Bob Wise: “those concerned about the cost of labor protection need to understand what the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. LaTourette], has…”

“those concerned about the cost of labor protection need to understand what the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. LaTourette], has said. Two thousand people were laid off by Amtrak at an average cost of slightly over $1,000, far less than the plans of most major corporations. In terms of undoing labor reforms, what you do with the LaTourette- Traficant amendment is you say there will be no more automatic labor protection clauses, no more automatic C-2. Instead, it becomes a subject of collective bargaining, and, indeed, if they do not reach agreement, Amtrak can unilaterally do away with those labor protection clauses. All we are asking is you treat now these railroad workers with the same ability that you treat those in the private sector. Permit them to go to collective bargaining where labor protection comes in the mix with wages and working conditions and grievance procedures. So one can be bargained away for the other, but at least the workers have something to say about that. That is why it is so important to support the LaTourette-Traficant amendment.”