ATU: Thank You, President Joe Biden

Silver Spring, MD – Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) International President John Costa issued the following statement regarding Joe Biden’s announcement to not seek re-election. 

“Joe Biden has been a champion of working families who has put our country first. He has proven time and time again his support for the ATU and workers across the nation. Focusing on kitchen table issues, Joe Biden has addressed the critical concerns of the American people, including jobs, corporate greed, prescription drug prices, childcare, and retirement. These weren’t just talking points for Joe. These issues have directly impacted our lives, including the services we provide to millions of people daily.

“Joe Biden showed his commitment to prioritize investment in transit through the landmark Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, directing billions of dollars into transit and adding critical safety protections for our members. Our nation’s transit systems are essential to our economy and social equity, and we look to our leaders to champion policies that support transit workers and riders. That leader, that champion, has been President Joe Biden.

“Joe is a union guy at heart. He has uplifted, protected, and advanced unions, Biden walked the picket line, the first sitting President in history to do so. Under the Biden-Harris administration over the past four years, workers have seen substantial raises, and worker organizing has soared.

“For the ATU, our members and workers will always come first, not corporate CEOs or management. This election is about our families and our future. Over the last four years, we have fought on picket lines, on the job, and in the halls of government, and we cannot and will not go back. We must protect our job security, healthcare, retirement, and our safety. Our Union was among the first to endorse Joe Biden in 2020 and we will forever be grateful for what he has done for the ATU and workers in this country. We respect and honor his decision not to run for re-election and thank him for his decades of service to our nation and steadfast commitment to protect our democracy.”