All union folk and supporters of working class folks, this railway strike issue is more serious and important, and is not being given the press it needs. Please see the 2 articles below and the group Railroad Workers United website below, including for a call for public ownership of the national rail system. I believe these unions are some 700,000 strong.
The union is calling for us to write to our congress people to stand on their side; see the message highlighted below, and brought up here:
Tell your elected leaders to give railroad workers the sick time they need or let them strike.
 | The White House's intervention answers the call of rail giants and corporate lobbying groups—including the powerful U.S. Chamber of Commerce—that have been pushing for and banking on congressional action as contract talks remain at a standstill, with rail companies refusing to drop their opposition to workers' basic sick leave demands.. Rail unions had originally pushed for 15 days of paid ... |
"This is a legacy-defining moment for Joe Biden," said Railroad Workers United. "He is going down as one of the biggest disappointments in labor history."
Joe Biden—a self-described "pro-labor president"—urged Congress to pass legislation forcing unions to accept a contract agreement without any paid sick days, a step that would avert a looming nationwide strike and deliver a win for the profitable railroad industry.
...is choosing railroads over workers and the economy,"
said Ross Grooters, an engineer and co-chair of Railroad Workers United, an inter-union alliance that supports public ownership of the national rail system. [and I agree]
Another worker was more blunt in a
text message to labor reporter Jonah Furman: "Words cannot express how fucking livid I am at this administration... people in power, LIKE HIM, would rather screw workers than stand up to fucking robber barons."
That agreement, which has been
rejected by more than half of the country's unionized rail workforce, does not include a single day of paid sick leave and would only allow three penalty-free days off per year for medical visits. But even that time off is
heavily constrained: It's unpaid; can only be taken on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday; and must be scheduled at least 30 days in advance.
"These agreements were rejected because the quality of life rail workers and their families have today is abysmal," Ash Anderson, a member of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division (BMWED)—one of the unions that voted against ratifying the tentative deal—
wrote on Facebook. "There were no provisions to improve the quality of life for rail workers, who continue to be exploited by companies that are earning record-breaking profits while their service suffers and they cut their workforce to the bone."
Echoing Biden, Pelosi insisted that lawmakers are "reluctant to bypass the standard ratification process" and declared that "we must recognize that railroads have been selling out to Wall Street to boost their bottom lines, making obscene profits while demanding more and more from railroad workers."
"But," the Democratic leader added, "we must act to prevent a catastrophic nationwide rail strike, which would grind our economy to a halt." [And once again the dems sell out the working class!...and folks think the Rs are the answer as they talk with demagogic tongue.]
Matthew Weaver, a carpenter with BMWED, told The New York Times that Biden's decision to step in and force workers to accept a contract agreement opposed by a majority of rail union members "seems to cater to the oligarchs."
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), an
outspoken supporter of rail workers,
told reporters Monday that any legislation preventing a strike must guarantee workers sick leave. [The only legislator speaking up and standing with the workers.]
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This action by Biden admin is going to further alienate working people at a time when the dem party should be building up that support!
 | Dr. Eric Reinhart, an expert on public health policy, tweeted Monday that "railroad workers still get zero paid sick leave. Increased risk of exposure to infectious illness is part of many jobs. Paid sick leave is both a basic part of fair employment practices and an absolutely essential part of national public health policy." |
"Biden is siding with corporate rail bosses over the rank-and-file workers who voted against this agreement," said one progressive commentator after the president urged lawmakers to take action to force through a deal without paid sick leave.
Under the
Railway Labor Act of 1926—which critics have long
slammed as anti-worker—Congress can pass a joint resolution that would force employees to stay on the job. By signing such a measure, labor advocates say, Biden would be betraying his claim, reiterated in Monday's statement, to be a "pro-labor president."
The main sticking point involves paid sick leave. U.S. rail workers get none, and the deal being pushed by railroad companies and Biden would keep it that way. Congress could impose the industry-backed agreement without paid sick days, or it could heed unions' call for the addition of such compensated time off.
Ross Grooters, member of Railroad Workers United (website:
https://www.railroadworkersunited.org/ )When railroads refuse to give us sick time, what they are saying is their profits are worth more important than their workers and the national economy. Hold the railroads accountable.
Tell your elected leaders to give railroad workers the sick time they need or let them strike.  | RWU Urges the Operating Crafts to VOTE NO! Based upon feedback from working railroaders of the operating crafts, the Steering Committee of Railroad Workers United (RWU) voted Wednesday 10/5/22 to urge members of the operating crafts to vote down the Tentative Agreement (TA) when they receive their ballots in the coming weeks. |
Dr. Eric Reinhart, an expert on public health policy,
tweeted Monday that "railroad workers still get zero paid sick leave. Increased risk of exposure to infectious illness is part of many jobs. Paid sick leave is both a basic part of fair employment practices and an absolutely essential part of national public health policy."
"The corporate greed never ends," U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
wrote Sunday. "Last year, the rail industry made a record-breaking $20 billion in profits after cutting their workforce by 30% over the last six years. Meanwhile, rail workers have ZERO guaranteed paid sick days. Congress must stand with rail workers."
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