Railroad Worker Strike US

[saraha]

@Granny_Weatherwaxi wish you had a National platform to explain to people like me just how it goes

[kbutton]

47 minutes ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

My DH has worked for the railroad for 20 years. Over those 20 years things have become progressively worse. The institution of Article 9, PSR and Hi-Viz have devastated scheduling and the ability to take time off.

20 years, 15 years, even 10 years ago, DH could lay off sick or fatigued or take an unpaid day off. It hurt our bottom line but he could recover from an illness, schedule appts, attend a family function, or just stay home to rest. This is a thing of the past. 

 

Thank you for the context! I am so sorry! It must be agonizing to think you are set on a stable career path and have things change, change, change. 

DH has some things about work that are less than ideal, and some of those things are accepted as is in industry, but the idea that would get worse vs. better would be super demoralizing, and none of the things we face add up to what you have to deal with.

46 minutes ago, saraha said:

@Granny_Weatherwaxi wish you had a National platform to explain to people like me just how it goes

I agree. I shared the explainer on FB and mentioned that the article doesn't mention some of the worst parts/additional context.

[Faith-manor]

Does anyone know anyone at Dateline? We need some prime time news org to tackle this issue. Though it is fruitless to call the office of my representative, a woman whose brain with no grasp of reality and the temperament of a rabid dog on a good day, I will do it anyway, and once again express my opinion to Senators Stabenow and Peters just in case there is anything they could inspire congress to do.

Edited December 2, 2022 by Faith-manor

[Spy Car]

The Senate has rejected the House bill that would add 7 days of sick leave to the railroad workers deal. The vote was 52–43 in favor (but it effectively takes 60 votes to clear the Senate).

The other bill, that would impose the negotiated settlement and head off a legal strike passed 80 to 15.

Bill

Edited December 1, 2022 by Spy Car

[Faith-manor]

18 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

The Senate has rejected the House bill that would add 7 days of sick leave to the railroad workers deal. The vote was 52–43 in favor (but it effectively takes 60 votes to clear the Senate).

The other bill, that would impose the negotiated settlement and head off a legal strike passed 80 to 15.

Bill

I think I hate all the politicians.

Feudalism. The Lords have spoken, the Serfs are expected to bow the knee and accept their lot in life.

[Murphy101]

2 hours ago, Spy Car said:

The Senate has rejected the House bill that would add 7 days of sick leave to the railroad workers deal. The vote was 52–43 in favor (but it effectively takes 60 votes to clear the Senate).

The other bill, that would impose the negotiated settlement and head off a legal strike passed 80 to 15.

Bill

W

t

🤬

How bleeping messed up is that?!

Edited December 1, 2022 by Murphy101

[Granny_Weatherwax]

3 hours ago, Spy Car said:

The Senate has rejected the House bill that would add 7 days of sick leave to the railroad workers deal. The vote was 52–43 in favor (but it effectively takes 60 votes to clear the Senate).

The other bill, that would impose the negotiated settlement and head off a legal strike passed 80 to 15.

Bill

The Union sent a message (by text) to the workers as soon as the results were announced. It's a blow. They also voted against extending the cooling off period.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I am so broken hearted. Dh and many of his friends are in their early 50s and are within 10 years of retirement. Questions about quitting and losing retirement income and health benefits are now the topics of conversation. Selling homes and moving from an area where home values are falling and the market is flooded with high end houses due to the hospital closure and no new industry moving in to replace the lost manufacturing jobs is problematic. 

Young guys are definitely talking about taking the back pay and quitting with a ferocity doubled from three to four weeks ago.

For us, DH has lost his voice and will be taking Dayquil, cough drops, and a thermos of honey lemon tea with him to work. He can't lay off unless he uses his points. But it's a Thursday-Friday shift and that means it's a weekend shift and Hi-Viz means big point deductions. Points he will not be able to make up before Christmas.

Just to let you know what this feels like: He has to decide if his illness is worth not only the Christmas holiday with our children and grandchildren but knowing that if he takes time off it means less income plus the expense of a doctor visit. That visit would either be Prompt Care or ER because of the long wait times for appointments due to the overburdened hospital (due to the other hospital closing earlier this year). We're looking at loss of income (no paid sick time), larger than usual co-pays due to not being able to book a regular appointment, losing precious Hi-Viz points for the upcoming holidays, and praying that the illness doesn't become worse and require antibiotics or result in a fever or GI symptoms (the bathrooms on train engines are horrendous).

I am angry. DH is good at his job. He has been offered the positions of trainer and union rep. He is the go-to guy when there is a train that needs work because he'll do the work and do it to the best of his ability. He doesn't abuse time off, is always on time, is willing to take on students, and is a favorite of trainmasters and yardmasters. For him to have to go to work with COVID and now this second illness just a month later with no opportunity for rest or recuperation, it's unfathomable that Congress thinks this is okay.

[Spy Car]

5 minutes ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

I am so broken hearted. Dh and many of his friends are in their early 50s and are within 10 years of retirement. Questions about quitting and losing retirement income and health benefits are now the topics of conversation. Selling homes and moving from an area where home values are falling and the market is flooded with high end houses due to the hospital closure and no new industry moving in to replace the lost manufacturing jobs is problematic. 

Young guys are definitely talking about taking the back pay and quitting with a ferocity doubled from three to four weeks ago.

For us, DH has lost his voice and will be taking Dayquil, cough drops, and a thermos of honey lemon tea with him to work. He can't lay off unless he uses his points. But it's a Thursday-Friday shift and that means it's a weekend shift and Hi-Viz means big point deductions. Points he will not be able to make up before Christmas.

Just to let you know what this feels like: He has to decide if his illness is worth not only the Christmas holiday with our children and grandchildren but knowing that if he takes time off it means less income plus the expense of a doctor visit. That visit would either be Prompt Care or ER because of the long wait times for appointments due to the overburdened hospital (due to the other hospital closing earlier this year). We're looking at loss of income (no paid sick time), larger than usual co-pays due to not being able to book a regular appointment, losing precious Hi-Viz points for the upcoming holidays, and praying that the illness doesn't become worse and require antibiotics or result in a fever or GI symptoms (the bathrooms on train engines are horrendous).

I am angry. DH is good at his job. He has been offered the positions of trainer and union rep. He is the go-to guy when there is a train that needs work because he'll do the work and do it to the best of his ability. He doesn't abuse time off, is always on time, is willing to take on students, and is a favorite of trainmasters and yardmasters. For him to have to go to work with COVID and now this second illness just a month later with no opportunity for rest or recuperation, it's unfathomable that Congress thinks this is okay.

I'm sorry.

Bill

[hshibley]

1 hour ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

The Union sent a message (by text) to the workers as soon as the results were announced. It's a blow. They also voted against extending the cooling off period.

What happens if they ignore congress and strike anyway? 
 

So sorry for you and your family as well as others in your situation. 

[Amy in NH]

4 hours ago, Spy Car said:

The Senate has rejected the House bill that would add 7 days of sick leave to the railroad workers deal. The vote was 52–43 in favor (but it effectively takes 60 votes to clear the Senate).

The other bill, that would impose the negotiated settlement and head off a legal strike passed 80 to 15.

Bill

Where is the angry-face emojii?!

[Ausmumof3]

4 hours ago, Spy Car said:

The Senate has rejected the House bill that would add 7 days of sick leave to the railroad workers deal. The vote was 52–43 in favor (but it effectively takes 60 votes to clear the Senate).

The other bill, that would impose the negotiated settlement and head off a legal strike passed 80 to 15.

Bill

43 people don’t think 7 days sick leave is reasonable 😞

[Faith-manor]

2 hours ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

I am so broken hearted. Dh and many of his friends are in their early 50s and are within 10 years of retirement. Questions about quitting and losing retirement income and health benefits are now the topics of conversation. Selling homes and moving from an area where home values are falling and the market is flooded with high end houses due to the hospital closure and no new industry moving in to replace the lost manufacturing jobs is problematic. 

Young guys are definitely talking about taking the back pay and quitting with a ferocity doubled from three to four weeks ago.

For us, DH has lost his voice and will be taking Dayquil, cough drops, and a thermos of honey lemon tea with him to work. He can't lay off unless he uses his points. But it's a Thursday-Friday shift and that means it's a weekend shift and Hi-Viz means big point deductions. Points he will not be able to make up before Christmas.

Just to let you know what this feels like: He has to decide if his illness is worth not only the Christmas holiday with our children and grandchildren but knowing that if he takes time off it means less income plus the expense of a doctor visit. That visit would either be Prompt Care or ER because of the long wait times for appointments due to the overburdened hospital (due to the other hospital closing earlier this year). We're looking at loss of income (no paid sick time), larger than usual co-pays due to not being able to book a regular appointment, losing precious Hi-Viz points for the upcoming holidays, and praying that the illness doesn't become worse and require antibiotics or result in a fever or GI symptoms (the bathrooms on train engines are horrendous).

I am angry. DH is good at his job. He has been offered the positions of trainer and union rep. He is the go-to guy when there is a train that needs work because he'll do the work and do it to the best of his ability. He doesn't abuse time off, is always on time, is willing to take on students, and is a favorite of trainmasters and yardmasters. For him to have to go to work with COVID and now this second illness just a month later with no opportunity for rest or recuperation, it's unfathomable that Congress thinks this is okay.

This breaks my heart. I don't know what to say. I wish I could help. 

Does anyone here want to start a rumble? I am in a "show up at a rail yard some place and protest bad enough to get national attention" mood. But without some sort of organized effort, I don't think it would be successful.

I have words for the senate, and they are four letter and tell them what they can do  with themselves.

[Pawz4me]

8 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

43 people don’t think 7 days sick leave is reasonable 😞

And I believe those 43 people have unlimited sick leave

[Granny_Weatherwax]

12 hours ago, hshibley said:

What happens if they ignore congress and strike anyway? 
 

So sorry for you and your family as well as others in your situation. 

From what we've been told, they will be fired. 

[Faith-manor]

This is government enforced slavery. Threatening to mass fire people for standing up for basic human rights thus leaving them in peril to provide food and shelter for their families, and taking away their health insurance in a country without universal healthcare is economic slavery. This is the language that needs to be used by national media outlets. NPR, CNN, ABC, AP, Reuters, CBS, when are they going to man up and call a spade a spade?

I feel like maybe we are going to have to have protests, huge, massive protests and there is going to have to be some sort of slogan that catches fire that brings the issue into specific relief. I have no idea how to start something like this. If someone could think of the slogan, I would at least start using it on social media platforms, in emails and phone calls to politicians. I am drafting a letter to the editor of our local newspaper. However, it is a tiny news outlet, maybe a circulation of 2000-3000 people. I have my doubts that it will be published. They deal almost exclusively with local, very very local news - township level stuff - and the owner is quite risk averse to publishing anything deemed controversial. There are freight train depots and an Amtrak depot south of us in another county. I could try sending it to the newspaper there.

[Carrie12345]

2 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

 

This is government enforced slavery.

 

It truly is.  
Horrifying and disgusting. 

[itsheresomewhere]

3 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

This is government enforced slavery. Threatening to mass fire people for standing up for basic human rights thus leaving them in peril to provide food and shelter for their families, and taking away their health insurance in a country without universal healthcare is economic slavery. This is the language that needs to be used by national media outlets. NPR, CNN, ABC, AP, Reuters, CBS, when are they going to man up and call a spade a spade?

I feel like maybe we are going to have to have protests, huge, massive protests and there is going to have to be some sort of slogan that catches fire that brings the issue into specific relief. I have no idea how to start something like this. If someone could think of the slogan, I would at least start using it on social media platforms, in emails and phone calls to politicians. I am drafting a letter to the editor of our local newspaper. However, it is a tiny news outlet, maybe a circulation of 2000-3000 people. I have my doubts that it will be published. They deal almost exclusively with local, very very local news - township level stuff - and the owner is quite risk averse to publishing anything deemed controversial. There are freight train depots and an Amtrak depot south of us in another county. I could try sending it to the newspaper there.

I wish this would work and get the attention it deserves.  May not be popular opinion but if people cared about this as much as they did with the Twitter buyout, it might change.  But I just don’t think people will get it until a massive tragedy/strike happens.  

[Granny_Weatherwax]

As you may have heard, Congress forced the contract. There will be no strike. The workers lost much in these negotiations. One of the main topics for discussion now is the viability of unions. If joining a union (which is mandatory for railroad employees) and paying monthly dues (which is a couple of hundred dollars) is supposed to give workers a voice and a method for challenging unjust work practices and that union has either lost or abdicated power, what is the point?

The railroad, and Congress, find loopholes to do what they want and leave the workers with little to no recourse. Article 9, PSR, and Hi-Viz were all initiated off-contract and the workers have to suffer the consequences. What will the railroad do next? We already know that a 1-man crew is on the docket.

We are waiting to learn the details of when the raises and backpay will go into effect. This is the reason most people think the railroaders were wanting to strike. Money. Not it at all. Quality of life, people. Quality of life.

[Kassia]

@Granny_WeatherwaxI'm so sorry for you and everyone affected by this.  

 

[Murphy101]

7 minutes ago, Granny_Weatherwax said:

As you may have heard, Congress forced the contract. There will be no strike. The workers lost much in these negotiations. One of the main topics for discussion now is the viability of unions. If joining a union (which is mandatory for railroad employees) and paying monthly dues (which is a couple of hundred dollars) is supposed to give workers a voice and a method for challenging unjust work practices and that union has either lost or abdicated power, what is the point?

The railroad, and Congress, find loopholes to do what they want and leave the workers with little to no recourse. Article 9, PSR, and Hi-Viz were all initiated off-contract and the workers have to suffer the consequences. What will the railroad do next? We already know that a 1-man crew is on the docket.

We are waiting to learn the details of when the raises and backpay will go into effect. This is the reason most people think the railroaders were wanting to strike. Money. Not it at all. Quality of life, people. Quality of life.

Yeah. At this point I’m pro union going on strike anyways.  I’m really ticked off. 

[saraha]

I saw a rumor that workers are waiting for their back pay etc and then going to quit en masse. Would NOT blame them if that is true

[cjzimmer1]

43 minutes ago, saraha said:

I saw a rumor that workers are waiting for their back pay etc and then going to quit en masse. Would NOT blame them if that is true

Even though it will painful for the rest of us, I really hope they do! The "contract" is unconscionable in my opinion and frankly I'm appalled that the members of Congress thought it was appropriate to force the workers to accept it.

[Murphy101]

23 minutes ago, cjzimmer1 said:

Even though it will painful for the rest of us, I really hope they do! The "contract" is unconscionable in my opinion and frankly I'm appalled that the members of Congress thought it was appropriate to force the workers to accept it.

Me too.