ARLINGTON, Va. — The organization representing railroads in bargaining with labor over a new national contract is disputing a request by unions to move the process from mediation to arbitration, saying the two sides have not yet reached an impasse.
The statement issued Friday by the railroad group, the National Carrier’s Conference Committee, was responding to a request by two unions — the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Mechanical Division (SMART-MD).
Those unions made the request in a Feb. 23 letter to the National Mediation Board, saying “further mediation is not likely to result in agreement.” The request was supported by the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition, which represents those unions and eight others in the negotiations with the railroads [see “Unions ask for end to mediation …,” Trains News Wire, March 1, 2022].
But NCCC, which says that the parties have not yet met the standard for an impasse under the Railway Labor Act, which requires “every reasonable effort” to settle the dispute. The NCCC says the two unions “have failed to engage in bargaining over the railroads’ proposals in any meaningful way” and will make their case to continue mediation to the assigned mediator and the National Mediation Board. The unions previously claimed the railroads were refusing to bargain in good faith.
The railroads say they are seeking “to modernize labor agreements to manage long-term structural changes in rail traffic,” while the unions say the most recent proposals include significant worker concessions on health and welfare benefits. The railroads’ desire for one-person train crews is a major part of the negotiations.
The NCCC represents some 30 railroads in all, and is organized by the National Railway Labor Conference, which represents all U.S. Class I railroads plus some smaller operators. The Coordinated Bargaining Council represents about 115,000 employees.
Mr McFarlane I can not agree with you. These big corps. broke the unions and stuck it to the employees. They took everything away so the profits go up. the CEOs and stock holders are making millions while the little guy gets screwed over. There was an article in our local paper yesterday from JN Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr asking these oil an gas companies to justify millions in executive compensation, stock buy backs and how they use U.S. tax law to benefit shareholders. Just to give you an idea. this is Corp. income for 2021 Q1,Q2, an Q3. Chevron made 10,615,000,000 and CEO Michael Wirth had a income of 33,070,662. Maybe if some of these CEO came back down to earth they could take care of there employees an keep there work force together. An I don’t want to hear from them that if we give them health and welfare benefits, an retirement that we will have to raise our prices. Cut the BIG shots pay an leave the little guy alone!! If it wasn’t for what they call the little gals and guys they wouldn’t have a company!
Not being able to know who is asking for what and why leaves me unable to comebe to any conclusion over how I feel about this. However power begets stubbedness and both sides have money to loose. This could take a while.
It would be amazing if for once, the management would be in a mood to offer workers a decent life style. With hours that allowed for family time, etc. and not squeeze them for all they can extract.
Offering them hours that allow for family time is a little difficult in an operation that is 24/7 and NOT in a fixed locality. Anyone that goes to work for the railroad should know what they’re getting into ahead of time, that gets put squarely on the head of the employee(s), not the employer. As for some of the other issues, the railroads are right, they can’t continue to pay 100% for health and welfare benefits, that goes against all other industries. If you’re making 50K + a year, as an employee you should pay a portion of your own health care(that incentives you to take care of yourself, unless you just don’t care). The only reason railroad retirement still exits is because it’s baked into law, perhaps that should change too and anyone that has to work for the railroad should have to work on their own retirement plans just like everyone else that works(other than those still covered by state pension plans, there is really no Federal pension plan anymore except SS). Negotiate, sit your butts down at a table across from each other, lock the door, no food, no water and no one leaves until you reach an agreement.
I am not sure just where you get your miss information from. The railroads don’t offer hours for family time. Never did! When one needs to have time off one has to lay off, which means missing a day’s, or two or more days pay. The only one that it hurts is the employee on pay day. We all know that it is a 24-7-365 job. Just let us enjoy a little of what we worked for. The Extra list is there to replace an employee for the trip. Also the railroads have not paid 100% health (and I don’t even know where you get welfare) benefits sense 1985. We do pay a portion of our health insurance well over 225.00 a month per only the employee, need to add family members then up goes the monthly payment. Railroad retirement is not BAKED into law. THE RAILROADS AND THE EMPLOYEES ARE THE ONLY ONES PAYING INTO IT! It is self sufficient, which means that NO TAX PAYER MONEY is used to fund it. Why do you exempt state pension plans that are usually payed mostly by the TAX PAYERS. Again we are not a FEDERAL PENSION PLAN. Negotiations are on going. The railroad have stated that the have had record earnings in the past quarter, and the past year. WE the employees made that happen, how about a little meat off the money bone?