2008 Democratic Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton addresses thousands of union members at the 2007 IAM Day of Action in Washington, D.C.

“This nation’s air and rail workers suffered one grievous assault after another under the present administration,” said IP President Tom Buffenbarger. “Hundreds of thousands of workers lost jobs, pensions and health care while CEO’s and senior executives gorged themselves with outrageous compensation packages.It’s time for a president who isn’t deaf and blind to this kind of rampant injustice.”

Presidential candidates Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) spoke to the workers who came from as far as Guam, Alaska and Hawaii to attend the rally.

Additional speakers included Rich Trumka, AFL–CIO Secretary-Treasurer, and lawmakers Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD), Rep. George Miller (D-CA), (D-MN), Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Former Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater, Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL), Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) and Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI).

“The sacrifices, contributions and needs of transportation workers are lost on the Bush Administration,” said IAM General Vice President Robert Roach, Jr. “Today we begin our search for a president who will work with transportation labor to provide the secure jobs, pensions and benefits our members deserve.”

-Day of Action Committee