Western Railroad Discussion > Biden signed the bill this morning to prevent the strike

From Progressive Railroading's website, dated today: https://www.progressiverailroading.com/federal_legislation_regulation/news/Biden-signs-bill-to-prevent-national-rail-shutdown--68100President Joe Biden this morning signed legislation to prevent a national rail strike and implement a tentative contract agreement between the nation's major freight railroads and their workers.The U.S. Senate yesterday passed the legislation in an 80-15 vote. The Senate rejected an amendment to the bill that would have extended the "cooling-off period" that would have given four unions and railroads more time beyond a Dec. 8 deadline to continue negotiations. The Senate also rejected an amendment that called for adding seven days of paid sick leave for rail workers.On Wednesday, the House passed the legislation to avert the rail strike, as well as a separate measure that called for paid sick leave. Paid sick leave was a key reason that members of four unions rejected ratification of the tentative agreement with the railroads. Members of eight other unions voted to ratify the agreements.In a press conference yesterday, Biden said he would continue to address paid sick leave as a national issue.Had Congress not acted on the rail-strike legislation, any one of the four unions could have called a strike after Dec. 8, which would have resulted in all 12 unions walking off the job."This legislation will implement tentative agreements for the four unions that had not previously ratified their agreements. We are pleased that the railroads and rail employees will be able to continue providing uninterrupted service to customers, communities and the public throughout the holiday season and beyond," National Carriers' Conference Committee officials said in a prepared statement. The committee represents the nation's freight railroads in collective bargaining.The more than 100,000 employees in the bargaining round will now be covered by new collective bargaining agreements based on the recommendations of Presidential Emergency Board No. 250, which includes a 24% wage increase.“The Senate acted with leadership and urgency with [yesterday's] vote to avert an economically devastating rail-work stoppage,” said Association of American Railroads President and CEO Ian Jefferies in a press release. “As we close out this long, challenging process, none of the parties achieved everything they advocated for."Congress acted swiftly after Biden earlier this week asked lawmakers to pass legislation to stop a national freight-rail shutdown."I want to thank Congressional leadership who supported the bill and the the overwhelming majority of Senators and Representatives in both parties who voted to avert a rail shutdown," Biden said in a prepared statement. "Congress’ decisive action ensures that we will avoid the impending, devastating economic consequences for workers, families and communities across the country."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/22 09:59 by NWRail.

Meanwhile in Canada: https://www.railwayage.com/regulatory/10-days-paid-sick-leave-now-a-reality-canada/

Not all conservative Republicans supported the current mandated contract:

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/rubio-slams-senate-failure-secure-paid-sick-leave-rail-workers-line-items-spreadsheet

Excerpt:
 Sen. Marco Rubio slammed the Senate’s failure to secure additional days of paid sick leave for rail workers and argued conservative lawmakers focus too much on productivity. 

"As conservatives, we should believe in the dignity of work – that work isn’t just a way to make money," Rubio said in a statement. Adding that it "is also a means to provide for our families, participate in our communities, and build a better nation."

"When workers are treated as little more than line items on a spreadsheet, they become indistinguishable from the freight cars they service," Rubio argued. 

The bill will raise workers pay by 24% over a five-year period from 2020 through 2024, including an immediate payout on average of $11,000 upon ratification.

It will also allow rail workers to take time off for medical appointments without penalization – though as Rubio noted the workers have to give 30 days’ notice and can only book appointments Tuesday – Thursday. 

Though the major sticking point is that the measure only granted rail workers one day of paid sick leave all year – a stipulation that Rubio said "underwhelmed and alienated the men and women doing the hard work."

Some Democrats and Republicans voted against the bill, including Rubio, and argued it did not do enough to address rail workers demands after they called for 15 days of paid sick leave.

The House attempted to address these calls by pushing through a separate resolution that would grant workers seven days of paid sick leave.
rail worker

The resolution fell short of worker demands but also ran counter to rail corporations that opposed the paid sick leave – a move House leaders hoped would help prevent a nationwide rail strike.

However, the Senate did not meet the 60 vote threshold and the resolution failed a 52-43 vote. 

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin was the only Democrat in either chamber to vote against the measure, while some hardline Republicans like Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rubio crossed party lines and supported the resolution. 

"Congress should have sent everyone back to the negotiating table, but instead it told rail workers to suck it up and be grateful," Rubio said. "We should have worked to meet the demands of the workers instead of appeasing labor leaders and companies."

just before biden left dc for a well deserved long weekend (sarcasm) , hypocrite, didn't even wait to sign on saturday, enjoy your long weekend, WORKING, the RLA gives both parties the right of self help, the companies the right to lockout, the unions, the right to strike, he short circuited the process as percribed in the RLA, therefore giving the finger to all railroaders as he continues to run this country into the gutter. 

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/22 10:37 by alco244.

The agreement that the great and almighty Biden. Admin. brokered and forced through was shitty to the rank and file RR workers. It was a display of the raw and uncaring power of the RR companies. The rank and file RR worker does *not* have a friend in the White House.

Only Fox, and not the two-faced liberal MSM outlets, spoke at length about this forced agreement is not what most the RR workers wanted, as the 4 of 12 RR unions that voted against form the bulk of all RR workers. The liberal two-faced MSM outlets all Happily regurgitated the Biden WH talking points, over and over and over, and over again.

Fox video of their coverage: Why sick time is a must-have for rail workers amid looming strike

Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen President Michael Baldwin discusses Congress' involvement to avoid a rail strike, arguing a strike is the 'last thing' the industry wants.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gWTbPM2Mgk
 

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2022/02/15/drugs-have-become-an-everyday-hazard-on-public-transit-in-a-liberal-city-n2603304

66

NPR has covered the negotiations for weeks, and has given prime time to the MW workers, signal maintainers, and engineers in the last few days.

Long, thoughtful discussions.

Posted from Android

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NPR has covered the negotiations for weeks, and
> has given prime time to the MW workers...

The BMWED is the union that started this whole mess by trying to negotiate 15 paid sick days. Nobody in the operating crafts ever asked for this and all it did was create a diversion from the real quality-of-life issues we wanted addressed through the collective bargaining process. But the Dems, a few Republicans, and media latched onto the "paid sick day" issue because they are morons and this was easy enough for them to understand. The real issues are far too complicated for these simpletons, which is exactly why they should have just backed off and let us deal with it our way. Cowards.

The airlines quit busting up airplanes when they realized rested crews are safe crews.  

Class 1's are still mired in the 70's.  

Chuck 

alco244 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> just before biden left dc for a well deserved long
> weekend (sarcasm) , hypocrite, didn't even wait to
> sign on saturday, enjoy your long weekend,
> WORKING, the RLA gives both parties the right of
> self help, the companies the right to lockout, the
> unions, the right to strike, he short circuited
> the process as percribed in the RLA, therefore
> giving the finger to all railroaders as he
> continues to run this country into the gutter. 
 I sincerely tried to read this (you honestly only edited 
it ONCE?!) and all I'm getting is maybe somebody needs
a hug. Have a happy weekend!
>  

Trainjunkie hit the nail on the head!!!!

It was NEVER about paid sick leave for TE&Y but in the last 3 months that’s all we heard from the media.

One more contract to go. (Unless I bail early… life is too short.)

Regards

Posted from iPhone