Railroad Strike Avoided After Tentative Agreement Reached With Worker Unions
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Union negotiators and US railroad companies reached a tentative deal Thursday, avoiding a labor strike that would result in further disruptions to an already shaky supply chain.
Per a report from Bloomberg, which cites a statement made by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee, the tentative agreement includes a 24-percent wage increase applied over five years (2020 through 2024), with an immediate 14.1-percent increase. The agreement also includes five annual payments of $1,000. The tentative agreement does not address scheduling sick days, which is considered a core issue for unions.
The agreement was reached after 20 straight hours of talks between union negotiators and US railroad companies, arriving just one day before workers were set to strike. GM, like most major automakers, relies on railroad freight for not only shipping vehicles, but also the transportation of parts crucial in the production process.
The tentative agreement extends a “cooling-off period” wherein unions may not strike in order to provide the time needed to ratify the agreement. The cooling-off period is expected to last several weeks. That said, it’s possible the agreement won’t be ratified, sending unions and railroad companies back to the negotiating table.
President Joe Biden, an outspoken supporter of labor unions, weighed in on negotiations late Wednesday night, urging both parties involved to avoid harm to families, farmers, and businesses. Following the announcement of the tentative agreement, the White House issued a statement, praising the agreement as “an important win for our economy and the American people.”
“These rail workers will get better pay, improved working conditions, and peace of mind around their health care costs: all hard-earned,” the statement reads. “The agreement is also a victory for railway companies who will be able to retain and recruit more workers for an industry that will continue to be part of the backbone of the American economy for decades to come.”
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The federal government gets involved when a strike could cripple the country. People are worried about high prices and inflation. Imagine what happens when about half of their goods are sitting at suppliers.
The federal government gets involved when a election is near. I don’t need to imagine anything none of that is my problem. Since you don’t work for a railroad all you can think about is yourself.
Please make sure you refuse the 24%pay increase since that wasn’t an issue.
Considering your comments and attitude, it seems the union is being completely unrealistic. Government intervention was definitely necessary since they’re looking out for the nation as a whole.
Maybe you should find a different job if you have it so bad.
I love when guys that don’t work the jobs start talking. Maybe you should get a different job blah blah blah. Or maybe you should go work for them since you are so concerned.
The elections are all that concern this administration. Now back to cars and trucks.
The government only got involved because that’s the point at where the negotiations were. The Railway Labor Act spells out the process. Election time is coincidence since this has been ongoing for over 3 years now.
The feds really were not that involved. The main sticking point as you point out was sick leave. And really I agree with the union here. Why on earth would you be penalized for having surgery and being out? And my understanding is the tentative agreement fixed it. The deal was done entirely by the book, there was no trumpian style you have to go back to work, and they did not ask congress to extend the cooling off (as would be required by non-trumpian law) Overall I see it as deft use of negotiation by Biden’s team to get both sides to agree to something.
Was great to be a union worker for 31 years–great pay–benefits and retirement—great that the rail strike was settle quickly—sorry so many are angry and stuck with non-union jobs and no money in retirement–didn’t used to be that way in the private sector until the early eighties and Reagan showed up.
Just ignore GMC Fan he’s nothing but a troll. Best thing to do with people like that just downvote them and don’t respond he will eventually crawl back in his hole.
Racer, EXACTLY!!!
That will be an excuse for gm to raise their price of delivery and tack some more on for themselves.
Similar to the Reagan administration getting involved in the air traffic controllers contract.
Maybe so but GM has been raising delivery fees annually already, so blame can’t be placed on railroaders.
Of course the sleepy creepy joey will take credit for the strike avoidance.
As for the union sheeple, the chant “Mo money” rages on.
The cost of most everything has just gone up.
Thanks to the union!
Will Joe step in when UPS goes on strike next year because 40.00 plus dollars an hour isn’t enough to set packages on porches that and the new teamsters leader hates UPS.
JMO seems coincidental that the rail union decides to strike right now… Cause the stir of supply chain issues getting much worse and may stop the economy and cause a panic… Knowingly Biden hasn’t done anything to improve our lives, and no one can write what he has done to improve our situation.
So, he creates this stir with the help of the union management knowing they will gain something, and he flies in and saves the strike from happening making him look like a negotiator right before Nov… He needs something.
He is like an arsonist, set the fire and come back to help and look like a hero… FBI/CIA do the same thing if they don’t get caught from their own arrogance.
Conspiracy…
I was a railroad union member for a couple years right after serving 6 active military years – what a night to day experience. I was constantly getting my hands slapped for trying to complete the job on my own. I worked on the locomotives. Obviously, I didn’t last long… Great pay by the way! 60k to start in 1979. Wife almost divorced me…lol
Anyway, glad they avoided it.