The Senate has passed legislation to impose an agreement between rail companies and labor in an effort to avoid a railroad strike that could have serious impacts on the U.S. economy.
Per a recent report from Bloomberg, the new legislation was passed in an 80 to 15 vote and now heads to President Joe Biden for a signature, just ahead of next week’s strike deadline. Senate approval was given a day after the House approved the measure in a 290 to 137 bipartisan vote.
The legislation imposes a labor agreement reached between rail companies and labor leaders in September. Biden, a self-described “proud pro-labor” president, weighed in heavily on the negotiations. The labor agreement was subsequently struck down after four of the 12 labor unions voted against it, with an estimated 54,500 workers voting to reject the deal, and 43,000 workers voting to adopt it.
Earlier this week, President Biden urged Congress to avoid a potential railroad strike, stating that the larger economic considerations were now his primary concern. Top Democrats also backed the bill, highlighting that the labor agreement includes wage increases and no rise in insurance costs. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said that 750,000 jobs would be lost in just two weeks in the event of a railroad strike.
Republican lawmakers agreed to quick consideration of the rail bill, despite misgivings over interfering with the labor market. Wyoming Republican Cynthia Lummis and North Dakota Republican Kevin Cramer urged Senate Republicans to support the bill, indicating that a railroad strike would result in widespread job losses.
“Our response at this moment will determine whether rail workers receive their next paycheck, whether families can put food on the table this holiday season, and even whether the lights turn on,” the Senators Lummis and Cramer wrote in a letter to Senate Republicans.
Meanwhile, an effort led by independent Senator Bernie Sanders to amend the deal to include seven days of paid sick leave, a major sticking point for workers, passed the House in a 221 to 207 vote, but failed in the Senate on a 52 to 43 vote, eight votes shy of the 60 votes needed to pass it.
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Comments
None of this seems very Pro Labor, it was kicked down the road to avoid election woes, then it was forced upon a labor group that voted by more than 50% against it. I would be very surprised if many just up and quit, maybe got a CDL and got paid more hauling goods on the highways instead. Government is really overstepping here.
They won’t make more money with a CDL, I was a truck driver for 8 years, as a new driver you run the hardest and get paid the least during the first 10 years. The only truck drivers to be paid good money are owner operators and then they have truck payments, buy insurance, pay for their own fuel, and maintenance. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence.
WOW – When most people hear “We are pro union” they think they are talking about the employees, actual workers, not the union leadership. My dad worked for GM, blue-collar UAE, he would debate most of his friends, and tell them to vote for what they think is best for themselves, not what the union wanted….. glaringly obvious here.
As a railroad at the end of my career the American citizens are clueless to the Safety factor that became a reality when nazicrat Biden signed that into law. Search (Precision Schedule Railroading) also search (Hunter Harrison) it won’t take long to enlighten yourselves, one employee on a seven to eight mile long train, make sure your tank is full your going to have a long wait at grade crossings. Look at the hearings on YouTube of the STB that’s what your facing, it should scare the hell out of you.
Yes and corporate execs are all benevolent leaders who by no means got to their position as part of the Ivy league good’ol boys club. They earn every $10 million they make, not like those damn union thugs.🙊
There’s another example of the HYPOCRISY by the DemocRATs and their accusations of the Republicans killing Democracy when it’s really the DemocRATs doing it. 54,500 Union members voted NO to NOT ACCEPT the first contract vs. ONLY 43,000 voting yes. I’d call that a very healthy margin Against. Be sure and vote for the next Democrat Senator running in 2024 and see what else they can do to screw you and your families. No paid sick days is ridiculous when you’re mostly working outside and RR work can be highly dangerous. Keep this in mind….ALL of you Union members that are instructed how to vote by their Union bosses and publications.
Please correct me if I’m wrong. I thought they already have sick leave. They just wanted an additional 7 days.
You’re wrong. There is more than one union involved, but the workers that rejected the deal were asking for unpaid time off.
Well, according to rrb.gov. The “Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act provides qualified railroad employees with benefits to restore part of their lost wages arising from periods of unemployment or sickness (including, for female employees, health conditions related to pregnancy, miscarriage, or childbirth).”
Additionally, “To qualify during the benefit year beginning July 1, 2022, you must have base year earnings of at least $4,275 in calendar year 2021, counting no more than $1,710 per month. In the benefit year beginning July 1, 2023, these amounts will increase to $4,387.50 and $1,755, and will then refer to annual and monthly earnings in calendar year 2022. If the base year was your first year of railroad service, you must also have worked in 5 months of that year.”
It appears there’s more to it than what the media is reporting.
You’re missing a critical factor: that coverage only kicks in after 4 consecutive days of sickness. Normal sick days don’t have waiting periods, so that coverage is worthless if you have the flu or have to go to the doctor.
“Benefits are normally paid for the number of days of unemployment or sickness over 4 in 14-day registration periods. Initial sickness claims must also begin with 4 consecutive days of sickness.”
Thank you for pointing that out. I guess my original post is partially correct. They do have sick leave, it’s just not very good. I agree that it’s worthless for Medical appointments or short term illnesses. I just never heard the Media actually report what to mentioned. Thanks Sam.
They deserve BETTER, 7 days of paid sick leave is NOT asking much when you look at maternity leave for new mother and also the dad, and yes they work outside in all types of weather. Democrats are running this Nation backwards, along with Biden who can’t even talk without a teleprompter, then he reads the captions that say to “repeat above” I just don’t get why people keep voting these jerks back into office. These, as many, jobs are dangerous, I lost my older brother in December of 1971 got killed by a train as he was working for the RR, Engineer was not watching down the tracks. He didn’t apply the brakes until after impact.
It’s disheartening to see many railroad workers with no or poor PTO benefits.
That strikes me as absurd.
However, now is not the time for this demand.
The country is teetering on the brink of a recession coupled with high inflation, all caused by supply chain issues due to COVID.
The country just cannot handle the disruptions that a rail strike would bring.
This is a case where the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
Now, with that said, this topic needs to be revisited in the near future when the economy stabilizes.
Every working American should have PTO.
And in case you were wondering, I am very pro-union. I worked one job for about 11 years within a union.
We entered a Recession condition on July 1, 2022 when the two previous Quarters produced a decline in the GDP. That is the officially recognized definition of a Recession no matter what the lying, propagandist DemocRATs are trying to feed you. Real Bidenflation numbers have been stated to be at least double what Biden has been lying about and they paid someone off to say the third Quarter GDP actually rose. Meanwhile, the usual “smoke and mirrors” unemployment numbers that both Parties use to lie to the Public have supposedly fallen but, as usual, those faked statistics never ever include those whose unemployment benefits have expired. More lies and crap from the Feds.
Like you, I am pro-Union although I was never able to get into one. I worked for 42 years at a major Adult Beverage Company and our Corporate Offices were non-Union while the Brewery workers were all Union. For over four decades I saw them bargain to achieve good raises and benefits while ours always lagged far behind. Their retirement exceeds ours by leaps and bounds and, despite the American Company being sold to foreigners from Brazil in 2008 ( due to very poor management ) their benefits continue to be exemplary while the poor salaried benefits get cut every year to pay off the acquisition debt. Many will deride and complain about Union “bosses” but, in fact, they are the same as the ridiculous Corporate Officers who suck-up all the profits into their personal piggy-banks.
Serious question, what stopped you from applying for a Union position?