Norfolk Southern is 1st railroad to give all workers sick time as others negotiate with unions
Source: ABC News
OMAHA, Neb. -- Norfolk Southern became the first major North American freight railroad with deals to provide paid sick time to all of its workers Monday, but the other railroads are making progress, with nearly 65% of all rail workers securing this basic benefit since the start of the year.
All of the major freight railroads have said they are committed to resolving this key issue that nearly led to a strike in last year's bitter contract talks. But most of those railroads — which include CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF, Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Kansas City — are still negotiating with a number of their unions. Also Monday, Union Pacific announced a deal that will provide paid sick leave to about 5,600 engineers in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union that gives that railroad agreements with 12 of its 13 unions.
Most of the sick time deals, including the one Norfolk Southern announced for yardmasters Monday, provide four days of paid sick time and give workers the option to convert three days of personal leave time into sick days. The conductors and engineers who endure the most unpredictable schedules while operating the trains have been getting five days of paid sick leave with the option to convert two leave days into sick time. The Union Pacific deal follows that five-day model.
So all of these deals provide up to seven days of paid sick time, and the railroads promised to pay workers for any unused sick time at the end of each year.
Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/norfolk-southern-railroad-give-workers-sick-time-progress-99845908
About damn time!
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