Legislative Alert: March 16, 2026

President's Message: Protect Transportation Worker Safety PARTS F &G OF S9008/A10008 Transportation, Economic Development, & Environmental Conservation Executive Budget Bill

Parts F and G of the Transportation, Economic Development, and Environmental Conservation (TED) bill address the urgent need for stronger protections to reduce the injuries and fatalities of transportation workers on the job. A single reckless act can have devastating consequences, and these proposals send a clear message that violence against transportation workers will not be tolerated.

Part F increases the criminal penalty for assaulting people who work under various transportation-related titles and creates new penalties for drivers that intrude on work zones. Workers who interact with the public fear workplace violence as they face significant risk of being assaulted or killed on the job. Increasing penalties for assaulting transportation workers will deter violence and help ensure that employees can perform their duties without fear for their safety.

Part G expands the applicability of the work zone speed camera program. Workers on high-speed roadways face serious risks from dangerous driving behaviors by individuals who speed and ignore work zone protection laws. Expanding this program will deter reckless driving behavior and protect the workers who risk their lives to maintain our state’s infrastructure.

Transportation workers routinely operate in dangerous environments, and the State has a responsibility to protect them as they maintain and operate the transportation system we all rely on.

Mario Cilento, President

Upcoming Meeting 
LABOR LOBBYISTS MEETING 
Monday, March 16, 2026, 1 p.m. 
This meeting will be located at the Albany office of the NYS AFL-CIO, 
100 South Swan St. Albany, NY.  
This meeting is for labor representatives only. 
Please RSVP to Nagma Singh at [email protected] 

APPRENTICESHIP WORKS EVENT 
Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 10 am-2:30 pm 
Empire State Plaza, North Concourse