InsideSources

Employers have a lot on the line this election and hope the next president will prioritize a few critical issues that have impacted their businesses.

The economy has changed in profound ways in recent years. Employers have faced a rapid increase in new regulations while the economy has remained sluggish since the last recession. Industry groups note that their membership would like to see reforms in several key areas, including taxes and regulations.

“Throughout the presidential election, our small business members have been deeply concerned about issues that are directly affecting their businesses and the economy,” Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council President Karen Kerrigan told InsideSources. “These range from overregulation, the rising cost of health care, tax complexity, the lack of new business creation and capital, and general weakness in the U.S. economy.”

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton believes the political system needs to do more to help small businesses while making sure the rich are paying their fair share in taxes. Republican nominee Donald Trump has argued for decreased government intervention but has still advocated for punishing businesses that outsource jobs with increased taxes.

 

The Election’s Missing Policy Discussion

The election has elevated concerns among industry groups and the employers they represent.

“One of the things that has been frustrating watching this political campaign is these are candidates that are largely running issue-free campaigns,” David French, vice president of government affairs for the National Retail Federation, told InsideSources. “I think this will be an unusual transition and unusual honeymoon period because I’m not exactly sure what the candidates will bring to Washington in terms of ideas.”

Emotional pleas and personal attacks have seemed to define this election far more than policy. Kerrigan says she has seen little in the way of actual details when it comes to the issues important to employers.

“The debates offered minimal insight into these issues,” Kerrigan said. “But there’s still time left in the remaining days of the campaigns for the two presidential candidates to focus on and outline plans to spur growth for small businesses and relieve them of burdensome government costs.”

A new president could very well mean an entirely new path forward for the country and its employers. French notes his members are hopeful despite how the election has gone.

“I think our members are hopeful that there could be a number of things accomplished in the next Congress and the next administration,” French said. “The first couple of years of a new administration are when almost all of the legislating happens.”

 

The Great Regulatory Burden 

President Barack Obama and his administration have done a lot to change workplace rules and regulations. There have been regulatory changes that have impacted overtime compensation, contracting, union elections and the franchise model. Critics warn the changes have put an unnecessary burden on employers.

“There are a lot of regulations that have been driving retailers crazy in recent years,” French said. “I can point to the overtime rule and the implementation of that which has been really challenging for some retailers. A strange new world has come out of the National Labor Relations Board and the Department of Labor.”

The next president could do a lot by reining in the new regulations or by piling more on. The president, for instance, has the ability to nominate members to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) with Senate approval. The NLRB oversees workplace disputes, and its decisions often dictate how laws get interpreted. The president could also slow down the flow of proposed rules coming from the Department of Labor (DOL).

“Our biggest concern is that we’ll have four more years of what we currently have with the onslaught of regulations,” said Kristen Swearingen of the Associated Builders and Contractors. “The words DOL and NLRB were not nearly as frequently used as they are now. They’re part of our everyday jargon and our members are terrified of both those agencies.”

 

Employers Urge Tax Reform

Taxes are another important concern that employers hope the next president will tackle straightaway. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have discussed tax reform but rarely has anything been done in a fundamental way. Industry groups argue it’s about time the tax system undergoes major reform.

“A thing that is on the table is obviously tax reform,” French said. “The economy is in dire need of a tax overhaul. We think the U.S. tax code has become uncompetitive, and rather than attach its uncompetitive nature with regulations, we think Congress and the White House should take a comprehensive look at reforming the tax code.”

French points to a proposed tax plan from 2014 as a possible way to address some of the problems. Republican Rep. Dave Camp introduced the legislation as a means to simplify the tax code. He argued at the time that lowering the business tax rate while simplifying it will attract new investment into the economy.

“If you lower the business tax rate, you will attract new investment in the United States and that investment will help to improve incomes and also help to improve consumer spending,” French said. “All of those things, both lower tax rates and higher consumer spending, are good for retailers.”

Tax reform requires significant political capital to accomplish. Swearingen notes its something the next president should prioritize but doesn’t expect anything big right away.

“I can’t imagine tax reform would be that easy out of the gate but it’s a huge issue,” Swearingen said. “We’ve been talking about tax reform around here for years and years.”

 

Fixing The National Infrastructure

The national infrastructure is vitally important to employers across the country. Safe and reliable highways and roadways are essential for businesses to get their products to consumers and stores. Nevertheless, there have been concerns infrastructure is in critical need of upgrades.

“Both candidates have really seemingly gone out of their way to talk about how important it is to invest in infrastructure, and that is something we strongly believe in and strongly agree with,” Aric Newhouse, government relations vice president for the National Association of Manufacturers, told InsideSources.

Manufacturers have a particular interest in the national infrastructure for two big reasons. They provide the materials, like concrete and steel, that go into making roads and bridges. They also use those roads and bridges to deliver their products, just as other industries do.

“More infrastructure investment is inherently good for manufacturers,” Newhouse said. “The other part of that is, if you’re a manufacturer who has nothing to do with the infrastructure space, you still care because you have to get your goods and products to market in a timely and competitive way.”

Newhouse adds that he hopes the next president comes in with a bipartisan plan to improve the national infrastructure. He notes the proposal should provide a long-term solution to fundamentally address the infrastructure needs the country faces.

 

Bright Ideas For Energy Policy

Energy policy has remained a constant priority for business groups much in the same way taxes are. Lawmakers are often slow to do much but as time passes the need for fundamental reform increases. Newhouse notes its been almost a decade since lawmakers have really tackled energy is a comprehensive way.

“We have basically become dormant in looking at energy policy in a comprehensive way since 2007,” Newhouse said. “The ability we have to bring energy resources to market, the development of natural gas, of fracking, the technology that has been brought to bear, we’re in a fundamentally different place on energy resources in this country.”

 

Allowing Competition Against Unions

There are many laws that serve to benefit labor unions. Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) have been a huge point of contention among nonunion companies that compete with unionized businesses for public projects. Swearingen argues the next president should consider strapping the union-favored policy.

“We fight very hard against Project Labor Agreements here,” Swearingen said. “It’s our number one legislative and regulatory priority here. If the stars aligned and we had an administration and a Congress, it would primarily help to preserve public competition on public construction projects right out of the gate.”

PLAs are a type of labor agreement that governs employment standards for public projects. They can be for a single project or be the law for a particular region. Critics argue they unfairly benefit unionized companies against nonunion competitors who are otherwise able to operate at lower costs.

The agreements are primarily used for public construction projects. The Associated Builders and Contractors has found through research that PLAs, in general, tend to drive up costs for public projects and thus puts a burden on taxpayers.

Follow Connor on Twitter

The AFL-CIO has had deep connections to a network of organizations now embroiled in an alleged scandal involving violent election practices.

The AFL-CIO is one of the many union clients of the political consulting firm Democracy Partners. The consulting firm was cited in hidden camera footage Monday for allegedly sending people to instigate violence at rallies for Republican nominee Donald Trump. One strategist in the video notes unions are helpful in executing the scheme.

“A lot of people especially our union guys, a lot of our union guys, they’ll do whatever you want,” Democratic political strategist Scott Foval said in the footage. “When I need to get something done in Arkansas, the first guy I call is the head of the AFL-CIO down there.”

Project Veritas, a right-leaning activist journalism organization, released the footage following an undercover investigation into the groups. Democratic strategists appear to admit in the video to sending people to the rallies to cause trouble. They are trained to incite violence or make Trump supporters look bad for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

“The campaign pays DNC, DNC pays Democracy Partners, Democracy Partners pays the Foval Group, the Foval Group goes and executes the shit,” Foval also stated. “Democracy Partners is the tip of the spear on that stuff.”

Democracy Partners leadership consists of many former union officials. Democracy Partners President Mike Lux previously worked for the Iowa AFL-CIO in the early 1990s. Its philanthropy director Ken Grossinger did legislative field operations for the union over the course of a decade.

Democracy Partners former treasurer and co-founder Carla Ohringer Engle left her position in 2014 to work for the AFL-CIO. Additionally, several political strategists within the group have either worked for the union or helped represent them in some way.

The AFL-CIO is not the only union that works with Democracy Partners. Close to two dozen labor groups are listed as being clients of the consulting firm. Grossinger also worked for the Service Employees International Union. Nevertheless, the AFL-CIO appears to have the strongest connections to Democracy Partners.

Project Veritas is headed by conservative political activist James O’Keefe. Its use of undercover reporters is nothing new. O’Keefe used almost the same tactics to uncover a scandal that led to the shutting down of the defunct progressive advocacy group ACORN. But in the past, O’Keefe’s tactics and conclusions drawn from his videos have faced criticism.

The AFL-CIO is the largest coalition of labor unions in the country at roughly 12.5 million members. The union has used its vast political reach to mobilize grassroots and national opposition against Trump. It has also officially endorsed Clinton, as have many other unions.

The DNC, AFL-CIO, Democracy Partners and the Clinton campaign did not respond to requests for comment by InsideSources.

Follow Connor on Twitter

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka called Republican nominee Donald Trump the most racist presidential candidate ever Monday in an appeal to Latino voters.

Trump has made immigration a cornerstone of his presidential campaign. His promise to be tough on illegal immigrants and border security has gained him many supporters and critics. Trumka argued in an opinion piece that the policies show the nominee is racist and xenophobic and that Latinos are key to defeating him.

“There is a lot at stake at this election for all working people across America,” Trumka wrote for the Spanish-Language news service Univision. “But Latino families have the most to lose if Donald Trump gets elected. They also have the power to stop the most xenophobic and racist presidential candidate that our nation has ever seen.”

Trump has focused on immigration throughout his campaign. He has promised to enforce border security and has proposed travel restrictions for regions known for Islamic extremism. He has also promised to deport immigrants already here illegally.

Trump has been accused by critics of being racist against people with Latino backgrounds. He has focused on Mexico in his pitch for better border security. Roughly half of all illegal immigrants come from Mexico, according to a 2014 study by the Pew Research Center.

“From the beginning Trump has based his campaign on attacking Latino working families,” Trumka said. “He wants to separate hardworking immigrant families by deporting our friends, neighbors, and coworkers. His most prominent campaign promise is to build a wall that will further separate and alienate Latino immigrant families.”

The AFL-CIO is the largest coalition of labor unions in the country at roughly 12.5 million members. The union has already used its vast political influence to convince voters Trump would be dangerous for workers. Its Latino-targeted campaign comes as the Republican nominee lags by 50 points among Latino voters, according to a recent poll.

“Trump is a double threat to hardworking Latino families, not only because of his inhumane and senseless immigration proposals,” Trumka said. “Trump has clearly stated that he does not support raising wages, even as thousands of Latino families in the nation would benefit greatly from a pay increase.”

The AFL-CIO has also issued personal attacks against Trump in an attempt to undermine his character. The union declared him its loser of the week several times throughout the election. Trumka also accused Trump of trying to divide immigrant families Jan. 4.

The AFL-CIO has joined other groups to campaign against Trump. The union joined forces May 12 with other unions and environmentalist Tom Steyer to launch the For Our Future PAC. The political fund has focused on the grassroots level to garner support through community organizing.

The AFL-CIO is not alone, as many other unions relentlessly attack the business mogul. The United Auto Workers (UAW) has organized demonstrations against the presidential hopeful during his rallies and speeches. The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) accused him of attempting to incite racial division.

Trump has been able to win over some within the labor movement. The National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) made its first-ever presidential endorsement March 30 in favor of the outspoken candidate. A modest list of other unions has also endorsed him.

The Donald Trump hotel in Washington D.C. was surrounded Thursday by union protesters as a result of a labor dispute happening across the country.

Washington D.C. labor unions protested the hotel as a sign of solidarity with Las Vegas workers. Unite Here has fought to unionize the Trump hotel in Las Vegas but management has resisted. Hotel management has ignored a successful representation vote and calls by federal officials to recognize the union and its local chapters.

“I’m here to support my brothers and sisters in Las Vegas,” Unite Here Member Joshua Armstead told InsideSources from the protest. “So long as they’re willing to stand up against Trump, I’m also going to stand up against Trump.”

Armstead notes several labor unions all came to show support for the Las Vegas workers. The Metro Washington Council of the AFL-CIO, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), among others all joined the protest.

“We’re out here for the hotel workers in Las Vegas that need a contract from Donald Trump,” APWU member Arrion Brown told InsideSources. “Actually, last year we were out in Las Vegas protesting with them. It’s been about a year now, and they still haven’t gotten a contract from them.”

Hotel management has refused to recognize the union despite a successful vote December 2015. The hotel has also faced pressure for the federal government to recognize the union. Unite Here has already held several large rallies in Las Vegas while unions elsewhere have shown their support, as well.

“I would say the theme of today is solidarity,” Armstead said. “The simple fact of the matter is Trump is not only bad for Unite Here, he’s bad for every other working person in this country. Every time you here something about Trump, it’s a disaster.”

Trump is currently running as the Republican nominee for president. The Las Vegas dispute has added fuel to unions already opposed to his campaign. The AFL-CIO declared Trump its loser of the week Feb. 22 over the Las Vegas labor dispute and again Feb. 29 for saying he likes right-to-work.

“This event would have happened with or without the presidential election,” Armstead said. “A lot of people for better or worse don’t like Trump. I don’t like Trump. But it’s good to have more people come into the fold and know about these issues.”

Hotel management has also been accused of illegally trying to stop the unionizing campaign. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has even filed multiple complaints against the hotel that include allegations of physical assault, verbal abuse, intimidation and threats to silence union supporters.

“Trump refuses to negotiate,” CWA member Rick Ehrmann told InsideSources. “His company is trying to overturn the election that has already been certified by the labor union. It’s typical Trump.”

Unite Here has also accused the hotel of unjustly suspending five employees in 2014 and restricting the right of workers to show union support in 2015. The NLRB region director ruled the election was valid and management must recognize the union.

“I’m optimistic we’ll see victory,” Armstead said. “I don’t know how soon, I don’t know about when or a date. I know we’ll see victory. Unite Here’s motto is that when we actually do direct action and we shut it down, we get the goods. If enough of this happens, if enough boycotts happen, I believe they’ll get the message.”

Hotel management has fought the unionization campaign and challenged the vote on the grounds the unions misled workers. The hotel filed a lawsuit October 2015 alleging the two locals knowingly lied in a flyer about Trump staying at an unionized hotel.

Hotel management did not respond to a request for comment by InsideSources.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton argued during a rally Monday in Detroit, Michigan that her rival Donald Trump proved with his own business practices that he is not for workers.

Trump has made protecting workers a cornerstone of his campaign. He has proposed policies to reduce outsourcing and immigration to preserve vulnerable industries like manufacturing. Clinton countered his platform by arguing his business practices paint a vastly different picture.

“He’s gone all over Michigan claiming to be on the side of workers,” Clinton told the crowd. “He especially likes to talk about how he supports American steelworkers. He even had the nerve to brag, and this is a quote, ‘American steel will send new skyscrapers soaring,’ and all the while he was hiding the truth.”

Clinton primarily focused on steelworkers as her main example of how he has undermined industries at home. She also listed his opposition to the auto industry bailouts. Detroit has long held a reputation for industrial and manufacturing type occupations like the automotive industry.

“Donald has no answer when confronted by the report he’s been buying cheap Chinese steel for construction projects, instead of good American steel that supports good American jobs,” Clinton said. “When China illegally floods our markets with cheap steel and people like Donald Trump buy it, it kills good jobs.”

She also argued his stance against the federal minimum wage shows he is not on the side of working Americans. Clinton went on to list the policies she hopes to champion as president. She promised that she will fight to raise the minimum wage and help women get equal pay.

“I believe our economy should work for everybody, not just those at the top,” Clinton stated. “And I’m closing my campaign the way I started my career, fighting for kids and families to make sure every single person in this country has the chance to go as far as your hard work and talent will take you.”

Both Clinton and Trump started off their campaigns with fairly inconsistent views on policies like the minimum wage. Clinton originally said the federal minimum wage should not exceed $12 an hour. She then said during the Democratic debate April 14 that she meant the $12 mark to be a step towards eventually reaching $15 an hour.

Trump has taken several positions on the minimum wage during  the primaries. He also faced opposition at the time  for saying that wages were too high. He later settled on the stance that the minimum wage should be left to the states instead of the federal government.

Follow Connor on Twitter

A slight majority of Americans believe that the government is doing too much and that businesses should take on more responsibilities, according to a poll released Monday.

The federal government takes on a wide range of responsibilities that impact people every day. Policy experts have long debated what role government should play. A total of 54 percent of respondents in a new survey believe the government has been doing too much, according to Gallup.

“Americans continue to favor a smaller role for government, with 54% saying the government is attempting to do too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses,” the poll stated. “And 41% saying it should do more to solve the country’s problems.”

Private-sector businesses take on a whole host of responsibilities in order to provide people services and products. Supporters often argue businesses are more efficient and responsible while critics contest they are at risk of perverse profit motives. The poll results appear to partially reflect a counteraction to whoever is in office.

“[It] was somewhat larger during the last seven years of the Clinton administration and the entire Barack Obama presidency than in the George W. Bush years,” the poll stated. “This most likely reflects a counteraction to perceptions that the two Democratic presidents were oriented toward increasing the government’s role.”

The current election has only somewhat played on the same political divide. Republican nominee Donald Trump has advocated for a smaller government like party nominees that have come before him. He is somewhat different, however, in that the defining part of his economic plan is using government to preserve American jobs.

“Republican candidate Trump has not made smaller government a major part of his campaign rhetoric,” the poll stated. “Democratic candidate Clinton’s governing philosophy as president is likely to be similar in many ways to Obama’s, with an underlying faith in the idea of using and expanding the government to right wrongs.”

The poll found that the gap has become wider over the years when broken down along party lines. Republicans have increasingly moved away from government as a means to solve societal issues while Democrats have grown more likely to embrace it.

“It’s clear that Republicans’ choice of the conservative viewpoint edged up in 2008 as the financial crisis took hold and the Bush administration struggled to right the economy, while Democrats’ choice of that option began to edge down,” the poll stated. “The overall gap between the views of the two partisan groups on this measure went from the 30-percentage-point range to a high of 58 points in the latest survey.”

The poll was first conducted in 1992 and since that time there have been only a couple of years where Americans favored the government taking on a bigger role. Even when Republicans are running the country people believe the government is doing too much but at a slightly reduced margin.

“Differences in these views across other segments of the U.S. population are generally related to the political orientation of each segment,” the poll stated. “Women, minorities and young adults are more likely to be Democrats and are least likely to say the government is doing too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses.”

Follow Connor on Twitter

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump spoke on the campaign trail Monday about their opposing visions for the American worker.

The economy has remained an important issue throughout the  election with many workers struggling. Trump, the Republican nominee, focused on trade, taxes and immigration as ways to improve the labor market. Clinton, the Democratic standard-bearer, said she’d help workers by reining in corrupt corporations while empowering small businesses and moral companies.

“I know how overtaxed and over regulated the working people and companies here are,” Donald Trump told an enthusiastic crowd in Pueblo, Colorado. “It’s an issue to all Americans. Redoing the trade deals, bringing back jobs, they are one and the same.”

Clinton focused on helping small businesses and making sure the rich are paying “their fair share of taxes.” She promised the crowd that she will rebuild the middle class while making sure everyone is playing by the same rules.

“We’re going to crack down on the worst corporate abuses and empower companies willing to take the high road and invest in good jobs, in higher wages and in stronger communities,” Clinton said to a cheering crowd in Toledo, Ohio. “It is wrong that corporations and the super wealthy play by a different set of rules.”

Trump has made immigration a cornerstone of his campaign. He argues illegal immigrants take jobs while also flooding the border with drugs and crime. He adds stopping illegal immigration will benefit all Americans, including the immigrants who have come here through legal means.

“We have an open border and an economy that cannot create full-time, high-paying jobs,” Trump said. “As Americans, you are entitled to the same protections as every other American. Everyone living lawfully inside our borders are entitled to the same things, safe communities, a great education, and access to high-paying jobs.”

While Trump advocated for lowering taxes in general, Clinton made the case that wealthy investors should not be able to pay fewer taxes than middle-class workers. She also countered the claims that lowering taxes for large businesses would be beneficial.

“We’re going to make Wall Street corporations and the super rich start paying their fair share of taxes,” Clinton said. “We’re going to put in place a new exit tax. If companies try to leave our country to avoid paying their fair share, if they try to outsource jobs, they’re going to have to give back every tax break they ever received.”

Trump has also previously advocated for penalizing companies that outsource through taxes. During the speech, however, he steered away from the topic and instead focused on how lowering taxes overall as a means to help all workers across the economy.

“We are going to lower your taxes substantially,” Trump said. “She is going to raise your taxes. We are going to eliminate every unnecessary regulation. We are going to repeal and replace job-killing Obamacare. We will make childcare affordable.”

Trump went on to question whether Clinton was actually sincere in her pledge to help workers. He repeated criticism from the last debate Sept. 26 that she has failed repeatedly to create jobs despite her many years in public service. He accused her of putting her own self-interest above the people she represents.

“She became a senator for New York,” Trump said. “Remember the jobs she was going to produce. She never produced them. Then she became secretary of state. And now she and her husband have made over $200 million, without building a company or creating a single thing of value.”

Nevertheless, Clinton touted her record as a public servant by arguing that she has advocated for workers on a multitude of issues. She promised the crowd that as president she will continue her fight for working people and a fair economy.

“As a senator, I raised the alarm about subprime mortgages,” Clinton said. “I fought to hold reckless manufacturers accountable for toxic toys and household products that threaten our kids. I introduced legislation to protect Americans’ personal data and combat identity theft.”

Trump blamed the establishment for negotiating trade deals that put other countries before American workers. He also blamed Clinton for supporting the trade deals including the Trans-Pacific Partnership which is pending in Congress. Trump ignored that Clinton denounced the trade deal early in the primaries.

“In addition because of the incompetence of our leaders we run massive trade deficits on an annual basis,” Trump said. “We now have almost $800 billion per year in trade deficits.”

Clinton also detailed her economic plan later in the day during a rally in Akron, Ohio. She touched on many of the same points but also took more time to further criticize Trump while also encouraging the crowd to get registered to vote in November.

The economy has been struggling since it was hit by a recession that ended in 2009. It was sparked by the subprime mortgage crisis and the financial crisis of 2007. The economy has improved greatly in the nearly decade since but at a sluggish and troubling rate.

Job growth has been solid and the labor market even managed to reach full employment. Market indicators elsewhere, however, are showing very troubling signs. The labor force participation rate, for instance, has been in a sharp decline since 2008.

The labor participation rate tracks the number of employed and those actively seeking work as a percentage of the total population. The participation rate factors in those who have suffered long-term joblessness, unlike the unemployment rate.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has also been a point of contention for the labor market. GDP growth has sat at roughly one percent over the past several months. Some economists believe that GDP growth should be at three percent at the very least.

Follow Connor on Twitter

An association of railroad companies detailed why it hopes to convince the next possible president that over-regulated railways are dangerous.

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her Republican rival Donald Trump have very different ideas on the economy and how it should be regulated. The Association of American Railroads is urging the candidates to limit freight railway regulations.

“Both campaigns talk a lot about infrastructure, and we welcome that discussion,” a spokesperson for AAR told InsideSources. “But we want the campaigns to know the power and value of America’s privately owned and maintained freight railroads and our role in the larger infrastructure discussion.”

The industry hopes to influence the two candidates on a number of major railway issues. AAR notes the main focus is taxes, regulations and infrastructure investments. He adds decreased regulations in the 1980s helped the freight railroad industry grow, plus all those other industries that rely on it.

“In a lot of ways, freight rail is one of America’s greatest deregulation stories, an embodiment of how a business and infrastructure system can thrive when given leeway to do so and through steady, massive investments,” said AAR. “We are doing all we can to ensure Ms. Clinton and Mr. Trump know this.”

AAR adds that it issued a letter to both major candidates detailing why rail companies are important to the economy. Many other industries rely on the freight railways to transport raw materials and goods. Freight train networks transport over 54 million tons of goods worth nearly $48 billion each day.

“We have no way of knowing how either Ms. Clinton or Mr. Trump would approach freight railroads if elected President,” an AAR official explained. “But we do know that the powers of partial deregulation in 1980 have been a mainstay over multiple administrations and sessions of Congress.”

Nevertheless, railway companies still face a nearly endless stream of proposed regulations. The industry notes the proposed regulations could do immense harm if ever implemented. AAR hopes to convince both candidates to not allow railways to be flooded with the potential new regulations.

“The AAR is continually educating decision makers,” the group’s spokesperson went onto state. “We are doing what we can through communications channels and stakeholder education to make that clear.”

The Surface Transportation Board has proposed many of the pending railroad regulations. AAR expresses particular concern over a proposed rule that would require railroads to open their privately owned and maintained rail lines to competitors.

“If enacted, there would be situations where Railroad One would get access to Railroad Two’s customers and infrastructure,” explained an AAR official. “It both sets a dangerous precedent and could significantly damage a 140,000 mile rail network that undoubtedly services American commerce, and by extension, American consumers.”

Neither the Clinton nor Trump campaigns responded to requests for comment by InsideSources.

Union protesters gathered in Detroit, Michigan, to rally Monday against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

The United Auto Workers (UAW) organized a demonstration against Trump to coincide with a speech he’s giving on economic policy at the COBO Convention Center. Though Trump has won significant support among the white working class, the union claims his policies would actually be disastrous for their economic interests.

The United Auto Workers (UAW) organized the protest against Trump to coincide with his speech on economic policy.

“We need to send a strong message that he’s not welcome in Michigan,” the UAW said in a press release. “Trump would be an absolute disaster for working people in Michigan.”

The UAW has utilized social media and text message alerts to promote and organize the protest. The Michigan Democratic Party, among other political groups, also helped to promote the event. Protestors began gathering outside the convention center hours before Trump was scheduled to take the stage there at 11:30am.

The union denounced the hotel mogul for suggesting a couple Michigan automaker plants should close. Ford Motors was planning to move some operations to Mexico last August, but Trump suggested in an interview with The Detroit News the automaker could instead move plants to states with a lower cost of labor.

The UAW also took issue with earlier comments he made about wages. Trump suggested Jan. 14 during the Fox Business Republican debate that wages were too high. He said before that on December 2015 that wages were too low. He now believes the policy should be left to the states.

Trump and the labor movement do have some agreement on economic policy. Both believe there should be restrictions on free trade to prevent companies from outsourcing workers. Both believe it should be more difficult for companies to move operations overseas.

Trump has opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership out of concern the massive trade deal will lead to increased outsourcing. Many national unions hold a similar position on the trade deal. Trump and unions tend not to highlight how much they actually have in common.

The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment by InsideSources.

Follow Connor on Twitter