The loss in this week’s midterm elections by Congressman James Oberstar (D-MN) silences a long time champion of labor and airline passengers’ rights.
Oberstar, a senior member of the House of Representatives was the Chairman of the House Transportation Committee had served for 18 consecutive terms. Long seen as a champion of passenger rights and a strong friend of labor who has fought to keep airlines from outsourcing maintenance work offshore, he was also very cautious when it came to airline mergers and how they might affect passenger rights.
“In this election season where vicious, abusive attacks on elected officials who stood up for the American worker and the public became the standard; Congressman Oberstar’s defeat is a tremendous loss for Minnesota, the travelling public and American workers is profound,” said Airline Division Director David Bourne. “Congressman Oberstar’s concern for the travelling public and labor often put him at odds with management, yet he never wavered in his concern and support of the citizens of our country. The shoes he leaves behind will be very hard to fill.”
