Transportation unions are pushing back against what they claim is a torrent of "wrongheaded policies and business models that threaten the quality and safety of the nation’s transportation system and middle-class jobs."

“We are taking aim at changes in our industries–and failed public policies–that are leading to the steady decline of the world’s largest transportation system and erosion of bargaining rights,” said Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, following the conclusion of TTD’s recent winter executive committee meeting. “Business as usual won’t cut it. The agenda we rolled out focuses on strategies to revive the role of transportation as an engine of job creation and economic expansion, and to stop trends and policies that threaten to Walmart the transportation workforce.”

Speaking at the event was Acting Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation Victor Mendez.

“In his State of the Union address, President Obama laid out a bold vision for increasing opportunity for all Americans, and transportation plays an important role in that vision,” said Mendez. “The Department of Transportation looks forward to working closely with transportation labor leaders to ensure Americans can access safe and efficient transportation systems to connect with jobs, schools and health care.”

Transportation unions pressed their case, Wytkind said, to Deputy Secretary Mendez that a “bipartisan legislative truce is needed to end the gridlock on long-term transportation investment programs that is stalling our economic recovery.”

The Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO represents 32 member unions in the aviation, rail, transit, motor carrier, highway, longshore, maritime and related industries.

In the past, the TTD has supported changing federal rules that would speed up union elections, which was proposed again recently, following a court turning back an earlier effort.