Big Rail Workers Union Rejects Biden-Backed Labor Deal, Renews Strike Possibility

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dennishoddy

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sounds kinda like farming?
Yep. One day you work 12-15 hours for $30 an hour, the next day you work the same hours for $5 an hour. The next day you lose $30 an hour doing the same work.
The cows have to be fed and watered twice a day, no days off, no bereavement time, no sick days, no vacation.
Work in the middle of the night to pull calves or work on equipment for the next days work.

The only first hand experience with railroad workers I have is working at the coal fired power plant. BNSF brought in 150 cars full of coal. The drivers and crew, what ever their title is left the train after spotting it and our equipment took over to dump the cars.
It took several hours to dump. The railroad guys had a break room with TV, bunks, and snack machines to occupy their time while on down time.
My job in control systems maintenance involved working on the gear that dumped the trains when it failed. We would get the controls repaired and need a test run that had to be performed by the RR guys.
Nope! Even after three or so hours of sleep and rest, they ran out of federal time limits to be on the job. A transfer vehicle In Arkansas City Ks would have to round up a call out crew to come 50 miles south to the plant to drop off the fresh crew and pick up the crew that was timed out.
Meanwhile after working a 10 hour day, getting called out at 2am to work on the train controls for an hour or so to fix and then waiting on a transfer by BNSF for around two to three hours where we were not allowed to sleep, we had to be back on the normal day job at 7am.
I lived 18 miles away one way. Typically, I just set the alarm on the phone and slept in the parking lot with the truck seat laid back.
I'm not saying they don't have some complaints and issues that need fixed, but they aren't the only people in the world who have to work for a living and do some sacrifices.
The overtime double pay was great though.
 

sumoj275

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No matter the way you look at it, no one will be happy with the results of a strike- workers, owners, investors, clients, or us who will be penalized due to the lack of negotiating. Let me take that back, Biden and associates will have something else to blame the dismal job they have done with the energy industry, inflation, and immigration.
 

Seadog

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But isn't the question so obvious that it appears off to not ask it? We can't make a deal. Why? I can't think of any other question that even makes sense.

And I'm not talking about just this article. That information is glaringly absent in a lot of the reporting I've seen over the years when these things flare up.

My theory is that the information would not bolster public support.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s money. More than likely they want some type of monetary raise that makes up for the Beijing Biden inflation. More than likely get far exceeds what anybody else will get for a long period of time.

These guys don’t have a bad retirement pension either
 

bigfug

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sounds kinda like farming?

Except the publics safety isnt put at risk with 4,000-20,000 tons of speeding steel. You wouldnt let a semi-driver work with the same protocols because it wouldnt be safe for him to be on the road. Not much different for an engineer.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s money. More than likely they want some type of monetary raise that makes up for the Beijing Biden inflation. More than likely get far exceeds what anybody else will get for a long period of time.

These guys don’t have a bad retirement pension either

They are being offered a considerable raise. They are veto'ing because of the lack of PTO, scheduling etc. They get no paid time off, vacation, bereavement or sick leave. They take off and earn demerits basically. So many demerits is probation or termination. Problem is, they are on call 24/7/365. So taking a day off call is the same as taking off.
 

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