RENO, Nev. – Rank-and-file members of railroad labor unions are disappointed with the Presidential Emergency Board’s contract recommendations and overwhelmingly support a strike, according to an online survey conducted by Railroad Workers United.
Nearly 83% of those surveyed said the PEB’s recommendations fell short of their expectations. Nearly 8% expressed neutral sentiments, while the remaining 9.4% said the recommendations more or less met their expectations.
The board recommended a 24% compounded wage increase, along with $5,000 in service recognition bonus payments, over the five-year life of the contract retroactive to Jan. 1, 2020. That was below the 28% increase the unions sought, but above the railroads’ 16% proposed wage hike.
Nearly 96% of the survey respondents said railroaders should exercise their right to strike on Sept. 16, when the current cooling off period expires.
More than 3,100 railroad workers from eight unions responded to the online survey, according to Rail Workers United, an umbrella labor solidarity group that brings together members of all unionized crafts.
While the survey was not scientific, it does measure the mood of rank-and-file railroaders who have not had a raise in three years and are upset with working conditions on the big four U.S. Class I railroads.
Three unions have reached a tentative contract deal with the railroads. But the largest unions, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the SMART-TD union, say they are not close to reaching an accord with the railroads.
If there is a strike, industry observers expect Congress to quickly intervene with a back-to-work order.
And how many railroad workers have been voting with their feet. Just calling it quits, or saying I’ve had enough and not showing up.
Money doesn’t mean much when your company doesn’t treat you very well. Pretty soon they will keep giving you raises, but not change a thing operationally.
Pretty soon it stops being about compensation, and more about mutual respect.
I don’t think a strike can be averted unless the railroads stop over working train crews. Hell I don’t blame them for striking against BNSF’s attendance policy.
What about Trump’s tax cuts for corp & the wealthy which siphoned more money from the Treasury adding to the deficit which I and the rest of the working class will have make up for with our taxes or reduced services? The trickle down theory Republicans (if you can still call them that) who have been peddling since Reagan concocted this BS!
I’m union but I can honestly say the Republican’s haven’t done anything for the union cause either! Can you think of anything?
Let’s read today’s newspaper. Biden is stealing half a trillion dollars from the Treasury to subsidize the upper-income, privileged college people who surely aren’t in unions. Who pays? All of us, including union members.
The best guesses I can come up with is that union leadership is almost 100% Democrat; whereas union rank and file depends on which union. Rank and file probably varies from 90+% Democrat (teachers unions or service employees unions); down through abut 75% Democrat (trade unions like auto workers or teamsters) down to around 50 -50 Democrat – Republican (craft unions like skilled railroad or airline).
What has the Repblican Party done for union workers? Well, for one thing, opposition to Biden’s half-trillion theft from the U. S. Government
…not to mention the trillion trump added to the debt with his corporate tax relief, eh Charles?
Both SMARD-TD and BLET are being greedy, isn’t making over 100K a year good enough for them? To those that say money isn’t everything, I say BS, money is everything, it actually can solve all of your problems. Strike won’t last more than 5 days if they go through with it…witness the fact how quickly a PEB was established.
Biden does not remember what he says or promises 30 seconds later, that’s why most of us union brothers are now no longer Demoncrats
I doubt Congress will intervene quickly, if at all. The Democrats control both houses and they lean toward labor support. Biden has declared himself “the union president” — a first ever. The FRA proposed rule on crew sizes reeks of politics. As I see it, the unions have little to lose by striking.
Political talk and political action are two completely different things. Biden wasted no time forming the PEB, sending a clear message to the carriers that he has their backs. After all the unions will continue to support the democratic party no matter what they do.
Bingo!
Biden is pro-union? Huh?
Biden’s NLRB ruled recently that the United Mine Workers have to pay Warrior Met Coal, owned by private equity, $13 million to pay for transporting scabs, security and losses due to the 16 month strike.
Biden is pro Wall Street. That guy’s yap means nothing. Look at his pathetic 50 year track record regarding the working class. They didn’t call him “the senator from MBNA” for nothing.