Over 200 union construction workers rallied at the Gateway Tunnel Tonnelle Avenue construction site in North Bergen on Feb. 9 to protest the Trump administration’s cancellation of funding for the $16 billion rail infrastructure project connecting New York and New Jersey.
Members of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) were joined by Gov. Mikie Sherrill and New York Sen. and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. The Eastern Region of LIUNA represents more than 40,000 construction workers in New Jersey, New York City, Long Island, Delaware and Puerto Rico.
The District Court for Southern New York approved a temporary restraining order that keeps the administration from withholding funds for the massive tunnel project. LIUNA members are demanding a full and unequivocal federal commitment to the trans Hudson rail tunnel program.
“Each day hundreds of LIUNA members and their building trades brothers and sisters report to work on the Gateway Hudson Tunnel to provide for their families,” said LIUNA General President Brent Booker. “While workers have shown up at the crack of dawn every day, the Trump administration has failed to show up for them. We call on President Trump to stop holding our livelihoods hostage, put working people and our economy first, and immediately release funding for the Gateway Tunnel Project.”
Without funding, lay-off notices were issued Feb. 6 affecting close to 1,000 construction workers. LIUNA Vice President and Eastern Regional Manager Mike Hellstrom reminded the crowd that infrastructure investment was never a partisan issue and often garnered bipartisan support,
“The jobs of LIUNA members and other construction workers shouldn’t be used as political leverage. Work to modernize America’s transportation system and replace a 116-year-old rail tunnel shouldn’t be canceled to score political points. Nothing about canceling Gateway says American First Agenda, just the opposite. The Trump administration must get to work and release the congressionally appropriated funds so our members can get to work building the Gateway Tunnel,” said Hellstrom.
In September, the Trump administration froze funding for the project to review what it called “unconstitutional DEI principles.” Gateway claimed that the administration did not specify what was under review. President Donald Trump’s budget hawks have been scrutinizing large public projects to see if they align with the administration’s standards for procurement.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill, addressed the recent court victory compelling the Trump administration to release funds, the need to stop the political posturing, and the importance of putting construction workers back to work.
“Laborers get it done. Every day, the men and women at the Gateway Tunnel Project work tirelessly and faithfully to complete the most important infrastructure project in this country,” said Sherrill. “Yet President Trump continues to play games with our jobs, our economy, and the livelihoods of families who need to keep food on the table and their bills paid.”
LIUNA officials noted that many of the union’s members supported President Donald Trump in past elections but now feel betrayed by what they describe as political maneuvering that puts working families and critical infrastructure at risk.
