Champion of Working Families and Public Transit Would Move California Forward
Los Angeles, CA - Calling him a champion of working people of California, public transit, and labor unions, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), the largest union representing public transit workers in the U.S., including nearly 16,000 members in California, announced today that it proudly supports Congressman Adam Schiff in his bid to run for Senate in 2024 in California.
“We are riding with Schiff,” said ATU International President, John Costa. “The ATU is proud to be among the first unions to endorse the Congressman, and hopefully others will follow right behind us.”
“Since his days in the California Legislature, Adam Schiff has always been someone that we could rely on to support increased funding for transit,” Costa continued. “In Congress, he championed the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which our Union helped to get passed, which is now pouring millions of dollars into systems like LA Metro. It is making a huge difference in the lives of people who rely on the services that our members provide to get around.”
Schiff is also a strong Labor supporter and a long-time cosponsor of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), which would provide a more level playing field so that an increased number of workers could join unions and have a better chance to successfully fight for their wages, benefits, and working conditions.
Schiff has also been a leader on gun violence, an issue that hits close to home for ATU in California. Next month we will mark the second sad anniversary of the tragic shooting that took the lives of our Local 265-San Jose, CA, brothers at the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority on May 26, 2021. Nine workers died in the attack. A 10th VTA worker, who struggled with PTSD after the attack, died by suicide months later. “We must find the courage to come together as a nation and commit to taking serious action to ensure that these unspeakable acts of violence never happen again. If we had more legislators like Adam Schiff, America would be a safer place,” said Costa.
The ATU stands behind Adam Schiff because he has been the leading voice in the U.S. House of Representatives in protecting our democracy – our way of life. The ATU cares deeply about transit and labor policy but recognizes that if our democracy fails, to use a transit phrase, it is the “end of the line” for all of us.
"The ATU California Conference Board is endorsing Adam Schiff for Senate because he is the leader the labor movement needs. His record of standing up for working families is unmatched and we are eager to have his voice representing us in the Senate soon,” said Jeff Shaffer, Chair of ATU California Conference Board and President/Business Agent of ATU Local 1277-Los Angeles, CA. “Our members across California will be mobilizing to get Rep. Schiff elected as the next Senator of California.”
“It has never been more difficult or dangerous to be a bus driver, transit operator or allied worker in California. There are constant threats and challenges arising from COVID and the economy, and we need a champion in the Senate who will address these matters and work to dramatically expand mass transit opportunities for workers and residents alike. That’s why I’m so grateful to have the support of ATU in my bid for the Senate. As the “father of the Gold Line” light rail in Los Angeles, I also look forward to continuing my work to ensure that California remains a leader on greener and more affordable mass transit, and to make sure that those who actually make the trains and buses run are also fairly compensated and receive the support they deserve,” said Rep. Schiff.