TWU members and activists from across the country left their mark on Washington, D.C. yesterday when they collectively visited the offices of more than 150 members of Congress during the 2023 COPE and Legislative Conference, held July 9 – 12 in Washington, D.C.
Armed with the skills, confidence and know-how to effectively make change and lobby in Washington, TWU members hit Capitol Hill to push an agenda designed to advance economic security for working families.
Specifically, TWU members asked lawmakers to:
> Support the FAA Reauthorization Bill, which contains a number of TWU priorities that will improve safety and security and support good jobs in the airline industry;
> Support the bipartisan Rail Safety Act, which will hold unscrupulous railroad bosses accountable and ensure safety for workers and the communities through which freight railroads travel; and
> Support federal operations funding for public transportation, which would ensure public transit entities have a consistent, reliable stream of funding for operations.
To tackle such a daunting schedule, TWU members gathered into groups based upon the states in which they live before flooding the halls of Congress with their message. In many cases, members from the airline industry lobbied for rail and transit issues, while transit and rail members spoke up about the needs faced by their sisters and brothers in aviation.
The showing of union pride and TWU solidarity in the nation’s capital was nothing short of spectacular for A.C. Castillo, a member of Local 568 in Miami.
“By getting out there, walking the walk, talking the talk, and fighting for common causes, we truly demonstrated what it means to be part of a union,” Castillo said. “You can see and feel the impact the TWU has. The 2023 COPE and Legislative Conference is proof that when we all come together we are a powerful force capable of making real change.”
Understanding that the best way to make change is by working with lawmakers who support working families, union members met with political leaders on both sides of the aisle. TWU members were able to secure face-to-face visits and have productive conversations with Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ted Cruz and Representatives Fitzpatrick and Deluzio, among others.
For Local 229 member William Serrano, the experience of coming to Washington, DC and speaking with federal lawmakers gave him a whole new perspective on the importance of political action.
“I participate in COPE, but until today, until this conference, I didn’t have a full grasp of the program or why it is so important,” Serrano said. “Having the opportunity to learn new skills and meet with lawmakers directly has inspired me to get more involved. I loved being able to come to Washington, see our government at work and advocate on behalf of my TWU sisters and brothers.”
To see photos from the 2023 TWU COPE and Legislative Conference, visit TWU’s Flickr page and search for the hashtag #TWUCOPE2023 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.