Biden to Call on Congress to Avert Rail Shutdown

[applegrove]

Biden to Call on Congress to Avert Rail Shutdown

November 28, 2022 at 5:02 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 4 Comments

https://politicalwire.com/2022/11/28/biden-to-call-on-congress-to-avert-rail-shutdown/

"SNIP.......

“With less than two weeks until a railroad strike deadline, President Biden plans to call on Congress to take action to avert a shutdown of the country’s freight railroads,” the Washington Post reports.

“A rail strike could threaten the nation’s water supply, halt passenger rail travel and trigger major disruptions to the U.S. supply chain during the height of the holiday season, potentially worsening inflation. Already, some tech companies have begun rerouting cargo shipments from railroads to trucks in preparation for a potential shutdown.”

“Union officials have said it’s looking increasingly unlikely that the unions and major rail freight carriers would reach a deal over lingering issues before a Dec. 9 strike deadline, renewing pressure on Congress and the White House to intervene.”

.......SNIP"

[peppertree]

1. Priority ONE

Once the Goose-steppers take over the House, they'll make sure to kill any efforts to avert a rail strike - and will in fact do their darndest to prolong it as much as possible.

It's Nixon's 'make the economy scream' tactic - but imported onto U.S. shores.

[MichMan]

2. Can congress just order the railroads to give the unions 15 paid sick days?

[leftstreet]

3. +1

[jimfields33]

4. I think in order to do that, it would have to be all businesses and departments.

I’m surprised the railroad heads having problems with this. They really give a phenomenal retirement package. my neighbors both are retired from the railroad and they get a great pension, and if the spouse dies the living spouse keeps the late spouse’s pension along with theirs. Probably the best retirement system around, yes even better than military. so 15 sick days seems kinda minor to fight about. (the railroad I mean).

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

5. I think the problem is staffing

They don't have enough people to cover for when people would take time off. Despite the excellent pension, few want to join because the working conditions(nearly no time off, on call constantly, on the "road" all the time, no work/life balance) suck. I have also heard the seniority system pretty much guarantees the new guys get the shittiest routes and schedules.

[jimfields33]

6. Oh wow. I didn't know that. Puts a damper on things for sure.

A revamp sounds warranted.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

7. The problem is not staffing; it's greed.

[imavoter]

9. They could do something like firefighters do...one or two weeks on,

One or two weeks off?
I don't know anything about it, but
this would seem reasonable.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

10. They're not going to change the agreement. They're going to force its acceptance onto the workers.

[DemocraticPatriot]

13. Do you consider 15 to be excessive, for a year ?

I'm a Michigan man too, and I do not.

[MichMan]

16. I thought it a reasonable number that aligns with what a lot of other employees receive

There are always some people that think they should get many more than that. 15 seems very reasonable to me and certainly not stingy, considering most people also earn vacation time which is something completely different.

I spent most of my career in a technical role with no real back up. I always believed that unless you were actually sick, you went to work. Generally, I was fortunate , and might use just a few a year. I've known people that believed you were entitled to take every day you were allowed. Cant say either is wrong, but at the end of the day everyone has to live up to their own conscience.

Do you think the union would turn down a proposal giving them 15 days because it wasn't sufficient?

[DemocraticPatriot]

17. I don't know. nt

[MichMan]

19. You asked me if I thought 15 was excessive for a reason.

[DemocraticPatriot]

20. I don't know what the union would/will do...

I asked the question because I am familiar with you for quite some time, and consider your comments to be rather 'trollish' for quite some time... although I avoided taking issue with you until tonight.

Maybe you are a very conservative 'Democrat'---
but you seem like a Republican apologist to me...


I make no accusations, that is only my personal impression.
Perhaps you should re-examine your political positions...



I do think 15 days of paid sick leave would be GREAT--- especially at the cheap end of the labor spectrum...

[WhiskeyGrinder]

8. Not a fan of Democrats undermining unions, no matter the outcome.

[DemocraticPatriot]

14. I do not understand what 'undermining' you refer to, here...

The president seeks to enforce an agreement which the unions had already endorsed...

In any case, a railroad strike would be disaster---
but the Republicans would pin the results on President Biden.


They may attempt to prevent action on this yet, because they want nothing more than 'economic disaster' when the Democrats hold the White House...

[WhiskeyGrinder]

15. It was a tentative agreement that some unions' members are rejecting as part of the process.

Imposing the TA undermines that process.

In any case, a railroad strike would be disaster---
but the Republicans would pin the results on President Biden.

Which is why no one should have taken a political victory lap when the TA was announced. It’s not over until it’s ratified.

[myohmy2]

18. +1...

...

[liberal_mama]

11. So Biden will make sure the workers get what they need? I sure hope so

The railroads should give those workers their sick time, especially now with the pandemic.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

12. No. He's asking Congress to impose the tentative agreement.