Union defends Amtrak concession workers

{mosads}Republicans on the House Transportation and Infrastructure
Committee argued on Thursday that Amtrak was losing too much money on its
concession services.

“It costs passengers $9.50 to buy a cheeseburger on Amtrak,
but the cost to taxpayers is $16.15,” Committee Chairman Rep. John Mica
(R-Fla.) said after the hearing. “Riders pay $2.00 for a Pepsi, but each
of these sodas costs the U.S. Treasury $3.40.”

The transportation committee was debating a bill sponsored
by Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) that would require Amtrak to contract with
private companies to provide cheaper concession services. The measure, H.R.
3362, has been dubbed the “Amtrak Food and Beverage Service Savings Act.”

Mica said Thursday that the legislation was necessary
because Amtrak lost $833 million on purchasing food and drinks to sell to passengers
on its trains. He called the sum a “staggering” amount considering federal law
requires the agency to break even on serving concessions.

Amtrak CEO Joe Boardman defended the agency’s food service
management at the hearing.

“Part of what attracts people to Amtrak services is the
availability of food, and the manner in which it is offered,” Boardman said.
“If we were to eliminate food and beverage services, we would actually
lose more money, because of the loss in associated ticket revenue.”

Wytkind argued that passengers would lose even more than their
ability to purchase a meal if food was not serviced on their Amtrak trips.  

“If a passenger needs a defibrillator, these onboard workers
are there to use it,” he wrote. “If a disabled passenger needs assistance,
they know what to do. And if there is a bomb threat or the train needs to
be evacuated for any reason, they have been trained specifically for such
events.”

Wytkind said it was time for lawmakers to “stop micromanaging Amtrak and
demonizing its workers.” 

“Congress should let Amtrak run its business and stop
forcing unwanted outsourcing mandates on the company and its workforce,” he
said.

The bill to privatize Amtrak’s
concession services has attracted six cosponsors: Reps. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.), Howard Coble (R-N.C.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Billy Long (R-Mo.) and Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.).

The text of the bill can be read here.