Railroad union votes to authorize strike that could hammer economy

[libertybele]

Railroad union votes to authorize strike that could hammer economy

One of the unions representing rail workers said Wednesday that its members rejected a proposed deal with rail carriers and voted to move forward with a strike that could have severe consequences for the U.S. economy.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers issued a statement saying that roughly 4,900 of its members turned down the tentative agreement with the National Carriers' Conference Committee (NCCC) representing railroads, but noted that they would hold off on striking for at least a few weeks while other unions continue their talks.

"The Tentative Agreement has been rejected and the strike authorization vote was approved by IAM District 19 members," IAM District 19 said in a statement. "Out of respect for other unions in the ratification process, an extension has been agreed to until Sept. 29, 2022 at 12 p.m. ET. This extension will allow us to continue to negotiate changes with the NCCC in the hopes of achieving an agreement our membership would ratify."

"IAM freight rail members are skilled professionals who have worked in difficult conditions through a pandemic to make sure essential products get to their destinations," the statement continued.

"We look forward to continuing that vital work with a fair contract that ensures our members and their families are treated with the respect they deserve for keeping America’s goods and resources moving through the pandemic. The IAM is grateful for the support of those working toward a solution as our members and freight rail workers seek equitable agreements."

IAM is one of four unions that remain holdouts on the deal put forth by the presidential emergency board (PEB) appointed by President Biden. Another eight rail unions have agreed to the plan..................

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/railroad-union-votes-authorize-strike-could-hammer-economy

[berdie]

Oh, good grief. What next?

[rustynail]

Reopen the canals.

[libertybele]

Oh, good grief. What next?

Another Great Depression.

[mystery-ak]

I'm glad my freezers are stocked....

For those who have a Krogers nearby...they have pork shoulders buy one get one free...I couldn't take advantage as I have no room and already have 2 or 3...

[libertybele]

I'm glad my freezers are stocked....

For those who have a Krogers nearby...they have pork shoulders buy one get one free...I couldn't take advantage as I have no room and already have 2 or 3...

No Krogers down here. We have a Publix, Winn Dixie (puke), Wally World and now a Farmer Joe's.  Last BOGO  Publix had a couple of weeks ago I got St. Louis style ribs.  We cooked one slab and froze the other.

The good news; I have everything for Thanksgiving already bought, except the turkey. Lord only knows what the price of turkey is going to be this year. 

I remember when the kids were little I could get a turkey for .19/lb.  It would feed us for the entire week.

[sneakypete]

Another Great Depression.

@libertybele

BINGO!

Complete with lines forming for the "free" food and housing.

[Fishrrman]

The machinists are a "small potatoes" player in the railroad arena.

The big players are
- Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
and
- United Transportation Union (represents conductors and brakemen, also engineers)

The BLE/T and UTU have been in competition with each other for decades, but the issues in this strike are the same.

The unions that have already "signed" look to have accepted the wage recommendations of the Presidential Emergency Board -- about 24% over 4 or 5 years (not sure). But this hardly keeps up with inflation.

But that's not the big issue.
Being able to get time off is.

Most T&E guys on the freight railroads are "on call" 24 hours a day, EVERY day, and are penalized for taking time off. The pay is good, but YOU wouldn't want to work the hours that these guys are forced to work. Maybe not even if you were your own boss.

It goes like this:
2.00am phone rings ("you've got xxx job a 4.00am")
4.00am - sign up for work, take train on the road for away-from-home terminal
3.00pm (next day) - arrive at away-from-home terminal, get cabbed to the motel
10.00pm - notified to report at 12.mid for xx job)
12.mid - sign up for work, take train towards home.
11.30am (2nd day) - arrive back home. Sign off and go home.

7.30pm - phone rings, ("you've got xxx job at 9.30pm")
repeat.

And repeat and repeat and repeat and repeat. And those are the "good" trips (nothing went wrong).

Call crew and ask to mark off -- "No, I've got no one available".
Say you must mark off anyway -- next thing, get a letter from the company.

THAT'S how those guys work.
You go out on the job and are away from home 30-35 hours or more per trip.
You get home, try to get some rest, and 9-10 hours later they're calling you back.
There are almost no "days off".

And that's what "the fight" is about this time 'round.

[libertybele]

@libertybele

BINGO!

Complete with lines forming for the "free" food and housing.

Unfortunately, that's what I truly see happening on the horizon .... and the there's the issue of the 87,000 IRS agents.  Will they be seizing homes for back taxes??? 

[Gefn]

Another Great Depression.

I’m glad there’s skyscrapers near me.

And the utilities companies are already saying our electricity bills will go up this winter.

[libertybele]

I’m glad there’s skyscrapers near me.

@Gefn -- no skyscrapers around here; only a couple of bridges.

Our electric rates are going to go up again as well too.  Luckily our temperatures are dropping and we won't need to run the air for the next couple of months at least.  We're already starting to drop down into the low 90's and high 80's so, that's a plus.

[Gefn]

@Gefn -- no skyscrapers around here; only a couple of bridges.

@libertybele

At least when you jump off a bridge you hit water. People jumping off skyscrapers have been known to land on pedestrians, and milling them. 

[rustynail]

The machinists are a "small potatoes" player in the railroad arena.

The big players are
- Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
and
- United Transportation Union (represents conductors and brakemen, also engineers)

The BLE/T and UTU have been in competition with each other for decades, but the issues in this strike are the same.

The unions that have already "signed" look to have accepted the wage recommendations of the Presidential Emergency Board -- about 24% over 4 or 5 years (not sure). But this hardly keeps up with inflation.

But that's not the big issue.
Being able to get time off is.

Most T&E guys on the freight railroads are "on call" 24 hours a day, EVERY day, and are penalized for taking time off. The pay is good, but YOU wouldn't want to work the hours that these guys are forced to work. Maybe not even if you were your own boss.

It goes like this:
2.00am phone rings ("you've got xxx job a 4.00am")
4.00am - sign up for work, take train on the road for away-from-home terminal
3.00pm (next day) - arrive at away-from-home terminal, get cabbed to the motel
10.00pm - notified to report at 12.mid for xx job)
12.mid - sign up for work, take train towards home.
11.30am (2nd day) - arrive back home. Sign off and go home.

7.30pm - phone rings, ("you've got xxx job at 9.30pm")
repeat.

And repeat and repeat and repeat and repeat. And those are the "good" trips (nothing went wrong).

Call crew and ask to mark off -- "No, I've got no one available".
Say you must mark off anyway -- next thing, get a letter from the company.

THAT'S how those guys work.
You go out on the job and are away from home 30-35 hours or more per trip.
You get home, try to get some rest, and 9-10 hours later they're calling you back.
There are almost no "days off".

And that's what "the fight" is about this time 'round.

That is not in any way healthy.
Has it always been that way?

[libertybele]

Potential railroad strike: Why Amtrak is canceling trains, and everything else you need to know

A possible national railroad strike is looming over the U.S. supply chain and adding to the inflation fears that have roiled markets this week.

Major freight railroad operators have already warned that they are preparing for a possible strike and halting some services, creating network slowdowns. The deadline to agree to terms is 12:01 a.m. on Friday.
How many railroad unions are there?

Talks involve no fewer than 12 unions, but two unions representing train conductors and engineers are the notable holdouts as they represent more than 50% of the workers at the negotiation table. The two are the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers. On Wednesday, about 4,900 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 19 voted to reject a tentative deal negotiated by their own leadership.

Why are rail unions striking?

Trouble has been brewing for close to three years. In July, President Joe Biden intervened to avert a strike, naming a panel of arbitrators to mediate the contract disputes.

The panel last month issued a 124-page report recommending a 24% pay increase and bonuses through 2024, along with back pay through much of 2020.

But the issue at the heart of the dispute is what unions say are restrictive attendance, sick and time-off policies. Union members say that their workers are penalized for taking unplanned days off for themselves or to attend to family matters, and have to be on call for weeks on end.

“It sucks the life right out of you,” a former engineer told NPR.

Why is Amtrak canceling trains?

Sure, the possible strike involves freight trains. But here’s the catch: Passenger and commuter rail services operate mainly on freight railroad tracks in many areas. .............

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/potential-railroad-strike-why-amtrak-is-canceling-trains-and-everything-else-you-need-to-know-11663190719?mod=home-page

[mystery-ak]

No Krogers down here. We have a Publix, Winn Dixie (puke), Wally World and now a Farmer Joe's.  Last BOGO  Publix had a couple of weeks ago I got St. Louis style ribs.  We cooked one slab and froze the other.

The good news; I have everything for Thanksgiving already bought, except the turkey. Lord only knows what the price of turkey is going to be this year. 

I remember when the kids were little I could get a turkey for .19/lb.  It would feed us for the entire week.

I remember those days...I always had a couple of turkeys in the freezer for the winter..

[Gefn]

I remember those days...I always had a couple of turkeys in the freezer for the winter..

There’s a Turkey farm near me. Fresh Turkeys but you pre order.

M glad I don’t know them before they adorn the Thanksgiving table

[libertybele]

There’s a Turkey farm near me. Fresh Turkeys but you pre order.

M glad I don’t know them before they adorn the Thanksgiving table

Are they extremely expensive @Gefn ? The little Italian market around herre always sells fresh Amish turkeys but they are very expensive.

[mountaineer]

Why do I suspect this is a DNC production?

[Gefn]

Are they extremely expensive @Gefn ? The little Italian market around herre always sells fresh Amish turkeys but they are very expensive.

Well, I use to babysit for the owner’s wife’s children so it was round $10.

Fed a family of four and leftovers!


@libertybele

[libertybele]

Well, I use to babysit for the owner’s wife’s children so it was round $10.

Fed a family of four and leftovers!


@libertybele

Very reasonable.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Why do I suspect this is a DNC production?

If it ends on Thursday, 11:59 pm, we'll know. 

[Fishrrman]

Amtrak won't be cancelling trains between Boston, New York, and DC.
They own the railroad, and the freight railroads can't legally picket against them.

Same for most of the commuter railroads in the Northeast.

[mountaineer]

Now Biden claims he settled the strike. Like I said, this near-crisis brought to you by the DNC and their compliant union bosses.

[catfish1957]

Now Biden claims he settled the strike. Like I said, this near-crisis brought to you by the DNC and their compliant union bosses.

Dog-wagging is the only tool the dims have left.  All smoke, mirror, and illusions.

[Kamaji]

Now Biden claims he settled the strike. Like I said, this near-crisis brought to you by the DNC and their compliant union bosses.

This is almost certainly collusion to allow Bidet to claim that he "saved" the American economy by negotiating hard with the unions, even though it was already a done deal.