The odds of a national rail strike were looking very high not that long ago — and are increasing again.
After talks between unions and the industry broke down (after 2+ years without a contract), emergency mediation by the Presidential Emergency Board #250 came up with a last-minute tentative agreement that averted a strike — temporarily.
We are approaching the end of the cooling off period while the unions vote whether to accept the tentative agreement — and several unions have already voted it down. Railroad Workers United has issued this criticism of the agreement. An excerpt:
What most railroaders are so upset about regarding the PEB is not so much what the PEB is recommending in terms of wage increases (although most workers appear not too jubilant about that), but rather, what the PEB simply chose to ignore. This year was supposed to be our time when rank & file rail workers could hold their heads high, value their jobs, be proud once again to be part of the rail industry, look forward to the coming years, and ultimately, to their retirement from the industry. Unfortunately, the PEB Report has cast a long shadow upon those hopes and expectations.
The PEB’s failure to address much of the rank & file’s concerns about conditions of employment has left the membership feeling vacant, unappreciated, and led down the garden path. The unions – optimistic about the outcome of a PEB – had pushed this course of action as the solution to the carriers’ intransigence in bargaining.
Not only is the PEB’s failure to address work rules and conditions a slap on the face to working railroaders, but that failure also betrays shippers, passengers, and the nation as a whole who have been hoping to see an end to the ongoing rail service crisis. By not addressing these issues and this discontent among the workforce, the PEB has acted irresponsibly, their recommendations doing little to nothing to stem the tide of discontent nor address the ongoing mass exodus of workers from the industry.
These two posts at Daily Kos back in September give background on the issues that have rail workers ready to go on strike. See here and here.
As has been widely reported, a national rail strike might take $2 billion a day out of the U.S. economy with effects that would be felt in almost every sector of the economy. Railroads are making huge profits but at the expense of the rest of us.
As a solidarity member of Railroad Workers United and a Rail Evangelist for Solutionary Rail, I’m spreading the word about a special event happening November 1, 2022 at 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern
Nov 01
Solidarity with Railroad Workers
Join a panel of rank-and-file railroad workers for a discussion of one of the most important struggles in recent labor history.
About this event: RSVP HERE
With the world in disarray after the COVID-19 Pandemic, in the midst of the growing threat of world war, climate disaster, and a global cost-of-living crisis, railroad workers in the United States are currently engaged in one of the most important struggles in recent labor history, in an industry that is at the heart of the functioning of the country.
***Register through Eventbrite to receive a link to the video conference on the day of the event. This event will also be recorded and live captioning will be provided. All money raised above event costs will be donated to Railroad Workers United. ***
The rail industry has seen massive deregulation, lean production, and persistent undermining of working conditions that have made the work all but intolerable.
Despite enormous political pressure, railroad workers are fed up, evidenced by the sections of workers who are voting NO on a Tentative Agreement that they feel doesn't address the base safety and quality of life issues they are willing to strike over. Railroad Workers United (RWU), a cross-union democratic organization of working railroaders, has launched a Vote No Campaign, insisting that this Tentative Agreement offers very little given the conditions they face and the role they play in the economy. RWU will also discuss their statement for the International Public Ownership of the Railroads.
If the railroad workers lead a strike, it will have immediate implications - economically and politically - for every sector of US society. Most importantly for the labor movement, and for the working people within it.
Come hear Railroad Workers United members speak about their struggle, the situation on the rails, and how you can get involved in efforts to support them. In our world of incredible violence and oppression, the struggles of railroad workers must be connected to the struggles of teachers, nurses, service workers, climate and anti-war activists, and all working people in a general fight for peace, freedom, and dignity for all!
Featuring: Engineers and conductors from Railroad Workers United, facilitated by Maximillian Alvarez from The Real News who has covered this struggle extensively.
We are encouraging solidarity right now in the following ways:
- Spread the good news of this meeting! Boost on social media and other means, you can retweet and share our Facebook and Twitter Posts!
- If your organization/union/group would like to co-sponsor this event, please fill out this form.
- Send short solidarity statements - no more than 60 seconds-explaining who you are, why you support railroad workers, and what you feel are the needs of our moment to our drop-box folder here or to our email at railroadworkersolidarity@gmail.com
- Find more ways to contribute through our solidarity guide
If you have any questions or comments please reach out to the email above!
Hosted by: Haymarket Books and Railroad Workers United
Co-Sponsored by dozens of organizations of working people including Union Locals, Rank-and-File Caucuses, Socialist Organizations, and more!
Full List of Co-Sponsors
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This event is sponsored by Railroad Workers United and Haymarket Books. While all of our events are freely available, we ask that those who are able make a solidarity donation in support of our important publishing and programming work.
From Solutionary Rail:
On November 1, 5PM Pacific / 8 PM Eastern, RSVP to hear Railroad Workers United members speak about their struggle, the situation on the rails, and how you can get involved in efforts to support them. The success of this campaign is of urgent importance, and solidarity must be built.
Help Grow This Campaign:
Railroad Workers United encourages solidarity right now in the following ways:
- Spread the good news of this meeting! Boost on social media and other means, you can retweet and share RWU’s Facebook and Twitter Posts!
- If your organization/union/group would like to co-sponsor this event, please fill out this form.
Find more ways to contribute through this solidarity guide
Backbone Campaign & Solutionary Rail look forward to this important discussion; we hope you'll tune in to learn how you can be in solidarity with railroad workers.
RSVP HERE
And if you missed the SR call this week, featuring a conversation with RWU members and an update on the Solutionary Rail Trains Can Save Salmon Plan, check out the recording HERE.
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Backbone Campaign · 18850 103rd Ave SW, Ste 205, Vashon, WA 98070, United States
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You can also keep up with Solutionary Rail on Twitter or Facebook.
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Railroads could make a huge difference in the national effort to take effective action against climate change. (The four biggest US class ones funded climate denial for 30 years.) They could provide far better service and make a huge contribution to revitalizing trackside communities that have been left behind. They could address major quality of life and health issues. This video gives an idea of what railroads could be doing. (Free download of the SR eBook with the code 4WRD2GTHR at checkout.)
It’s not going to happen as long as railroads are operated to do just one thing: maximize shareholder value.
Railroads are vital transportation infrastructure, just as highways, skyways, and waterways, but they are the only one largely left to private interests. Railroad Workers United are calling for the nationalization of America’s railroads in view of the private sector’s neglect and abuse of them, and that of the inseparable public interest in having a viable national rail system. It has happened several times in the past, and that time has come again. To quote from the RWU resolution:
...Since the North American private rail industry has shown itself incapable of doing the job, it is time for this invaluable transportation infrastructure – like the other transport modes – to be brought under public ownership. During WWI, the railroads in the U.S. were in fact temporarily placed under public ownership and control. All rail workers of all crafts and unions supported (unsuccessfully) keeping them in public hands once the war ended, and voted overwhelmingly to keep them in public hands. Perhaps it is time once again to put an end to the profiteering, pillaging, and irresponsibility of the Class One carriers. Railroad workers are in a historic position to take the lead and push for a new fresh beginning for a vibrant and expanding, innovative and creative national rail industry to properly handle the nation’s freight and passengers.
There is much more information at the link — be sure to take a look.
There’s a lot of press coverage of attempts to unionize Starbucks and Amazon — but this labor action could have far more consequences. Spread the word because rail workers can’t do this alone. They are fighting for a better America for all of us.