More than a dozen companies have answered the challenge to have their employees help lobby for more transportation funding, tallying over 300 calls to legislative offices in recent weeks. About a dozen more companies have agreed to do an upcoming call day and are in the pipeline.
In many cases, MITA member companies set up a 20-minute company-wide employee meeting where MITA staff explained the funding crisis that could cut transportation dollars by two-thirds by next year. In a number of cases, employees were provided donuts, coffee, juice or pizza. After the meetings, employees made calls to their legislators using a new toll-free number established by MITA.
Your company can get involved by e-mailing Keith Ledbetter, MITA’s Director of Legislative Affairs, keithledbetter@mi-ita.com or calling him at 517-347-8336. He will schedule a half hour block of time to visit your office in person, or via a conference call, to give your employees a quick “how-to” explanation regarding MITA’s toll-free number (888-719-3087). After callers input their home zip code, the phone number connects them to their state senators and representatives. The system also includes a tracking device, so MITA can track the number of calls being made on a specific day or calls to a specific legislator.
Your participation is important because without legislators hearing from their constituents, there will be no voice for the transportation industry. If legislators do not act, jobs in the construction industry will continue to vanish at alarming rates. As many as 20,000 construction-related jobs are estimated to have been lost in less than five years because of cuts to the state’s highway program. And, an upcoming dramatic funding cut could slash as many as 20,000 more unless state policymakers act.
Now is the time to do your part to help save jobs and increase transportation funding, which will ultimately impact all MITA members in the road and underground industries. If you don’t stand up for your job, then who will?
MITA’s In-House Legislative Call Days Completed as of November 12, 2009
Give ‘Em a Brake Safety (Grandville and Saginaw locations)
Wade Trim (multiple locations via video teleconference)
C2AE
C & D Hughes
East Jordan Iron Works (multiple locations via teleconference)
Florence Cement
Anlaan Corporation
J.E. Kloote Contracting
AIS Construction Equipment
JDE Equipment Company
Michigan CAT
Wolverine Tractor
