Transportation Workers of America Quotes
After contract negotiations and organizing, playing an active role in the political process is one of a union's most important functions. Gains won at the bargaining table or through sacrifice on the picketline can be wiped out by politicians on the state or federal level.
Transportation Workers of America, Statement of Political Action, Web Site, May 21, 2006
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
At the time there was very little such legislation or regulation, and the little there was only occurred after massive lobbying efforts by organized labor. In modern times, often it takes a horrible tragedy to occur before the political will can be mobilized to cope with issues of occupational health and safety.
With the large number of jobs that are going overseas, and the increasing productivity, the economics of the late 20th century and early 21st century made job security an anachronism. Therefore the unions were weakened.
Most Republicans at the time regarded labor unions as negative forces in American society and backed and passed much anti-union legislation. The labor movement in America considered the Republicans to be their major enemies, yet the Republicans of the era were almost always supportive of labor unions especially if they were an opposing force to communist governments as in Poland.
