The TWU joined community activists, fellow unions, the AFL-CIO, small business owners and elected officials this weekend to save thousands of jobs. The rally in Titusville, Florida was organized by the AFL-CIO in response to the Obama administration's proposed budget cut for NASA's Constellation program, and as part of its campaign for jobs in America.

If passed by Congress, the proposed budget cut is expected to cause about 7,000 job losses at NASA and thousands more in central Florida. TWU members from the area and International officers and staff joined TWU Local 525, which represents hundreds of NASA workers who will be affected by the budget, at the rally on Saturday afternoon. The crowd numbered in the thousands and heard from speakers including AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, and AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Arlene Holt-Baker.

"Millions of working families are fed up with handouts to Wall Street and not even a hand-up for Main Street. We’ve had it with politicians who think government should work for the wealthy but not for the people who do the work," said Trumka. 

Protecting thousands of good-paying union jobs is vital for central Florida, which would be devastated from the cuts and has already been hard hit by the foreclosure crisis.

"We are definitely going to see a trickle down effect," said TWU Local 525 President Kevin Smith. "This is going to push the every day worker out, and our country can't afford that now or ever." 

TWU will continue to join with other unions, activists, elected officials and the community to save these NASA jobs, and protect America's middle class.