Railroad strike looms over holidays after major union rejects deal

[Free Vulcan]

An influential railroad worker union rejected a Biden-brokered labor deal Monday morning, raising the prospect of a strike before the holidays.

Why it matters: The deal's failure is a setback for the White House, which brokered and sold it as a big win in September.

Driving the news: SMART Transportation Division, the union that represents rail conductors, voted against the deal. The rail workers can strike after Dec. 9 if the two sides don't reach an agreement.

After that date, a strike could happen at any moment — unless lawmakers step in to implement a cooling-off period or even force the workers to accept a deal.

https://www.axios.com/2022/11/21/economy-railroad-union-vote

[catfish1957]

I guess the dementia stricken POTUS doesn't understand the concept of the deal a'int sealed until it is signed on the dotted line. 

What a fool.

[Free Vulcan]

I guess the dementia stricken POTUS doesn't understand the concept of the deal a'int sealed until it is signed on the dotted line. 

What a fool.

But Sniffy is a mafia tough guy. You're gonna sign that deal or he's gonna punch you in the face.

Oops, guess not.

[Timber Rattler]

The election is over.  Brandon could care less.  His deal with the union was to wait until afterward, just like the one he tried to do with the Saudis on the oil production cut (which backfired).

[Kamaji]

The election is over.  Brandon could care less.  His deal with the union was to wait until afterward, just like the one he tried to do with the Saudis on the oil production cut (which backfired).

[Wingnut]

Joe can just Nationalize the Railroads via Executive order. He has Obama's pen and phone after all.

[mystery-ak]

November 22, 2022 12:59pm EST
Rail union strike would create a ‘crippling’ economy, industry official warns
Association of American Railroads CEO says Congress may need to ‘step in’

By Kristen Altus FOXBusiness

After a fourth U.S. railroad union rejected an agreement with their employers brokered by the Biden administration - and reignited fears of a nationwide rail worker strike - one spokesman for the rail companies claimed they’re "ready, willing and able" to reach new negotiations.

"We need to keep the network moving. We need to keep the economy moving," Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and CEO Ian Jeffries said on "Varney & Co." Tuesday. "And so that's why we stand ready, willing and able to reach new voluntary agreements. And absent that, we believe Congress might need to be ready to step in as it historically has."

Jeffries’ comments come just after a fourth rail union rejected a tentative agreement with the nation's major freight railroads, raising the prospects of a nationwide strike that could kneecap the economy in the middle of the holiday season.

Members of the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART-TD), representing more than 28,000 workers, issued a split decision in the vote count announced Monday. Yardmasters represented by SMART-TD voted to ratify their contract, but a smaller group of some 1,300 train and engine service members voted against their separate contract.

more
https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/rail-union-strike-create-crippling-economy-industry-official-warns

[berdie]

I thought this was all settled. Call me a skeptic, but the timing of this, after the midterms  is suspicious.

[Fishrrman]

What the article doesn't say:

The "SMART-TD" union seems to have come about after I retired. Before then, the conductors/brakemen were [mostly] represented by the "UTU" (United Transportation Union).

Engineers were always [mostly] represented by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLE), now the BLET (they added "trainmen", who are free to join either union).

I'll guess it's mostly the conductors/trainmen who voted against the proposal.
They actually have good reason to do so, because of the draconian disciplinary policies that "demerit" those who need a day off (you can get tired of working 13, 14, 15 days -- or more -- straight, with 8-12 hours at home before you're called for the next job).

My guess is that the Congress will be obliged to exercise its authority under the Railway Labor Act (of 1926) and impose "a settlement".

That could be either the existing proposal, or they could even modify it (and pass as U.S. law) if they wanted to.

The dem-communist Congress isn't very happy about this, as they want to be viewed as "pro-labor", and imposing a settlement won't be viewed as being very "pro-" by the unions.

What the Congress COULD do (but probably won't):
Mandate the existing agreement proposal but insert into it language that mandates a specific amount of "time off" after days worked.

I reckon that after every 7 days on the job, a T&E employee ought to have the demand right to "mark off" for a period of 48 hours (after which he would be automatically "marked back up" for service.

2 days after 7 worked.
Does that sound unreasonable to you?

[Fishrrman]

My comments here (in the other thread):
https://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,485441.msg2744451.html#msg2744451

[jmyrlefuller]

The worst part is... the one thing Joe Biden is actually good at is negotiating deals and agreements, like a professional politician. The fact that he can no longer do so is proof that he has no further redeeming characteristics and should no longer be in office.

[mountaineer]

Two days ago, Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden is "directly involved" in negotiations to avert a massive rail strike.

Yesterday, in Nantucket, Biden said, "I have not directly engaged yet."

https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1595983294809526273

[mountaineer]

Prospective rail strike may leave millions of pounds of feces in New York City
New York authorities assured the public that the city was preparing for such a scenario.
By Ben Whedon
Updated: November 24, 2022 - 5:15pm

A prospective national railway strike could halt the trains that transport human waste out of New York City, leaving residents of the Big Apple stuck with the roughly 2.4 million pounds of excrement they produce each day.

Members of the nation's largest union of rail workers on Monday rejected a contract with major railroads, paving the way for a strike in the coming weeks.

Under normal circumstances, New York City's human waste would enter landfills spread across the Southern United States via train, the Daily Wire noted. Federal law prohibits the city from dumping its fecal matter in the ocean. Without running trains, the waste would remain in the city, presenting a significant threat to public health. ...

JustTheNews

[GtHawk]

Prospective rail strike may leave millions of pounds of feces in New York City
New York authorities assured the public that the city was preparing for such a scenario.
By Ben Whedon
Updated: November 24, 2022 - 5:15pmJustTheNews

So a city that full of sh!t would become more full of sh!t? Maybe Hochul could sign an executive order making it legal and required to defecate in the streets, ala SanFranshitco to reduce the 'load' being shipped by train

[Kamaji]

Prospective rail strike may leave millions of pounds of feces in New York City
New York authorities assured the public that the city was preparing for such a scenario.
By Ben Whedon
Updated: November 24, 2022 - 5:15pmJustTheNews

[DefiantMassRINO]

Irony: A union striking against a pro-union administration.

[Right_in_Virginia]

"This week, Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly insisted Biden has been “directly involved” in rail strike negotiations — but that’s not what Biden said yesterday.  More lies from the Biden administration!'  (Video)

https://mobile.twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1596330652626202624

[Idiot]

"This week, Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly insisted Biden has been “directly involved” in rail strike negotiations — but that’s not what Biden said yesterday.  More lies from the Biden administration!'  (Video)

https://mobile.twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1596330652626202624

Liar...liar...pants on fire...

[GtHawk]

Liar...liar...pants on fire...

Well you can' blame her if the dementia patient can't keep her lies straight