. "Congress and the president should reject this misguided goal and instead reach consensus on a long-term Amtrak financing plan that incorporates a serious capital and operating plan and ensures that Amtrak can continue to introduce new, modem, high-speed service," an executive committee resolution said.