As rail contract talks entered a period of crisis in September, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called from more than 3,500 miles away while vacationing in Porto, Portugal, a luxury tourist destination known for its wine production , washington liberty lighthouse Learned.
Buttigieg quietly flew to Portugal on Aug. 29, a week before Amtrak began canceling all long-distance travel in preparation for a potentially catastrophic rail strike.The Labor Day weekend trip was a “long-planned personal trip,” a Department of Transportation spokesperson told free beaconand Buttigieg “stay available and engaged” from Europe.
Popular attractions in Porto include the 18th-century Clérigos Tower and the Sé do Porto Cathedral.For those looking to enjoy all that Portugal has to offer, visitors can also spend the day in Porto’s sister city, Gaia, savoring its famous wine cellar.
“As always, he was on call and dealing with urgent matters while traveling on his personal time, which in this case meant multiple phone calls with staff and stakeholders to discuss the topic of rail labor negotiations,” the woman said People say. Buttigieg returned to the U.S. on Sept. 5, when the railroad workers’ union began ready to strike That would have catastrophic economic consequences.
The news that Buttigieg is on leave amid high-stakes negotiations in the transportation industry comes as he faces wrath from the railroad workers’ union over the outcome of those contract negotiations. The union’s main demand for paid sick leave did not appear in the final contract, which was not reached by agreement but was mandated by federal law earlier this month. Although President Joe Biden named Buttigieg as one of the administration’s negotiating leaders, the ambitious politician appeared more concerned with campaigning and fundraising for Democratic candidates ahead of the midterm elections than with union interests .
It now appears that a vacation to Europe is also a priority for him.
The trip has fueled the fire of critics who say the administration has abandoned the blue-collar workers who helped bring Biden to power. Sen. Josh Hawley (R., Missouri), who voted against the rail contract and urged his party to take advantage of the administration’s failed negotiations, said Buttigieg’s decision to fly to Portugal was “a joke.”
“Pete Buttigieg is going to be on consecutive days off with pay in Europe, but he doesn’t think railroad workers should take more than a day off sick,” Hawley said.
“This is the same guy who took months of paid leave at the height of the supply chain crisis,” he continued, referring to the paternity leave Buttigieg took after he and his husband adopted a child. “If railroad workers seldom come to work like Buttigieg, the country will fall apart.”
Three days after Buttigieg returned from Portugal, the Association of American Railroads released a report estimating that rail strikes cost the U.S. economy more than $2 billion a day.
“Overall, the minister’s work between April and December to help successfully prevent the rail shutdown included dozens of calls and meetings,” Buttigieg’s spokeswoman said.
The failure of the White House and Buttigieg to ensure paid sick leave for railroad workers drew the ire of unions across the country. Not only does the rail contract alienate key Democratic constituencies because Buttigieg may plan to bid for a higher job, it also provides an opportunity for Republicans to send a message.
The reason for Buttigieg’s leave of absence is unclear, although the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, appeared to want to keep it from the public. Neither Buttigieg, his husband nor the Department of Transportation have publicly announced or mentioned the trip. In fact, Buttigieg has been making social media appearances during his time in Portugal, making it look like he’s traveling in the United States. On September 1st, during his vacation, he posted A “selfie” video He himself was at a U.S. airport to talk about the Department of Transportation’s new consumer complaint tool for airlines. “If you’re traveling this weekend or anytime, please know our department has your back,” Buttigieg said in the video.
How Buttigieg got to Portugal is a mystery. According to one report, Buttigieg has flown into 18 fights in private jets since taking up the transportation role. fox news.
