Western Railroad Discussion > Railroads Strike

I was wondering how long this strike will last for?   I hope it wouldn't last long but you never know in this world these days.   This strike kinda seems senseless to me but I guess there is a reason for it.  Hopefully it will get resolved soon or not strike at all.  Probably though that is highly unlikey since it sounds like the strike starts the 16th of this month.

From,

Kurt

jkurt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was wondering how long this strike will last
> for?   I hope it wouldn't last long but you
> never know in this world these days.   This
> strike kinda seems senseless to me but I guess
> there is a reason for it.  Hopefully it will get
> resolved soon or not strike at all.  Probably
> though that is highly unlikey since it sounds like
> the strike starts the 16th of this month.
>
> From,
>
> Kurt

Seems “senseless”…? I guess you have no experience what-so-ever in the rail industry at all period. Back to your train set please….

Posted from iPhone

What Texican said. 

+1

Texican65 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jkurt Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I was wondering how long this strike will last
> > for?   I hope it wouldn't last long but you
> > never know in this world these days.   This
> > strike kinda seems senseless to me but I guess
> > there is a reason for it.  Hopefully it will
> get
> > resolved soon or not strike at all.  Probably
> > though that is highly unlikey since it sounds
> like
> > the strike starts the 16th of this month.
> >
> > From,
> >
> > Kurt
>
> Seems “senseless”…? I guess you have no
> experience what-so-ever in the rail industry at
> all period. Back to your train set please….
>
> Posted from iPhone

jkurt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was wondering how long this strike will last
> for?   I hope it wouldn't last long but you
> never know in this world these days.   This
> strike kinda seems senseless to me but I guess
> there is a reason for it.  Hopefully it will get
> resolved soon or not strike at all.  Probably
> though that is highly unlikey since it sounds like
> the strike starts the 16th of this month.

Senseless? You must be new at this...

Appalachianrails Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> +1
>
> Texican65 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > jkurt Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I was wondering how long this strike will
> last
> > > for?   I hope it wouldn't last long but you
> > > never know in this world these days.   This
> > > strike kinda seems senseless to me but I
> guess
> > > there is a reason for it.  Hopefully it will
> > get
> > > resolved soon or not strike at all. 
> Probably
> > > though that is highly unlikey since it sounds
> > like
> > > the strike starts the 16th of this month.
> > >
> > > From,
> > >
> > > Kurt
> >
> > Seems “senseless”…? I guess you have no
> > experience what-so-ever in the rail industry at
> > all period. Back to your train set please….
> >

And roger on the four before me. Note that a lot of guys have already gone on strike - they quit what used to be a desirable, honorable profession because they are treated like, oh...I don't know...maybe something like German POWs in Russia during WWII.

TAW



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/12/22 19:18 by TAW.

+2 and wow! I'm just hoping that his attitude doesn't reflect the mindset of Congress,
too much at stake here.

Out 

I predict the federal government will put a lot of pressure on both sides to settle since we are six weeks out from the midterms. Last thing politicans want is more shortages and inflation caused by supply chain issues

Posted from iPhone

jkurt Wrote:
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> This strike kinda seems senseless to me
> but I guess there is a reason for it.

Senseless in what way?  I'd love to have a discussion around this.

I can get into the whole host of issues surrounding this strike, why it's necessary and right, and I'm sure someone on here will.  But instead I'll just say this;  If the railroads stop running the economy loses $2b per day, and the employees are necessary to keep the railroad running (And let's face it;  replacing experienced railroaders is not as easy as replacing grocery store workers).  Trucking companies have already said they can't fill in for the railroad.  So if railroad employees collectively have a grievance so bad that more than 95% vote to strike about it, isn't this a sign that someone needs to listen to them?  Are they not worth almost anything they're asking for?  I wouldn't call that a senseless strike.

Add my name to that list even though I dont work for the railroad but know a good few guys that do. 

Senseless?  Explain how this is senseless to you, as it is not to the NS Engineer and NS Special Agent I know all too well. The NS Engineer has been keeping me updated on what the hell has been going on and even he does NOT like it, even moreso this strike came up some months ago.  

I havw a great deal of RESPECT for the ones that do this very dirty, unforgiving, and thankless job, so much so to the fact that these guys sacrifice so much to get goods where they need to go so you, me and everyone else can eat and just have fun at times.  My best advice to you is look around when you are outside.  Everything you see has to have been transported by RAIL in some way!

Michael Fair
Royal Oak, MI

Same, especially after what BNSF did back in June that led to the Transcon being probably one of the biggest parking lots around for a month in a half when people where quitting left and right, time to wake up and quit pleasing money hungry Wall St. and care for your employees!

Okay.  First of all I don't want do be a villain around here I'm only putting my 2cents in.  There really isn't a need to be rude here.  I do believe railroads are the lifeblood of our country and our economy.  Without them we would be facing a really economic hardships.  However  If the strike lasts a long time there will be food shortages around this country like you would not believe.   I think you would be pretty upset going to the supermarket and not getting your coffee or even bread if that was all that was available to eat.  I think it's worse on the regular workers also who have to pay higher gas prices as well because shipments of oil will not be shipped and long lines at the gas stations will also occur. 

Thank you,

Kurt

Let's see what Kurt means by senseless before we jump all over him. If he's referring to the class ones inability to negotiate fairly and equitably, he's right. It really is senseless that it's gone this far.

I call this a good strike for the hours of service of engine crews.  And, I hope the crews stick to their demand of better working hours and a mandatory day off per week.

Food shortages at the supermarket? Very little finished goods in a supermarket ever sees a rail car. Yes some beef
and pork still goes by rail but the bulk is both local and trucked. Big issue would be the cattle and poultry feed and
that is indeed a problem. 

Out 

OTG Wrote:
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>
>  Trucking companies have already said they can't fill in for
> the railroad.  

I wonder how many semi-trucks it would take to haul one trainload of grain from the midwest to the west coast?  I would love to see a massive fleet of semi-trucks on their way to the Louis Dreyfus grain export dock on the Seattle waterfront, arriving in downtown Seattle, where I-90 ends, right at the baseball and football stadiums, one behind the other.  I wonder how far across Lake Washington they would be stretched out?  And that would be just ONE train's worth!  Mix in with them a train's worth of coal on its way to Canada, trying to get on to I-5 north!  Oh, yeah, and a train's worth of empty grain semi's on their way east...

Despite all of the above verbage it all comes down to one word - RESPECT. Until the powers that be
stop looking at the stock dividends before they look at their people there will be problems and strikes.
As much as I dread the potential consequences of a strike I must support the day to day workers
come what may.

Kurt needs to understand that rail workers are going to see the same shortages of consumer goods that everyone else will. If you don't like it and support our contract position, write your congressional representatives and tell them you support rail labor. Then tell your spouse, your family members, your neighbors, your co-workers, etc. to do the same. The public seems to not understand exactly how vital US railroads are to the supply chain, economy, and to national security. This is your wake up call. 

There are a few industries that totally depend on the rails.  Stop the coal trains and watch the power plants.  I know, most of them have a pile of coal that will last them a few weeks, but if they didn't, California would have more than rolling blackouts.  The auto industry gets most of its raw materials by rail and then ships its products by rail.  The companies that ship and receive chemicals by rail in tank cars.  Who knows what all those companies are making?  You never know what's in those shipping containers but if those trains stopped, a lot of products are not going to be produced and Walmart is going to have a bunch of empty shelves.  Amazon isn't going to have anything to ship out.  After a few days, we become a third-world country.

John[

I expect an 11th hour settlement