Amalgamated Transit Union

The Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) was founded in 1892 and is a Labor union in the United States and Canada, representing workers in the transit system and other industries. Today the ATU has over 190,000 members in over 264 local unions in 46 states and 9 provinces.

The ATU includes bus, subway, light rail and ferry operators, clerks, baggage handlers, mechanics and others in the urban transit, over-the-road and school bus industries, as well as paratransit, emergency medical, clerical and municipal workers.

Its current International President is John Costa who assumed office in September 2019, after the passing of International President Lawrence J. Hanley.

A similar union affiliate with AFL-CIO is the Transport Workers Union of America, which represents transit workers at the New York City Transit Authority.

"It is one of the characteristics of a free and democratic nation that it have free and independent labor unions."

"Only a fool would try to deprive working men and working women of their right to join the union of their choice."

"History is a great teacher. Now everyone knows that the labor movement did not diminish the strength of the nation but enlarged it. By raising the living standards of millions, labor miraculously created a market for industry and lifted the whole nation to undreamed of levels of production. Those who attack labor forget these simple truths, but history remembers them." 

"Although it is true that only about 20 percent of American workers are in unions, that 20 percent sets the standards across the board in salaries, benefits and working conditions. If you are making a decent salary in a non-union company, you owe that to the unions.  One thing that corporations do not do is give out money out of the goodness of their hearts." 

"Every advance in this half-century:  Social Security, civil rights, Medicare, aid to education...  one after another- came with the support and leadership of American Labor."

"Our labor unions are not narrow, self-seeking groups. They have raised wages, shortened hours, and provided supplemental benefits. Through collective bargaining and grievance procedures, they have brought justice and democracy to the shop floor."

"If any man tells you he loves America, yet hates labor, he is a liar. If any man tells you he trusts America, yet fears labor, he is a fool."

Barack Obama 

Renewing American leadship:every American should have affordable heathcare"yes we can'

president of the united States from 2009-2017