$15 Billion for Industry and Not a Cent for Workers

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 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.