The complaints of inflation are insane.

[Farm Boy]

"the US"

?

 

[Kaitzilla]

The national railroad strike is back on, possibly for December 9th!

Large rail union SMART-TD votes to reject labor deal as national strike moves closer

SMART-TD, one of the largest rail unions, voted down a labor deal, and a national strike could begin in December, a serious blow to the economy.

www.cnbc.com

Will they really do it before Christmas though?

President Biden has signaled his ready and willingness to help Congress force through the deal 4 out of 12 rail unions are rejecting. (1 paid sick day per year in the compromise deal I think)

Statement from President Joe Biden on Averting a Rail Shutdown - The White House

I am calling on Congress to pass legislation immediately to adopt the Tentative Agreement between railroad workers and operators – without any modifications or delay – to avert a potentially crippling national rail shutdown. This agreement was approved by labor and management negotiators in...

www.whitehouse.gov

Speaker Pelosi will introduce the legislation very soon.

Pelosi: House Will Consider Intervening to Avert Rail Strike

Congress will consider legislation this week to avert a rail strike, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday shortly after President Biden called on Congress to act.

news.yahoo.com

Some anger of course, but it should sail through in my opinion.

Marco Rubio slams Biden's shutting down a rail strike for workers who want more paid sick leave: 'I will not vote to impose a deal that doesn't have the support of the rail workers'

Rail workers are demanding more paid leave, but the agreement Biden wants to pass includes just one day off.

www.businessinsider.com

Workers wanted 15 paid sick days, according to Reuters, but railroad companies agreed to just one paid personal day in the tentative agreement.

"As a proud pro-labor President, I am reluctant to override the ratification procedures and the views of those who voted against the agreement," Biden said. "But in this case – where the economic impact of a shutdown would hurt millions of other working people and families – I believe Congress must use its powers to adopt this deal."

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg echoed Biden's sentiment. A strike could cost the economy $2 billion a day, according to the pro-business US Chamber of Commerce, and bring a slew of services to a standstill.

While Rubio struck out at union bosses, the contract process does require that union members vote on whether or not to ratify the tentative agreement. The industry's biggest union, alongside three others, voted down the tentative agreement, while the rest of the 12 total unions involved in the negotations voted to ratify.

Michael Paul Lindsey, a locomotive engineer in Idaho and steering committee member for Railroad Workers United, told Insider it was a "blatant betrayal," but he wasn't surprised.

"I thought it was kind of laughable that anyone would think that either the Democrats or the Republicans actually cared. Bottom line, they care about money," he said. Even so, "there was always that hope in the back of my mind that maybe someone would do something that was actually right for the American worker for once — instead of just what's right for corporate America."

 

[Kaitzilla]

The U.S. House passed the railroad agreement forcing the Unions and workers to accept the new contract. 290 votes yes to 137 against.

House votes to prevent rail strike, guarantee paid sick leave

The House of Representatives voted 290-137 to intervene on a potential rail strike. It also voted to guarantee seven days of paid sick leave.

www.freightwaves.com

A second bill was passed that would guarantee 7 paid sick days per year instead of 1.
It squeaked through with 221 to 207 votes.
I assume the railroads and Republicans were against this one.

Both head to the Senate.


House Republicans, who have unlimited paid sick leave, have given no explanation why they voted almost unanimously against the 7 days of paid sick leave.

Republicans with unlimited sick days vote against time off for rail workers

"The 'working class party' strikes again," one Twitter user said after the vote.

www.newsweek.com

 

[Lexicus]

The U.S. House passed the railroad agreement forcing the Unions and workers to accept the new contract. 290 votes yes to 137 against.

House votes to prevent rail strike, guarantee paid sick leave

The House of Representatives voted 290-137 to intervene on a potential rail strike. It also voted to guarantee seven days of paid sick leave.

www.freightwaves.com

A second bill was passed that would guarantee 7 paid sick days per year instead of 1.
It squeaked through with 221 to 207 votes.
I assume the railroads and Republicans were against this one.

Both head to the Senate.


House Republicans, who have unlimited paid sick leave, have given no explanation why they voted almost unanimously against the 7 days of paid sick leave.

Republicans with unlimited sick days vote against time off for rail workers

"The 'working class party' strikes again," one Twitter user said after the vote.

www.newsweek.com

Bernie announced his intention to torpedo the deal if 7 days sick leave aren't included

 

[Farm Boy]

Moving towards securing Republicans, then.

 

[Lexicus]

Moving towards securing Republicans, then.

Yeah, and Farm Boy certified "labor democrat" Joe Manchin voted down the amendment to give em the sick days lmao

 

[Farm Boy]

I'm actually somewhat torn. Their hours absolutely suck on flexibility, but they usually do alright and they don't always need to work the worst of them. The contract does have a 23(was it again?) percent raise in it. Must be cheaper than giving them all 6 more sick days a year or needing to hire enough more to cover the difference. It seems like it has upsides too. It's one of those places where being fired isn't exactly like being fired, and the flexibility really sucks hard for the people lowest on the seniority chain, getting better as they go up. When trains get more expensive, shipping gets more expensive, and guess who eats crap when the wholesale transportation basis cost goes up first?

 

[Kaitzilla]

Whoa, a huge event!

Unions wanted 14 paid sick days.
Railroads wanted 0 paid sick days.

Government-forced bargain for 1 paid sick day passed the Senate with 85yes -15no
Government-forced bargain for 7 paid sick days failed in the Senate with 52yes - 43no (I guess fillibusters are automatic now and need 60 yes to pass)
Not sure which 3 Dems and 2 Republicans voted present or left for the local sizzler.

Senate Votes To Avert Rail Strike—But Denies Railroad Workers’ Request For 7 Paid Sick Days

The nation's rail workers were threatening to strike over lack of paid sick leave.

www.forbes.com

We can now all breathe a sigh of relief that all the railroads in the country won't shut down in 8 days.
Our politicians voted to increase the workers' paid sick leave at the end of the day, though not as much as they wanted.

 

[cardgame]

One paid sick day from zero is still an absolute fudging joke

 

[Broken_Erika]

7 Days paid sick leave for rail workers would annihilate the economy according to shareholders!

 

[Kaitzilla]

Thanks heavens the House did not pass more than 2 bills.

1 Paid Sick Day.
2 Paid Sick Days.
3 Paid Sick Days.
4 Paid Sick Days.
5 Paid Sick Days.
6 Paid Sick Days.
7 Paid Sick Days.

Imagine the indignity of such a voting spectacle.
The 2 side by side were quite enough.

 

[innonimatu]

They should all walk away, and screw the country that elected these politicans. A duopoly of anti-labour parties cannot be negotiated with. It can only be crashed.

 

[Hygro]

Should be 20 paid sick days.

 

[Samson]

Should be for as long as you are sick for.

 

[Farm Boy]

How much you guys know about rail scheduling?

 

[Samson]

How much you guys know about rail scheduling?

I know very little, but I know a thing or two about sickness and the stress of worrying about your job makes it significantly worse.

 

[Farm Boy]

It's an odd sort of scheduling. When it's busy, those guys are very busy. They ride any time of day or night on a couple hours notice, they might get dropped off in another state and put up at a hotel for a couple days and driven back, or there might be another train to take back in a day or so. This might keep up for weeks. Then, when their seniority has kicked in again, they might put themselves at the bottom of the call in list, and they'll be at home for a couple weeks without ever leaving. It's not hourly, they'll get paid to be on call for long gaps they don't leave. But if they miss their call, they'll stop getting paid for being home until they get back to the top of the call-in list and work again, which is sort of what's at issue. I think. Approximately. The union rules are byzantine with who has to come in, who can stay home. It's really old school and it pays a working man a living he can (probably) own his home on. Probably has to live nearish a regional rail hub though, so that they can make their report-in window. It's not an easy thing to get into, you almost have to know somebody.

 

[Lexicus]

How much you guys know about rail scheduling?

I always ride in the cafe car on amtrak and eavesdrop on the conductors *****ing about work; beyond that I know nothing.

When trains get more expensive, shipping gets more expensive, and guess who eats crap when the wholesale transportation basis cost goes up first?

Sure, and if you were a slave then the people who pay for your job to be done would be better off than they currently are.

 

[Farm Boy]

I'm guessing it mostly means I pay closer attention. I like the guys I know that work this way.

 

[Farm Boy]

I'm actually trying to decide how clever they've been. Five years of raises at current inflation when everything looks like the bottom is going to drop out in less than one? This isn't their first rodeo, those unions are actually good. Weird for Murica, I know.