The ATU is the largest labor union representing public transit workers in North America.  Our 180,000 members are the most highly compensated and best trained in the industry, and have been for 115 years.

Since the first streetcar operators were organized into the ATU in 1892, we have worked to make the profession safe and our members justly paid and fairly treated.  This started with a fight for enclosed vestibules and reasonable work days and continues today as the ATU lobbies for better funding and collective bargaining rights for for the entire public transit industry.

The ATU lead the way by lobbying for and then vigorously enforcing 13(c) protections for transit employees.  Section 13(c) protects transit employees who may be affected by Federal transit funding.  Section 13(c) requires the continuation of collective bargaining rights, and protection of transit employees' wages, working conditions, pension benefits, seniority, vacation, sick and personal leave, travel passes, and other conditions of employment.  Section 13(c) also requires paid training or retraining for employees affected by Federal assistance.

Public transit has played a vital role in North America's transformation to the world's industrial leader, and ATU members have been there from the begining.  In the largest metropolitan transit authorities and the smallest rural bus lines, ATU members keep North America moving forward.