$24 Billion for Industry and Not a Cent for Workers

Congress and industry seem to agree that air travel is in trouble. But what about the over 100,000 workers who have lost their jobs?

Posted at http://monkeyfist.com/articles/782

$24 Billion for Industry and Not a Cent for Workers
By Niel Bornstein


   There has been much gnashing of teeth and rending of garments
   concerning the sudden decline in the airline and related industries,
   and rightly so. However, I have heard no voices raised in support of
   the laid off and furloughed workers. Reuters [1]reported today that
   over 100,000 workers have lost their jobs since the events of
   September 11.
   
   Congress and the president must consider introducing alternative
   legislation that would directly benefit those workers, to provide
   enhanced unemployment compensation which would enable them to
   support their families, and to create retraining programs to ease
   the workers' transition to jobs in another industry. I feel it is
   even more important to support these workers than it is to provide
   artificial, non market-based support for an industry which may never
   again be able to operate in the same manner as it has in the past.
   
   In light of the massive shift likely in the transport industry, this
   legislation should also provide funding for alternative transport
   methods. For example, high speed rail would serve many of the same
   needs that regional commuter air currently does, with many added
   benefits. A well-designed high speed rail network is as safe as
   flying used to be, and less susceptible to the sort of terrorism
   that we have recently seen. Indeed, even should a terrorist
   commandeer a train, it is impossible to drive it into a building.
   
   There can be no doubt that American labor and business will feel the
   repercussions of the attack for some time to come. However, it is
   the government's responsibility to ease the transition of our labor
   force to new jobs, and our transport system to new modes. I urge you
   to write your senators and congressmen asking them to introduce such
   legislation, as I have done.

References

   1. http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010921/bs/attack_airlines_dc_47.html


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Posted on Monkeyfist at http://monkeyfist.com/articles/782