On Friday, December 2, President Joe Biden signed into law House Joint Resolution 100, “which provides for a resolution with respect to the unresolved disputes between certain railroads represented by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee of the National Railway Labor Conference and certain of their employees.”
This negotiation has brought back a really sad memory for me. I was working in an acute psychiatric hospital at the time a woman came in after attempting suicide. About 9 months earlier there had been a head on collision of two trains. The guys responsible forgot to switch the tracks, and one of the engineers had fallen asleep (this was all found out in the investigation). The women who was brought in was the wife of one of the men blamed. After her husband died she had to go to work to support her kids after they lost their home. Her mother moved in to their trailer home to help with the kids while she worked the night shift at a truck stop. While she was at work her trailer caught fire while the family was asleep and her mother and kids all died. Within one year she had lost all of her family. As her therapist I was at a total loss of any words that could comfort her and help her to find a reason for not giving up. Not long after the investigation blamed her husband and the other man for the devastation. The train companies were totally absolved of any blame and the insurance covered all the damages. And now all these years later these corporations are pushing for an even lower level of staff who provide such an important role, and now even when they are sick and exhausted. That these companies are allowed to treat workers this way is criminal. I wish the workers would strike. Their Christmas will not be happy and bright.
Cut jobs but demand increased productivity and profits
This has been occurring in America for decades as workers spend 50/60 hours a week on the job or “on call” trying to prove their value to management. Its all tacitly voluntary and expected, but America is working itself to death in terms of undue stress causing medical issues. And when you die the death of a plowhorse, they replace you
Our priority? Don’t let gas prices, Happy Meals or Wallmart trinkets rise, right?
Understaffing goes in many places of employment. The first one I think is long term care facilities like nursing homes. My mother's facility had 4 staffers on the floor to care for residents, many of them no longer able to walk. One of the four was the med tech, giving out medicines. So three staffers had 45 people to care for, plus serve meals. The far off corporate owner was much more interested in profits than people. Little concern for the residents and less for the staff.
Been There - Seen That. I was a CNA who worked in Nursing Homes & Hospitals. The hospital was OK, it was a teaching hospital at a large university and had student nurses filling for Nursing Assistants in clinicals. But the long-term care facilities often had unreasonable managerial expectations of the staff.
I had to stay in a nursing facility for 20 days. An utter nightmare. Only "nurses" could do certain things, had to wait almost two hours before one showed up to help adjust my bandages easing pain. I'm disabled (paralyzed) and they left me unassisted, nearly fell to the floor. Would have broken a hip or something. Severely understaffed. Never again will I go there.
Right. And when anyone makes even a baby step toward rectifying the wrongs, we blame them for the problem ... why wait on the overworked, underpaid employees to strike - when will "WE THE PEOPLE" of consumer society step up and refuse to consume the fruits of such inequitable conditions?!
What?! Tighten my belt?! I got rid of that years ago ... won't fit anymore!!
... see, rabid consumerism fueled by All American Game-Time USA breeds an unbridled appetite for IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION ... like the push button automatic drive - who needs a clutch anymore (until heavy snow and ice descend) ... anybody know how to jump-start this thing?! Quick, easy answers looking for someone to blame for the slippery slide downhill ... thankfully, those people on the ground who keep working for real change PERSIST:
"Rail labor leaders continue the fight today for job security, better working conditions, fair wages and benefits, improved safety conditions and elimination of massive cutbacks.
"The benevolent society that started with a few trackmen on a hot July day in Alabama has shown that it can meet the challenges and problems of an ever-changing industry and will continue to protect its members' rights as it has for more than a century."
*****
The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED)
"The history of the advance and growth of American railroads is an episode in the saga of a people's restless urge to explore and to move on. Heeding that urge, these people expanded into the far corners of the North American Continent, moving as slow or as fast as their means of transportation allowed. This movement began in earnest only after the railroad's steel web was spun from coast-to-coast. Once the rail system was established, the great construction gangs began to settle down and maintain that which they had built. But, while the robber barons of the early railroads amassed great fortunes, their employees worked from dawn to dusk for pennies a day without insurance, vacations or means of support after years of hard work. It was these conditions that inspired early rail workers to organize collectively and form unions to protect their common interests.
"One such union was the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWE). The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes - later to become the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) - is a national union representing the workers who build and maintain the tracks, bridges, buildings and other structures on the railroads of the United States. Founded in 1887, at Demopolis, Alabama, as a fraternal organization by Track Foreman John T. Wilson, the BMWED membership forms a cross section of American culture. Their goals, interests and political backgrounds are as diversified as their heritage. Once an International union with over 350,000 members in the United States and Canada, automation, the rise of the trucking and airline industries, coupled with the policies of a conservative government, has depleted the ranks of the BMWED to under 40,000 members. Since the passage of the Staggers Rail Act of 1978, railroad management, using competition as an excuse and the anti-union climate as an ally, has been selling or abandoning the nation's rail system. Realizing that our country is losing a vital link in its transportation network, the BMWED struggles to reverse this trend. Using our rich history as a guide - drawing on the strength of the union - we confront management in the halls of Congress and the State Legislatures, through use of our newspaper the BMWED Journal, the nation's court system and at the bargaining tables.
"It was in 2004 that the BMWE merged with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and consolidated its strength with that of the powerful 1.4 million member Teamster Union. As a part of the Teamster Rail Division the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division continues the battle that John T. Wilson courageously fought in the face of so much opposition.
*****
"Rail labor leaders continue the fight today for job security, better working conditions, fair wages and benefits, improved safety conditions and elimination of massive cutbacks.
"The benevolent society that started with a few trackmen on a hot July day in Alabama has shown that it can meet the challenges and problems of an ever-changing industry and will continue to protect its members' rights as it has for more than a century."
*****
History of Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes: Its Birth and Growth - 1887 to 1955
Thanks for all this information! This is a prime example of the benefits of being a subscriber to Dr Richardson’s newsletter--all that I learn from fellow subscribers!
I agree! I have learned so much from being a subscriber and just reading the comments from so many other subcribers. You all have become my friends and I look forward to mornings to hear from you all! Have a wonderful December day. Hugs to all!
A thorough, persuasive and articulate recounting of a complicated history Kathleen!
I would, however, place it in an even broader context, or at least Yuval Noah Harari did in his book Sapiens (2015) wherein he describes our last great age as the Age of Industrialization. He locates the beginning of this age in the early 1820's as the government set a standard time (Greenwich Mean Time or GMT) so that England's nascent railroad industry could schedule and predict when trains would arrive at the various towns along their routes, towns which each had their own rough estimate of time. As a previously largely agrarian society, they hadn't needed much regular clock time as the rising and setting the sun dictated much of their daily activity. This Age of Industrialization also marked when governments began to legislate changes in law in support of industry and the individual's capacity to move around necessary for trains (and factories, etc) vs historical reliance on families and close communities to maintain survival, health and societal organization. It would seem that trend has continued even with the laws via which the current administration must work.
So true, John - and see how disassociated we have become from core health accordingly - who can afford to lose track of time - to breathe freely - feel life waters flowing through with every breath ... no, better run to the hospital - feed that industry with our life blood - oh, who can afford that - better keep that job, chained to the timeclock - even if it kills you - can you even afford insurance to cover the cost of your very expensive burial ...?
"From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution—a #1 international bestseller—that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be “human.”
"One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one—homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us?
"Most books about the history of humanity pursue either a historical or a biological approach, but Dr. Yuval Noah Harari breaks the mold with this highly original book that begins about 70,000 years ago with the appearance of modern cognition. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas.
"Dr. Harari also compels us to look ahead, because over the last few decades humans have begun to bend laws of natural selection that have governed life for the past four billion years. We are acquiring the ability to design not only the world around us, but also ourselves. Where is this leading us, and what do we want to become?
"Featuring 27 photographs, 6 maps, and 25 illustrations/diagrams, this provocative and insightful work is sure to spark debate and is essential reading for aficionados of Jared Diamond, James Gleick, Matt Ridley, Robert Wright, and Sharon Moalem."
You know what's missing from that extensive list? ADEQUATE STAFFING! If the companies hired and trained enough people to fully staff the work, there would be fewer injuries, deaths, human misery, stress, and the goods and people being moved would actually be safer and on time. What is wrong with these companies? Warren Buffet, we're looking at you.
"America needs an attitude adjustment" is an understatement Dave. When did money become more important than people's lives? PSR should've never been allowed at the worker's expense. I understand why many of them feel betrayed by Biden. It was a tough decision to avoid a strike, but at the worker's expense. Where's the compassion, empathy, Gratitude? And as Linda pointed out, it has devastating effects, not just for the workers, but also their families. And result in long lasting health issues. I say strike and let everyone feel their (workers) value, necessity and importance. These workers are slaves to their masters and they're paying for this treatment in union dues. Wake up America.
The real problem faced by Biden is the reality that the strike position threatens the health of entirety of the people in the US and it guarantees the collaspe of the economy in ways that will perpetuate itself long after the strike is settled
This is not a black and white decision. Its one that requires hard choices with many complicated results. Its not the domain of weak decision makers
IMO, keeps the railroads running now, address the complicated issues at once, but do not expect immediate remedy given the Manchin’s involved. Its a tough slog
What is black and white is that the RR’s have too much concentrated power, and this makes the whole country vulnerable. The RR’s are too big and there is not enough overlap competition.We need more information from the workers. Where are the stories of what RR workers are forced to endure. By threatening to strike we know current conditions are not sustainable, so this issue will return again.
Ted. The media needs to research and expose the employees' issues, the railroad company concerns - perhaps in the form of a Michael Moore-type documentary film. It seems the country is laying responsibility at the feet of the workers while managenent decisions are behind this supply train crisis. Now is the time for a close examination of balance between labor and management, in so many sectors. The next crisis is barrelling down the tracks ..
I think media wont do this. Why upset one of their customers? Yes, Moore or Frontline could do a great job of this.
Im thinking this is just another case of gov to friendly with the RR Lobby, and over time, we just dont see the monopolies power grow untill this threat of strike threatens the entire econmy. Its just crazy that any industry can not have sick days and during a Pandemic. It is unacceptable. Just like the FDA is with Sugar Producers Lobby...making it okay to add excess sugar to just about every food causing an obesity epidemic. Pharmacy lobby keeping insulin prices high and the Opiod crisis was caused when by the Pharm Lobby led the FDA to changing laws that moved Oxycotin out of its addictive classification allowing for over prescriptions throwing many communities into a public health crisis. Lobbyist, oligarchy, monopolies, Corptocracy....they all run in the same shoes causing so many problems for everyone, banking record profits, stock buybacks, increasing wealth inequality at a scale rivalling and surpassing the 1920's. Enough is enough.
The problem is getting RR employees to talk in public about the issues. They will be targeted for termination if they do. That’s why most of the talking comes from union officials.
As a railroad employee, the biggest issue is quality of life. Employees in unassigned service (on call 24/7) have no scheduled off days. They are only off if the RR doesn’t call them to work of if they’ve worked several days in a row (usually 6 or 7 days). These employees base their lives around train lineups, which are always inaccurate. When I was in unassigned service, it was normal for the lineup to show I wasn’t getting called for a couple of days only to get a middle of the night call to go to work immediately. If we aren’t properly rested because of bad lineups, management doesn’t care. If we tell them we can’t work because we aren’t rested, we get threatened with discipline. That is just one issue. I can go on all day.
Unfortunately, you could say the same thing about every corporation in the country right now. We allowed the evisceration of Monopoly laws in this country. It won’t be remedied easily.
Exactly! 100%. I think it starts with repeal of Citizens United. Draw down the $ spent on elections, this makes elected officials answer to their consitutents that are real persons first and foremost.
Always at the expense of the workers - labor - 'the beasts of burden', animals, such as a mule or donkey, that is used for carrying loads. Your explanation, Dave, did not in my opinion resolve the power of the very few over the rest of us. It's not Democracy in this country with such an economic inequality formula.
I hope the workers throw a wildcat strike. If the railways are so important they can damn well afford to provide decent hours, pay, and benefits to their workers. American labour laws (and most of the rest of their laws) are at best 19th century compared to the rest of the world. The wealth of nations and the wealth of capitalists are diametrically opposed.
If I had some brilliant resolution, I’d be directing traffic on a national scale. We live in a society driven by outcomes. Profit is easy to measure. Quality of life is not
There exists a balancing act in determining what is in the best interest overall; that decision making requires pragmatism. That comes at some expense
The power of the very few is not new. Its an historic reality. Chipping away at that power through social safety nets is an evolutionary process. Idealism is good but never implementable in total. Its the gray stuff in the middle that counts and the “pragmatic” are usually attacked by both extremes. Leaders must be pragmatic in any Democracy which means ghey must live in the messy gray
If you have an implementable solution that doesn’t shut down the economy as well as insulin shipments, I’m all ears
Since the railroads were a national construct and have grown to crippling gigantism the answer lies necessarily in nationalizing the behemoth, as do many other publicly damaging industries. Perhaps the time has come to limit the size of titans to keep them from overwhelming the public good. Call me any name you like, just let us please not continue to privatize things like the military, prisons, mail delivery, and needed healthcare. As a case in point I don’t think gazillionaires like Musk should be allowed to buy the U.S.Air Force. Any such industries should be incorporated in the public domain as they attain size critical to the function of the nation.
Yes, this is the problem. RRs carry vital supplies necessary to the health of many people including chemicals to purify the water supply. i would hope that with a strike averted for now, that work on a better solution for the workers begins immediately. Greed, as usual, is running this scenario for now in terms of the rail owners. I have tried to shut out the consumerism of the season as well. I am still reading the book about Miriam Leslie who ran her husband's publishing business in NYC after he died. A lot of it describes what was going on in the city, in the government, etc. it sounds familiar to certain things happening now.
Dave, The unions have some legitimate demands; they are not radical. Profit, in the way that capitalism has jumped the rails in the US provides 1% of Americans more than a third of the country's wealth. 'Balancing', Dave, no kidding! To quote you, '...determining what is in the best interest overall; that decision making requires pragmatism'. 'Overall' benefit". Really, Dave, I'd welcome the data for that.
'In the second quarter of 2022, 68 percent of the total wealth in the United States was owned by the top 10 percent of earners. In comparison, the lowest 50 percent of earners only owned 3.2 percent of the total wealth.' (statista)
'Most Americans favor raising the federal minimum wage, which has been $7.25 an hour since 2009. About six-in-ten adults (62%), including majorities in nearly every demographic group, support increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Even among the 38% of Americans who oppose a $15 minimum, most say they’d support a smaller increase, according to an April Pew Research Center survey.'
'Real median U.S. household income was $70,784 in 2021, statistically unchanged from the previous year, although income inequality increased for the first time since 2011, according to U.S. Census Bureau release of the Income in the United States: 2021 report.'
According to the Census Bureau 'Declines in real income at the bottom of the income distribution resulted in increased income inequality as measured by the Gini index — a common measure of income inequality.'
I'm not speaking as an idealist, and your 'pragmatism' in my opinion favors management over labor; the Ultra rich v. the rest of us. I think David, while believing that you favor the most pragmatic way to solve the equation of extreme economic inequality in US, your way in my estimation is at the expense of most people.
F**k pragmatism. It is why American cant have nice things. Shutting down the economy is what the Republicans are going to do. Clean out the DNC. Stop called Corporate Dems moderates and start voting for Progressives. Their "radical" agenda works well in the rest of the democratic developed countries.
But as we keep the railroads running and this crisis is resolved (temporarily), will anyone follow up to resolve these very issues for the RR workers? Who will keep this issue on the front page? The workers are giving up their lives - what are the RR execs giving up?
It was once said by a former Chief of Staff (to the President) that all the decisions that reach the President are hard, because the easy ones gets solved before they get there.
This one must've hurt Biden to the marrow, but he did what the nation needed.
As idealists argue for the perfect solution, blaming decision makers (Biden) for taking an imperfect one, it occurs to me that some people may have never been forced to make an imperfect decision and have no empathy for the heart wrenching agony of those who must make hard choices knowing that whatever decision they make, people are going to be harmed
Here’s a question I’d like the idealists to answer, “Did General Eisenhower make a good decision when he gave the go ahead for D Day?”
Great leaders suffer the costs of their pragmatism
Why are you labeling those who disagree with you 'idealists'? Some of us think of ourselves as realists, democrats, liberals, progressives, idealists, socialists, independents, fair minded human beings...
Had all the important options been examined by Biden and the Department of Transportation before the welfare of a segment of rail workers was left to the discretion of the rail carriers? Think about it for a minute. I don't know all the ways in addition to making stronger demands on the rail carriers with reference to workers' work schedules and healthcare costs. Another subscriber raised an important issue:
Linda Mitchell, KCMO:
'One of the problems with rail transportation in the USA that HCR did not mention: almost all the track in the US is owned by one company--CSX. It dominates the entire industry and also controls passenger rail service because it can nix the development of new passenger services on the basis that freight has to take precedence. Unless the CSX monopoly is broken (and they make a hella lot of money while being dangerously blasé about their employees) nothing will change. And they have a lot at stake to prevent that from happening.'
I'm guessing there are still other possible options to scrutinize before the rail workers were nailed to the tracks.
If the US government, instead of interceding at this time, had chosen to file an antitrust suit against CSX, who could shut down all the trains, the damage to a fragile economy would be much worse.
The CSX monopoly an issue to be addressed. This many not be the right time to do so.
Dave, as you can surmise, I don't buy into your position. There are some who know a good deal about American Capitalism and what it has been doing to many Americans and our grand experiment with democracy.
'The Averted National Rail Strike Is a Parable of Contemporary American Capitalism'
'Railroads are prioritizing payments to Wall Street stockholders over everything else, including serving the public interest.'
By John Cassidy
'In our click-driven world, the threatened strike at America’s freight railroads, and President Biden’s intervention to prevent it, represents last week’s news. But there are two groups for which the averted strike is still very much front and center: the hundred and fifteen thousand rail workers who will be forced to work under the terms of the contract agreement that the White House and Congress imposed upon them after some rail unions rebuffed a deal mediated by the Administration, and the managers and owners of the railroads, who will get back to running what, these days, is an immensely lucrative, and suspiciously monopolistic, business.'
'Much of the news coverage of the contract dispute focussed on the railroads’ refusal to grant their workers paid sick leave. But this intransigence was only one aspect of a larger parable of modern American capitalism. Unfolding in one of the country’s oldest and most far-flung industries, it is a story of deregulation, consolidation, downsizing, under-investment, and intensification of work practices. Most of all, though, it is a story of financialization, and of prioritizing payments to wealthy stockholders over everything else, including serving the public interest.'
'During the lockdowns early in the coronavirus pandemic, the railroads accelerated their job cuts and capacity reductions. When demand rebounded last year, many shippers faced chronic delays, cancellations, and, in one case, a temporary suspension of service on key routes between the West Coast and Chicago. “Freight-railroad service is abysmal,” Representative Peter DeFazio, the chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, complained, at a hearing earlier this year. “This appalling service is forcing shippers to recoup their extra costs downstream and Americans are paying for it—with increased food costs and at the gas pump.”
'The modern rail-freight industry dates back to 1980, when Congress partially dismantled a strict system of regulation that had been introduced in the late nineteenth century following a catalogue of abuses by the companies of the original railroad barons, men like Jay Gould, James Hill, and Edward Henry Harriman. The Staggers Rail Act of 1980—named after the Democratic congressman Harley O. Staggers, Sr.—gave the railroads much more freedom to run their operations, including closing down unprofitable lines and setting their own freight rates, which the federal government had previously determined through the Interstate Commerce Commission. For a time, deregulation appeared to work as planned. Thanks to healthy competition in many areas, prices fell and shipments increased. After decades of losing out to trucking, the rail industry started to win back market share, which was good news for its workers and owners, and for the environment. (Rail transportation is much less carbon-intensive than trucking.)'
'Similarly to what happened in the decades after the Carter Administration deregulated the airline industry, the era of vigorous rail competition gradually gave way to consolidation and tacit collusion. After a long series of mergers, there are now just seven large, or Class I, railroads, compared to thirty-three in 1980, and between them they control more than eighty per cent of the freight market. “CSX and Norfolk Southern have a duopoly on traffic east of Chicago, while Union Pacific and BNSF have a duopoly on traffic west of Chicago,” Matthew Jinoo Buck, a senior fellow at the American Liberties Project, pointed out, in an illuminating article for *The American Prospect *earlier this year. “Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, and Kansas City Southern run much traffic going north-south through the Midwest.”
'Rather than expanding their operations for a greener age, the big railroads have been doing what unregulated or lightly regulated monopolists (and duopolists) tend to do: rationalizing their operations, reducing their work forces, and charging prices well above their costs. According to the Surface Transportation Board, which replaced the defunct Interstate Commerce Commission in 1996, inflation-adjusted freight rates have risen by thirty per cent since 2004, and over-all freight traffic—in terms of carloads and tonnages—has been declining since 2006. In recent years, the industry has slashed its workforce by roughly a third. “Operating the railroads with that many fewer employees makes it difficult to avoid cuts in service, provide more reliable service, and reduce poor on-time performance that does not compete well with trucks.” Martin J. Oberman, the current chair of the Surface Transportation Board, noted, in a speech last year.' (NewYorker) Link to complete article is below.
…and timing, too. How long ago if ever will this country take necessary steps to stop the transfer of wealth to the ultra wealthy and begin to rectify the extreme inequality of wealth here?
I linked three pieces from Robert Reich that you might appreciate. The last is a videotape.
Tell that to republicans, oh no, never blame the perpetrators of the problem. Dems can keep handling the vitriol. Republicans love it, Hawley really does
Indeed Dave Dalton -> "Root cause analysis: Understaffing". I could and would argue for a far harsher, less politically correct defining word: "Greed" vs Human / humane realities. Greed wins another, and this has played out for decades upon decades, in fact grossly accelerating since about 1981. I have a personally lived story not too much unlike the poignant truths told by our contributor Linda Blue - different corporate giants, different unions, but the resultant outcomes no less traumatic and life altering. Someday, I'll be called on to tell those true stories, is my greatest hope. In the mean time my daily task is to find some semblance of sanity and serenity - in the name of self preservation, to acknowledge and try to accept, that small i, have little to no control of people, places, things outside of myself and my reactions to those 'things' I can't control.
I do not disagree re greed, but that seems not specific enough to the railroad issue
My experience in America is that management will pile on tasks until the worker is overwhelmed. Our culture is such that employees will find ways to increase their output via extra hours (many times voluntary for salaried employees) as management pushes for more
Until Covid, employers had the upper hand in terms of “if you don’t perform, there’s ten people behind you who will”. Covid changed that. Supply of labor is at a premium right now. Workers have “some” leverage at this point. The wheel turns slowly
My point is that, as I read the indignation towards Biden regarding the 4 rail unions (out of 12), I’m thinking that any action he might take will criticized, so he has to act like Solomon and lead. Some people raise issue with his decision but fail to acknowledge that he is not a King. His power is limited by law, as it should be. His responsibility is to the country, not individual special interests
The situation is difficult. He moved business and labor back to the table to find compromise. Some didn’t like the result and blame him. I think he played the cards he was dealt the best anyone could
No one is offering a better course of action here except those holding a Royal Flush, which Biden was not dealt
In this case, pragmatism is how the world of reality works. And so, some people complain and others recognize the limitation of our laws and culture
This is indeed part of the problem. We personally are very concerned about those people who provide goods and services, but the pandemic showed us just how awful a large part of the population can be when they don't get what they want asap or even have the minor inconvenience of wearing a mask which we still do when going inside stores. We make an effort to buy locally and tip generously.
There is a maximum number of hours truckers can be on the road, which is still high enough for the drivers to fall asleep. There is no reason there can't be a minimum staffing requirement on trains--1 individual for every mile of train, as an example.
It's like basic common sense ends where profits begin.
Railroads have been trying to hire. The problem is that railroads want to eliminate the conductor position and are in negotiations to do just that on a couple of railroads. Other railroads will do the same as soon as they can. Train service employees hire out as conductors, then promote to engineer. So when a railroad hire a group of new contractors, the new employees find out during their training the the position they were just hired for is temporary since that job is in negotiations to be eliminated. Most are quitting before they complete training to go find a permanent job. Where I work, management tried to hire a group of 15. Only one completed the training.
So well put: “attitude adjustment.” As one of the last remembering WWII, I plead for rationing and price controls (climate change and food prices must ALWAYS be linked), smaller and fewer cars, more public transportation. It’s survival for the species - the big picture, America!
Linda, that is such a touching story that humanizes this issue. Why doesn’t that story make headlines?
Professor Richardson noted that Elizabeth Warren opposed the measure. She’s smart and compassionate. I would love to hear the compromise she would have voted for.
It doesn't make headlines for the same reasons President Biden's accomplishments have gotten short shrift...the media by and large are creatures of the same corporate culture and untold hours of airtime and columns of print are devoted to the latest idiocy by tfg.
Yes, I saw that Elizabeth Warren opposed the bill along with Bernie Sanders which gives me pause to think. I, too, would like to hear the compromise that they
I think mainstream media is in the pockets of their corporate owners. The goal is to make money for shareholders and all those 401Ks. News gatherers read and regurgitate the news releases and stats they receive from corporate PR departments and go home. By and large the once indispensable 4th estate no longer watches out for the little guy. I read newsletters like this one to gain understanding. It helps me be an informed voter.
Go to their web pages. They have both sent me letters about it. They don’t share Prof. Richardson’s desire to see all things through President Biden’s eyes. I’m not looking forward to a wildcat railroad strike but too much is at stake here for all Americans: I hope those 4 stalwart unions risk everything and conduct one.
And management dances away with nary a care in the world. It’s not just the railroad workers, it’s all of us. These trains are speeding bombs with precious little control. What could go wrong…. Linda Blue told us above, for starters…
Jeri, you are precisely correct about speeding bombs, a compelling reason for health safeguards similar to what we recognize as necessary for airline pilots and crew since the development of that sector of the transportation industry.
It's clear that safely and health are not top priorities for any of the greeds running businesses. I might add that the gun issue clearly demonstrates that this talk about valuing life is just talk. Here in Oregon we are having problems getting the gun control measure off the ground. Some of it is understandable nobody, notably LE was ready to do what they are required to do even if they actually want to follow the law. The part on the size of magazines can be implanted immediately.
This story should have been told at the hearings. I’m sure there are many more like it. 12 companies is too small I think. There’s not enough competition between companies. So concentrated that we are vulnerable to a strike and shutdowns. It’s not Capitalism, it’s a concentration of wealth and power at the top. Ours is a corptocracy another form of oligarchy.
This is not capitalism. It is a concentration of wealth and control over workers at the top. Capitalism, correctly run, would pay workers what they are worth. Without workers nothing happens. We need to start paying workers what they are worth. If we did that, strikes wouldn’t happen.
Unrestrained unregulated capitalism breeds monopolies. Monopolies can collude to treat all workers the same. In a competitive market, there would be more RR’s. The best lead RR would treat workers as their #1 resource. Pay and conditions would be attractive enough to attract the best and brightest workers. This RR would have an advantage as valued workers would seek to solve problems and keep efficiency high. High levels of respect and feeling valued is a competitive advantage. In monopolies we don’t see any of that, thus a Nation wide strike.
Through mutual friends, a man I knew decades ago was one of the engineers responsible for a fatal freight train accident; he also died. He had told me several years earlier about the crazy work shifts that they had no control over, and how often he would be called back into work 8 hours after returning home, and only a few hours of sleep. Thank you for sharing this heartbreaking story about your patient. Where is our humanity?
Linda, I was glad that HCR in today's Letter did not exonerate the rail carriers or praise where this strike settlement left many of the rail workers. Out of personal weakness, I did not search for resources that would spell out what our capitalism has wrought on regular working people. I won't drag out the data indicating that 1% of our population owns more than a third of the country's wealth. The rail industry and the workers are part of that horrific equation.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, personal experience and pain with us.
My heart aches for her, and I wonder how she is doing today. Yes, these stories should be brought to light. I'm sure there must be more over the years. It is a dangerous job, like coal miners have worked in extremely dangerous conditions, like medical people working with sick patients for long hours, with no breaks, and a health risk to them and their families....I could go on and on. Not to mention the military men and women of the world, who have given their lives or body parts. :(
Linda, THANK YOU for the important work you do to help make people whole again. How hard even for you to carry so many burdens on your shoulders....not an easy job, but so important!!
As you said it's criminal. Not just to the workers, also to all of us traveling on trains with exhausted engineers and railroad staff. It is a national problem, all of us are in peril while we keep making money for the companies.
Excellent analysis of this situation. Thank you, Heather. I still think Joe should have wrangled with owners over the sick leave before forcing the imposition of this contract, which is despicable for its lack of sick leave. I fear he leaves the impression he’s siding with owners over workers, which is exactly the wrong thing to have happen when the GOP is doing everything it can to win over workers. Well, everything it can short of actually doing anything for them!
I’m sure splitting the bill into two different votes was a Pelosi idea to give the bulk of the bill a chance to pass, while revealing for all the world to see who was against the 7 days of paid sick leave. That’s exactly how it played out.
Mara, I think you are probably right about Pelosi's stance on this. It is so unfortunate that just 8 more senators did not have enough compassion to vote for the 2nd bill, overcoming any filibuster and ensuring the 7 paid sick days!
I applaud the 5 democratic senators who voted against the 1st bill, seeing what would be the outcome.
It's more than greed. It's avarice: extreme greed for wealth or material gain. And, unfortunately, it's admired in many circles. But the bosses of the mistreated railroad workers — and other like them — should be ostracized. Not providing adequate benefits is simply immoral.
Thank you, Heather, for laying everything out regarding the railroad unions, workers, and management. I thought unions were to protect the people they serve. Seems the workers are treated like slaves. I hear the strict schedules are burning people out. I, for one, have never blamed the workers.
She doesn’t lay “everything” out. People of principle, knowledge and good will disagree with the picture she draws, like Senator and law professor Elizabeth Warren.
Marlene, sorry if I sounded snappish.--I check these columns very early in the a.m., before I get my coffee! But I do think that Professor Richardson, whom I respect and like, tells the stories as she sees them, like all historians do. I'm one too. In this particular case, she doesn't see it as some others I also respect do, like Senator Warren and (Prof.) Bob Reich and Elie Mystal.
I respect the people you mentioned, as well. And it is important to get different perspectives, Mary. After all, there is chocolate and vanilla ice cream or strawberry, etc. it is important that we are given all sides so we can important decisions.
The filibuster is a misnomer; no-one actually actively filibusters anymore. It's the "threat" of action that preserves the need for the super-majority. The right to control legislation should be determined at the ballot box rather than by a procedural rule in the Senate. If senators were required to actually filibuster in the active sense, they would fairly quickly lose their taste for the trick. The desire to continue with an actual filibuster diminishes as the hours wear on. So let them use that rule for a while and see how effective it actually is at it's objective.
A filibuster should be done by requiring a person to stand, not sit, at their desk, and talk as long as they want. This means no bathroom breaks and no one can pick up where you left off. That’s what they do in Texas. Make that the filibuster rule will see how quickly the filibuster becomes a thing of the past.
Furthermore, as suggested by Al Franken and Norm Ornstein, flip the numbers from 60 required to end debate to 41 required to continue it. Make the continuers stay on the floor to keep the debate going, and make it obvious to voters who is blocking popular legislation. Make them put on the diapers. Also, the talking should be required to be on topic. No phone book reading.
Zero sick days? Why were the only options zero or seven?
Professor, I don’t understand the failure here. If “adding 7 sick days” could only get 52 votes. Okay, fine. How about 4 sick days? Or one sick day? Why isn’t there a mechanism in our congress to find a compromise that CAN get 60 votes?
Also, I’ve heard that while the unions approved the measure 8 to 4, the four unions that oppose the measure represent more people than the 8 unions that approved it.
Reporting on the “number of unions” makes the vote seem “fair.” But in reality, more than half of union members oppose the current contract.
That’s minority rule. That is not democracy. That is unjust and barbaric.
"....railroad companies implemented a system called precision scheduled railroading, or PSR. “We fundamentally changed the way we operate over the last 2½ years...."
Yes, and it sounds like it works great for the billionaire owners. But the burden it places on the skeleton crews that operate these trains is unconscionable. Imagine in an age of rampaging viral infections knowing that you MUST show up for work regardless of how you feel or face losing your job. It seems to me that Biden et. al. have missed the boat on this one. Allowing PSR to continue as a practice is guaranteed to bleed the railroads dry of workers, aside from the callous disregard for basic decent working conditions. This smacks of the behavior of the railroad tycoons of the gilded age. I suppose Warren Buffet figures he'll just import replacements from Senegal.
Jeri, You've twisted what I said beyond recognition. I did not state that Biden was the "fall guy" for the situation that led up to an impending strike. I distinctly laid the blame on rapacious management/ownership. What I DID say is that Biden might have done better than to use his office to nail down an agreement that is a) unfair, b) unacceptable to a majority of union members (forget the number of unions involved and c) untenable in the long run. And why did he do it? In my opinion, to avoid a serious jolt to the economy that would not go down well in advance of 2024. Others in these comments have used the word "pragmatic". Sometimes it's wise to "let the wheels come off", or at least come a little closer to coming off than to swoop in and "fix the problem" i.e., kick the can down the road. If the rail system is so strategically important to the nation, it should not be left in the hands of the greedy billionaires, much the same as health care should be nationalized. Biden took a step in the wrong direction by cementing this draconian agreement and not focusing on a broader and longer term solution, politics be damned. As another poster suggested, maybe a hard jolt would be good for a spoiled populace.
PSR started in 2017 when Trump was president. The STB had a hearing about the supply chain crisis in April 2022. I was hoping the STB would make recommendations to Congress to fix the issues. PSR is one of the main culprits for supply chain issues and inflation.
True, to a degree, but President's make a difference. Reagan broke PATCO, and that really led to a major decline in union and worker power. Republicans in general have always favored management. Dems often do better despite their own corporate tendencies.
Yes, You make two great points, the compromise over the amount of sick days and the amount of workers on these 4 unions. Also, how is it cheaper to give them a 23% raise than give them sick days?
The Filibuster has to go back to its original form of debating to the death of the senator. That would be the easiest way to stop the abuse.
It makes things more complicated, easier to bury the problems and rehire. Sick leave is the cost of a humane work place, but it’s inconvenient in some areas. Tuff Schitt management
I am a railroad employee. The fight was supposed to be about quality of life due to the railroads’ draconian attendance policies. It somehow morphed into being about paid sick leave. As for me I don’t care if it’s paid leave or not. I just don’t want to be fired for becoming sick or for having to take care of a sick family member. Most railroad employees have disability insurance that covers the lost pay if it is an extended leave.
Sure. But I genuinely do not understand the legislative process here. Wondering if anyone can explain why the only options voted on were zero or seven. Why not 2? Why not two half days? Sick days happen. You cannot legislate away sore throats. There are easy solutions beyond offering seven sick days. Why are no other humane solutions being discussed or offered?
"There are, however, exceptions to the filibuster rule. Perhaps the most notable recent example pertains to presidential appointments. In 2013, Democrats changed the Senate rules to enable the confirmation of executive branch positions — including the cabinet — and of non–Supreme Court judicial nominees with a simple majority. Four years later, Senate Republicans expanded the change to include Supreme Court appointments. Both changes invoked what is known as the nuclear option, or an override of a rule to overcome obstruction by the minority.
At times, the Senate has also exempted certain types of legislation from the cloture rule. For example, Congress’s annual budget reconciliation process requires only a simple majority vote and cannot be filibustered. Likewise, trade agreements that are negotiated using fast-track rules cannot be filibustered. Other exemptions apply to measures that involve, for example, military base closures or arms sales. In total, 161 exceptions to the filibuster’s supermajority requirement have been created between 1969 and 2014, according to an analysis by the Brookings Institution’s Molly Reynolds.
What options are available for filibuster reform?
As Senate gridlock persists, calls for eliminating the filibuster altogether have grown louder, especially given its historical complicity in perpetuating Jim Crow laws and thwarting civil rights legislation and voting reforms. Changing the Senate rules — particularly, Rule XXII — would be the most straightforward way to eliminate the filibuster, although such a change would require a two-thirds supermajority. The nuclear option is another way to eliminate the filibuster. Under this method, the Senate majority leader would use a nondebatable motion to bring a bill for a vote and then raise a point of order that cloture can be invoked with a simple majority. "
Given that there are 161 exceptions to the filibuster rule why isn't there a carve out for resolving labor disputes? It is an area that requires rapid action to avoid major harm to the economy or America's security.
And if there is a nuclear option available why was it not used here when there was bipartisan support and the vote in the House was clearly supportive?
I rather like the option of making anyone who wants to filibuster actually hold the floor. That would demand some commitment and make a filibuster much harder to maintain. It's WAY too easy now!
Or the idea that each party gets 6 hours of floor time total for their side of the debate on major bills and the leaders divy up the time equally among those who request to speak and organizes who will prepare and cover which topics in the debate. Then you alternate 10 minute time blocks. I hear they do something like that in high school debate clubs ;-)
Another point of view vis-a-vis rail labor negotiations I haven't heard much about, including from HCR: In light of the Covid pandemic, (remember that?) how can there be work rules that, in effect, require workers to go to work sick? This is a public health issue more than a labor issue, and thus should give government more leverage in imposing sick leave rules universally, not just on the railroads.
My further two cents worth; parents of young children need more sick days than the rest of us so sick children can stay home from school as well.
Excellent point. Another thought: how ‘present’ at your job have you been when sick? These folks are operating thousand pounds of speeding death should they not be fully alert. I’m sorry— no excuse for NO sick leave.
So what happens now? How are we going to protect railroad WORKERS while railroad Profits increase but workers are denied basic necessities like paid sick leave or paid time off for family matters or other human necessities? Workers are not slaves are they? This current policy allows inhumane treatment of human beings who are valued as necessities in our national life while railroad companies are destroying their lives, welfare & well being for insane profits at the expense of workers ONLY because of GREED! What recourse do we have to fairly treat & protect railroad workers?
Given how CEO's and well endowed stockholders refuse to give their workers essential benefits to survive, it appears they do think of workers as slaves and don't care what happens to them, as long as the profits keep rolling in. If a catastrophe were to occur, like a major derailment with accompanying release of multiple toxic chemicals into the environment due to a worker or workers having to work when sick or severely sleep deprived, would the CEO's be held accountable? (I.E. on a scale of the Bhopal disaster)
Our particular form of government was built on stolen land and free labor and it continually reverts to same. It is fundamentally flawed that way. We are really a government for the property--not for the people. Citizens’ United was a another step in the direction of saying property is more important than people. Even the overturning of Roe helps keep the people cowering doesn’t it? It too has the desired result of keeping people on the back foot. If you look back you will see other brick and mortar decisions that strengthen property rights over people rights. I think in terms of a brick and mortar building-- I mean the strengthening of the architecture of this edifice of ours. I happen to think 401K’s are an example of property before people. That’s what is coming next...the argument that Social Security is old fashioned and 401Ks the better modern option. Property winning again. And it will be absolute at that point--people once again serfs. The castle will be inhabited by the few and the serfs toiling on the property.
We have a major political party dedicated to the proposition that the law should protect capital and bind labor. I think HCR’s letter makes that clear. Democrats, at least, supported paid sick leave, and a majority of senators supported it, but the GOP scuttled it via the modern filibuster.
The thing that bothers me about this is that the political media doesn’t call out the Republicans for this. Somehow it’s Joe Biden who failed all by himself, as if the obstructionists were an inanimate bar Biden must leap over, the GOP having no free will or agency, no choice in the matter. Nobody asks them why they are good with the workers being denied paid sick leave when the railroads are making record profits. It’s all “Can Biden (or the Democrats) overcome GOP opposition to pass this measure?” and go on to discuss the need for 60 votes in the Senate. If they ask McConnell for a quote he burbles some meaningless blather about big government. They’re never confronted publicly about the working conditions that are at issue; it’s just bloodless, unthinking reflexive support for management. The media just shrugs. “Whatcha gonna do?”
Not sure how he was supposed to “bring them to heel.” What leverage did he have? You may be right, but I don’t know what legal mechanism was available to do this. Do you know how the President could single-handedly forced the railroad management to cave?
If the railroad workers were to walk out anyway then all of a sudden the people coming over the border wouldn’t be as big an issue because they would replace the labor force that walked out. Property over people always wins. Right now corporations are holding ALL the cards. From defense contractors to the companies that make $ off of incarcerating people. I don’t know what it is going to take to make people more important than property. Even Christmas has been incorporated you might say. And the press is now incorporated and paying shareholders. It is discouraging.
I believe the concept of running “Lean” is at the heart of so many of our current problems. In healthcare, lean has been pushed for years as a way to be more efficient. What that gave us was emergency supplies like masks that would only last 3 months (under normal usage which the pandemic wasn’t), and staffing that meets the average daily census of patients but is inadequate for flexing up under periods of high demand, unless staff works overtime. When the stresses in the system dragged on, staff were burned out and left. When the supplies were rapidly exhausted, people got sick and far too many died. During the early lockdowns, Car rental agencies sold all their cars and the airlines gave out early retirements, all to stay lean and efficient. No planning for the future. No “warehousing” of people or product. The railways did the same, and then doubled down, all on the backs of the workers.
We need to reorganize this country, and put people before profits and efficiency. We can’t survive without shipping, and none of us will survive if all the healthcare workers leave.
It was reported that over the pandemic, over 3,500 health care workers died of Covid. That’s more than 911. 25% of nurses have left the field, and 20% of doctors have left. Not sure on how many retired early. Right wing crazies protesting outside the private residences of our Public Health officials. Railroad workers with no sick days at all? Underpaid and over burdened workers is not sustainable. Only 12 RR Companies today? How many RR companies were there 50 years ago? Less than 1 million hospital beds today, how many hospital beds 50 years ago? No one even says monopoly anymore, why? How do we measure competition? Or do we? Why not?
Ted I think it goes back again to efficiency arguments. It is more efficient to consolidate so there is one payroll system for 12 hospitals etc… I really do think this is one of the places where it all went wrong.
My hospital showed us a chart about ten years ago. Every hospital in the state was plotted in a graph showing efficiency and costs. We were fat and away the most efficient while having the lowest costs. The hospital president congratulated us on what we were doing. I took to calling it the “we do more with less” phenomenon and it came back to bite us big time in 2020 and even more so since. Burnout went through the roof. I quit and likely won’t ever go back to nursing. I am far from alone.
I don’t think any reasonable person could blame the docs and nurses for leaving the profession post pandemic. We remain vulnerable. And especially now, as this triple epidemic will show. Covid, RSV, Flu. ICU admissions up 25% just the last two weeks according to CDC and Becker’s reports. What good are 1 million hospital beds with out nurses to staff them?
Thank you for your service. We are vulnerable to all kinds of shortages in Health Care. In people, beds, facilities. More $ for ownership but with less everything, even available hospital cribs for vulnerable children under 4 with this flu outbreak.
Brenda S., Don’t get me started about running “Lean” in the healthcare system. My mother experienced that “lean” system. I feel it contributed to her untimely death three months after breaking her hip. Yes, I get one out of three people of a certain age die within a year of breaking their hip. However, this “lean” system increased the odds of her being one of them. Something has to change.
Sharon I am so sorry. I blame my dad’s death on it too. You can’t work at the top of your game for endless hours without rest. The railroad workers are in the same situation and I don’t know what it will take to change all of this.
Brenda, it will take people taking steps in the right direction. I am optimistic that sick leave thing will be worked out. Keeping profit margins is perspective is another step in the right direction. Especially when excess profits are used to buy back stock rather than make improvements and pay workers more
"It was about a system that has historically made it harder for workers than for employers to get what they want. And it is about consumers, who—in the past at any rate—have blamed strikers rather than management when the trains stopped running. "
And yet for the most part consumers = workers = consumers. Anyone sociopathc enough to be observed shafting other people will do the same for you in a heartbeat should it suit their agenda. No such thing as liberty and justice without solidarity. That's not just for unions; its the basis of a free society.
Thanks, Heather for shining light on this complicated issue.
So, now what?
As usual, workers will be blamed if the economy shuts down but they are not the unreasonable ones in this disagreement and 7 sick days is not an unusual amount. But, like the oil company's record 2021 profits, the railroads are not willing to give back to those who made the profits for them.
Republicans signed on to “Greed is good” long ago, and it may not look good (if they can blame Dems) but it sure gives them money to trash poor people.
"And it is about consumers, who—in the past at any rate—have blamed strikers rather than management when the trains stopped running." That's the key point and holds for all such actions. That said, I quibble with the use of the word "consumers."I miss the days when we were citizens and customers.
This situation is evidence that it’s all about control; people are nothing more than machines to employees. To be willing to raise pay by 24% but leave any paid sick time as a non-starter demonstrates the inhumanity with which we treat our work force. And it’s not only in railroads. High-skilled jobs in health care have extremely limited sick days.
I heard an Econ professor once recount a story in which her student asked why we threaten people who are unable to work with starvation and death; that seemed like a cruel way to run a culture. The professor said she didn’t have a good answer to that.
This railroad episode shows that our culture values resources more than humanity.
I don't know his reasons, and naturally I doubt they are in any way admirable, but I also blame the Ds. There's no point in blaming Rs, any more than in calling a rabid dog "bad". Voting as they did is in their nature. But the Ds could have forced through the sick days by including that as a provision of the anti-strike bill. They chose to separate the two, ensuring that the sick days would not pass and the Rs, not the Ds, would be blamed. It was a political calculation, for which rail workers pay the price.
As long as our political leaders, of any party, cowardly advantage our corporate owners in trade negotiations, our society will continue to decline. I am more afraid of allowing short-sighted, heartless, out-of-touch CEOs continue to rule our country than of anything else.
Railroad management is essentially (and soon literally I fear) running their companies into the ground. Caring for equipment and profits is one thing, but far more important is caring for your people. Regardless of what service/widgets they provide, companies are made of people. Most really successful companies care for their workers, then their facilities, then their profits. Railroads seem to have this in reverse, reflecting what I see is a larger trend across most sectors of the economy. When workers have a strong, reasonable, consistent voice, companies thrive. When they don't, they fail. On the rare occasions when the voice of management is disregarded, companies also fail (think Twitter).
Laws and court decisions undermining Labor Unions are proving disastrous to our economy because the larger and more complex it grows, the more it depends on the cooperation of ALL its parts to function. Management having too much power over workers not only hurts workers, it hurts the entire economy. Balancing the needs of workers and management is essential. Weak Labor Unions are a sign that, for railroads at least, this balance is upset. Failure will be the result. The government needing to step in is also a sign that this is no way to run a railroad.
Thank you for your summary and for the review of how these matters have been treated in the past. I’m always amazed at how you can take such a complex issue and make it understandable.
This negotiation has brought back a really sad memory for me. I was working in an acute psychiatric hospital at the time a woman came in after attempting suicide. About 9 months earlier there had been a head on collision of two trains. The guys responsible forgot to switch the tracks, and one of the engineers had fallen asleep (this was all found out in the investigation). The women who was brought in was the wife of one of the men blamed. After her husband died she had to go to work to support her kids after they lost their home. Her mother moved in to their trailer home to help with the kids while she worked the night shift at a truck stop. While she was at work her trailer caught fire while the family was asleep and her mother and kids all died. Within one year she had lost all of her family. As her therapist I was at a total loss of any words that could comfort her and help her to find a reason for not giving up. Not long after the investigation blamed her husband and the other man for the devastation. The train companies were totally absolved of any blame and the insurance covered all the damages. And now all these years later these corporations are pushing for an even lower level of staff who provide such an important role, and now even when they are sick and exhausted. That these companies are allowed to treat workers this way is criminal. I wish the workers would strike. Their Christmas will not be happy and bright.
Root cause analysis: Understaffing
Cut jobs but demand increased productivity and profits
This has been occurring in America for decades as workers spend 50/60 hours a week on the job or “on call” trying to prove their value to management. Its all tacitly voluntary and expected, but America is working itself to death in terms of undue stress causing medical issues. And when you die the death of a plowhorse, they replace you
Our priority? Don’t let gas prices, Happy Meals or Wallmart trinkets rise, right?
America needs an attitude adjustment
Understaffing goes in many places of employment. The first one I think is long term care facilities like nursing homes. My mother's facility had 4 staffers on the floor to care for residents, many of them no longer able to walk. One of the four was the med tech, giving out medicines. So three staffers had 45 people to care for, plus serve meals. The far off corporate owner was much more interested in profits than people. Little concern for the residents and less for the staff.
Been There - Seen That. I was a CNA who worked in Nursing Homes & Hospitals. The hospital was OK, it was a teaching hospital at a large university and had student nurses filling for Nursing Assistants in clinicals. But the long-term care facilities often had unreasonable managerial expectations of the staff.
I had to stay in a nursing facility for 20 days. An utter nightmare. Only "nurses" could do certain things, had to wait almost two hours before one showed up to help adjust my bandages easing pain. I'm disabled (paralyzed) and they left me unassisted, nearly fell to the floor. Would have broken a hip or something. Severely understaffed. Never again will I go there.
Another been there, seen that, the high staff turnover is understandable.
Is.
Right. And when anyone makes even a baby step toward rectifying the wrongs, we blame them for the problem ... why wait on the overworked, underpaid employees to strike - when will "WE THE PEOPLE" of consumer society step up and refuse to consume the fruits of such inequitable conditions?!
What?! Tighten my belt?! I got rid of that years ago ... won't fit anymore!!
... see, rabid consumerism fueled by All American Game-Time USA breeds an unbridled appetite for IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION ... like the push button automatic drive - who needs a clutch anymore (until heavy snow and ice descend) ... anybody know how to jump-start this thing?! Quick, easy answers looking for someone to blame for the slippery slide downhill ... thankfully, those people on the ground who keep working for real change PERSIST:
"Rail labor leaders continue the fight today for job security, better working conditions, fair wages and benefits, improved safety conditions and elimination of massive cutbacks.
"The benevolent society that started with a few trackmen on a hot July day in Alabama has shown that it can meet the challenges and problems of an ever-changing industry and will continue to protect its members' rights as it has for more than a century."
*****
The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED)
https://www.bmwe.org/secondary.aspx?id=22
"The history of the advance and growth of American railroads is an episode in the saga of a people's restless urge to explore and to move on. Heeding that urge, these people expanded into the far corners of the North American Continent, moving as slow or as fast as their means of transportation allowed. This movement began in earnest only after the railroad's steel web was spun from coast-to-coast. Once the rail system was established, the great construction gangs began to settle down and maintain that which they had built. But, while the robber barons of the early railroads amassed great fortunes, their employees worked from dawn to dusk for pennies a day without insurance, vacations or means of support after years of hard work. It was these conditions that inspired early rail workers to organize collectively and form unions to protect their common interests.
"One such union was the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWE). The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes - later to become the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) - is a national union representing the workers who build and maintain the tracks, bridges, buildings and other structures on the railroads of the United States. Founded in 1887, at Demopolis, Alabama, as a fraternal organization by Track Foreman John T. Wilson, the BMWED membership forms a cross section of American culture. Their goals, interests and political backgrounds are as diversified as their heritage. Once an International union with over 350,000 members in the United States and Canada, automation, the rise of the trucking and airline industries, coupled with the policies of a conservative government, has depleted the ranks of the BMWED to under 40,000 members. Since the passage of the Staggers Rail Act of 1978, railroad management, using competition as an excuse and the anti-union climate as an ally, has been selling or abandoning the nation's rail system. Realizing that our country is losing a vital link in its transportation network, the BMWED struggles to reverse this trend. Using our rich history as a guide - drawing on the strength of the union - we confront management in the halls of Congress and the State Legislatures, through use of our newspaper the BMWED Journal, the nation's court system and at the bargaining tables.
"It was in 2004 that the BMWE merged with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and consolidated its strength with that of the powerful 1.4 million member Teamster Union. As a part of the Teamster Rail Division the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division continues the battle that John T. Wilson courageously fought in the face of so much opposition.
*****
"Rail labor leaders continue the fight today for job security, better working conditions, fair wages and benefits, improved safety conditions and elimination of massive cutbacks.
"The benevolent society that started with a few trackmen on a hot July day in Alabama has shown that it can meet the challenges and problems of an ever-changing industry and will continue to protect its members' rights as it has for more than a century."
*****
History of Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes: Its Birth and Growth - 1887 to 1955
http://www.bmwe.org/cms/file/01172018_131338_brotherhood_book2018.pdf
*****
History of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzRnRq9GAiI&t=
*****
“The Calcium Light, Turned on by a Railway Trackman” - Written by John T. Wilson (1902) (First BMWED President)
http://www.bmwe.org/cms/file/03152017_084726_calciumlightturn00wils.pdf
*****
Accomplishments
Right of Representation
Rules Agreements
Overtime Pay
Unemployment Benefits
Paid Vacations
Union Shop
Off-Track Vehicle Accident Insurance Coverage
Accidental Death, Dismemberment and Loss of Sight Benefits
Job Security
Health Insurance
Checkoff of Dues
Dental Insurance
Bereavement Leave
Protection against Discrimination
Eight-hour day
Retirement Benefits
Sickness benefits
Forty-hour Week
Holiday Pay
Life Insurance
Improved Wage Rates
Travel Time and Away-From-Home Expenses
Jury Duty Pay
Supplemental Sickness Benefits
Early Retiree Major Medical Benefits
Personal Leave
https://www.bmwe.org/secondary.aspx?id=22
Thanks for all this information! This is a prime example of the benefits of being a subscriber to Dr Richardson’s newsletter--all that I learn from fellow subscribers!
I agree! I have learned so much from being a subscriber and just reading the comments from so many other subcribers. You all have become my friends and I look forward to mornings to hear from you all! Have a wonderful December day. Hugs to all!
Yes!
A thorough, persuasive and articulate recounting of a complicated history Kathleen!
I would, however, place it in an even broader context, or at least Yuval Noah Harari did in his book Sapiens (2015) wherein he describes our last great age as the Age of Industrialization. He locates the beginning of this age in the early 1820's as the government set a standard time (Greenwich Mean Time or GMT) so that England's nascent railroad industry could schedule and predict when trains would arrive at the various towns along their routes, towns which each had their own rough estimate of time. As a previously largely agrarian society, they hadn't needed much regular clock time as the rising and setting the sun dictated much of their daily activity. This Age of Industrialization also marked when governments began to legislate changes in law in support of industry and the individual's capacity to move around necessary for trains (and factories, etc) vs historical reliance on families and close communities to maintain survival, health and societal organization. It would seem that trend has continued even with the laws via which the current administration must work.
So true, John - and see how disassociated we have become from core health accordingly - who can afford to lose track of time - to breathe freely - feel life waters flowing through with every breath ... no, better run to the hospital - feed that industry with our life blood - oh, who can afford that - better keep that job, chained to the timeclock - even if it kills you - can you even afford insurance to cover the cost of your very expensive burial ...?
*****
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuZEoIBxFiE&t=7s
Very expensive burial
Thanks for your insights...SAPIENS...just added to my reading list
Yes indeed - thank you John, another must read:
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
Part of: A Brief History Series (2 books)
by Yuval Noah Harari
https://www.amazon.com/Sapiens-Humankind-Yuval-Noah-Harari/dp/0062316095
"From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution—a #1 international bestseller—that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be “human.”
"One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one—homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us?
"Most books about the history of humanity pursue either a historical or a biological approach, but Dr. Yuval Noah Harari breaks the mold with this highly original book that begins about 70,000 years ago with the appearance of modern cognition. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas.
"Dr. Harari also compels us to look ahead, because over the last few decades humans have begun to bend laws of natural selection that have governed life for the past four billion years. We are acquiring the ability to design not only the world around us, but also ourselves. Where is this leading us, and what do we want to become?
"Featuring 27 photographs, 6 maps, and 25 illustrations/diagrams, this provocative and insightful work is sure to spark debate and is essential reading for aficionados of Jared Diamond, James Gleick, Matt Ridley, Robert Wright, and Sharon Moalem."
fascinating book, great writer
And l, our consumerism is driving the global temperature well past 2.0°.
You know what's missing from that extensive list? ADEQUATE STAFFING! If the companies hired and trained enough people to fully staff the work, there would be fewer injuries, deaths, human misery, stress, and the goods and people being moved would actually be safer and on time. What is wrong with these companies? Warren Buffet, we're looking at you.
Thank you for the little-known information. I really appreciate it.
"America needs an attitude adjustment" is an understatement Dave. When did money become more important than people's lives? PSR should've never been allowed at the worker's expense. I understand why many of them feel betrayed by Biden. It was a tough decision to avoid a strike, but at the worker's expense. Where's the compassion, empathy, Gratitude? And as Linda pointed out, it has devastating effects, not just for the workers, but also their families. And result in long lasting health issues. I say strike and let everyone feel their (workers) value, necessity and importance. These workers are slaves to their masters and they're paying for this treatment in union dues. Wake up America.
The real problem faced by Biden is the reality that the strike position threatens the health of entirety of the people in the US and it guarantees the collaspe of the economy in ways that will perpetuate itself long after the strike is settled
This is not a black and white decision. Its one that requires hard choices with many complicated results. Its not the domain of weak decision makers
IMO, keeps the railroads running now, address the complicated issues at once, but do not expect immediate remedy given the Manchin’s involved. Its a tough slog
What is black and white is that the RR’s have too much concentrated power, and this makes the whole country vulnerable. The RR’s are too big and there is not enough overlap competition.We need more information from the workers. Where are the stories of what RR workers are forced to endure. By threatening to strike we know current conditions are not sustainable, so this issue will return again.
Ted. The media needs to research and expose the employees' issues, the railroad company concerns - perhaps in the form of a Michael Moore-type documentary film. It seems the country is laying responsibility at the feet of the workers while managenent decisions are behind this supply train crisis. Now is the time for a close examination of balance between labor and management, in so many sectors. The next crisis is barrelling down the tracks ..
I think media wont do this. Why upset one of their customers? Yes, Moore or Frontline could do a great job of this.
Im thinking this is just another case of gov to friendly with the RR Lobby, and over time, we just dont see the monopolies power grow untill this threat of strike threatens the entire econmy. Its just crazy that any industry can not have sick days and during a Pandemic. It is unacceptable. Just like the FDA is with Sugar Producers Lobby...making it okay to add excess sugar to just about every food causing an obesity epidemic. Pharmacy lobby keeping insulin prices high and the Opiod crisis was caused when by the Pharm Lobby led the FDA to changing laws that moved Oxycotin out of its addictive classification allowing for over prescriptions throwing many communities into a public health crisis. Lobbyist, oligarchy, monopolies, Corptocracy....they all run in the same shoes causing so many problems for everyone, banking record profits, stock buybacks, increasing wealth inequality at a scale rivalling and surpassing the 1920's. Enough is enough.
The problem is getting RR employees to talk in public about the issues. They will be targeted for termination if they do. That’s why most of the talking comes from union officials.
As a railroad employee, the biggest issue is quality of life. Employees in unassigned service (on call 24/7) have no scheduled off days. They are only off if the RR doesn’t call them to work of if they’ve worked several days in a row (usually 6 or 7 days). These employees base their lives around train lineups, which are always inaccurate. When I was in unassigned service, it was normal for the lineup to show I wasn’t getting called for a couple of days only to get a middle of the night call to go to work immediately. If we aren’t properly rested because of bad lineups, management doesn’t care. If we tell them we can’t work because we aren’t rested, we get threatened with discipline. That is just one issue. I can go on all day.
These are the stories/experiences that the American people need to hear.
Unfortunately, you could say the same thing about every corporation in the country right now. We allowed the evisceration of Monopoly laws in this country. It won’t be remedied easily.
Exactly! 100%. I think it starts with repeal of Citizens United. Draw down the $ spent on elections, this makes elected officials answer to their consitutents that are real persons first and foremost.
Praying for Warnoch, and Manchin losing some clout
Always at the expense of the workers - labor - 'the beasts of burden', animals, such as a mule or donkey, that is used for carrying loads. Your explanation, Dave, did not in my opinion resolve the power of the very few over the rest of us. It's not Democracy in this country with such an economic inequality formula.
I hope the workers throw a wildcat strike. If the railways are so important they can damn well afford to provide decent hours, pay, and benefits to their workers. American labour laws (and most of the rest of their laws) are at best 19th century compared to the rest of the world. The wealth of nations and the wealth of capitalists are diametrically opposed.
…and scheduling Allen. The rail workers in some job functions could not lead a healthy life or have time with the family -- no exaggeration here!
I'd finish that sentence differently: "If the railways are so important . . ." they should be nationalized or at least heavily regulated.
If I had some brilliant resolution, I’d be directing traffic on a national scale. We live in a society driven by outcomes. Profit is easy to measure. Quality of life is not
There exists a balancing act in determining what is in the best interest overall; that decision making requires pragmatism. That comes at some expense
The power of the very few is not new. Its an historic reality. Chipping away at that power through social safety nets is an evolutionary process. Idealism is good but never implementable in total. Its the gray stuff in the middle that counts and the “pragmatic” are usually attacked by both extremes. Leaders must be pragmatic in any Democracy which means ghey must live in the messy gray
If you have an implementable solution that doesn’t shut down the economy as well as insulin shipments, I’m all ears
Since the railroads were a national construct and have grown to crippling gigantism the answer lies necessarily in nationalizing the behemoth, as do many other publicly damaging industries. Perhaps the time has come to limit the size of titans to keep them from overwhelming the public good. Call me any name you like, just let us please not continue to privatize things like the military, prisons, mail delivery, and needed healthcare. As a case in point I don’t think gazillionaires like Musk should be allowed to buy the U.S.Air Force. Any such industries should be incorporated in the public domain as they attain size critical to the function of the nation.
Yes, this is the problem. RRs carry vital supplies necessary to the health of many people including chemicals to purify the water supply. i would hope that with a strike averted for now, that work on a better solution for the workers begins immediately. Greed, as usual, is running this scenario for now in terms of the rail owners. I have tried to shut out the consumerism of the season as well. I am still reading the book about Miriam Leslie who ran her husband's publishing business in NYC after he died. A lot of it describes what was going on in the city, in the government, etc. it sounds familiar to certain things happening now.
Dave, The unions have some legitimate demands; they are not radical. Profit, in the way that capitalism has jumped the rails in the US provides 1% of Americans more than a third of the country's wealth. 'Balancing', Dave, no kidding! To quote you, '...determining what is in the best interest overall; that decision making requires pragmatism'. 'Overall' benefit". Really, Dave, I'd welcome the data for that.
'In the second quarter of 2022, 68 percent of the total wealth in the United States was owned by the top 10 percent of earners. In comparison, the lowest 50 percent of earners only owned 3.2 percent of the total wealth.' (statista)
'Most Americans favor raising the federal minimum wage, which has been $7.25 an hour since 2009. About six-in-ten adults (62%), including majorities in nearly every demographic group, support increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Even among the 38% of Americans who oppose a $15 minimum, most say they’d support a smaller increase, according to an April Pew Research Center survey.'
'Real median U.S. household income was $70,784 in 2021, statistically unchanged from the previous year, although income inequality increased for the first time since 2011, according to U.S. Census Bureau release of the Income in the United States: 2021 report.'
According to the Census Bureau 'Declines in real income at the bottom of the income distribution resulted in increased income inequality as measured by the Gini index — a common measure of income inequality.'
I'm not speaking as an idealist, and your 'pragmatism' in my opinion favors management over labor; the Ultra rich v. the rest of us. I think David, while believing that you favor the most pragmatic way to solve the equation of extreme economic inequality in US, your way in my estimation is at the expense of most people.
F**k pragmatism. It is why American cant have nice things. Shutting down the economy is what the Republicans are going to do. Clean out the DNC. Stop called Corporate Dems moderates and start voting for Progressives. Their "radical" agenda works well in the rest of the democratic developed countries.
Capitalism = exploitation.
Dave, agree with your solution of keeping the railroads running, and continue to hammer out a solution of this complicated issue.
But as we keep the railroads running and this crisis is resolved (temporarily), will anyone follow up to resolve these very issues for the RR workers? Who will keep this issue on the front page? The workers are giving up their lives - what are the RR execs giving up?
It was once said by a former Chief of Staff (to the President) that all the decisions that reach the President are hard, because the easy ones gets solved before they get there.
This one must've hurt Biden to the marrow, but he did what the nation needed.
As idealists argue for the perfect solution, blaming decision makers (Biden) for taking an imperfect one, it occurs to me that some people may have never been forced to make an imperfect decision and have no empathy for the heart wrenching agony of those who must make hard choices knowing that whatever decision they make, people are going to be harmed
Here’s a question I’d like the idealists to answer, “Did General Eisenhower make a good decision when he gave the go ahead for D Day?”
Great leaders suffer the costs of their pragmatism
Why are you labeling those who disagree with you 'idealists'? Some of us think of ourselves as realists, democrats, liberals, progressives, idealists, socialists, independents, fair minded human beings...
Had all the important options been examined by Biden and the Department of Transportation before the welfare of a segment of rail workers was left to the discretion of the rail carriers? Think about it for a minute. I don't know all the ways in addition to making stronger demands on the rail carriers with reference to workers' work schedules and healthcare costs. Another subscriber raised an important issue:
Linda Mitchell, KCMO:
'One of the problems with rail transportation in the USA that HCR did not mention: almost all the track in the US is owned by one company--CSX. It dominates the entire industry and also controls passenger rail service because it can nix the development of new passenger services on the basis that freight has to take precedence. Unless the CSX monopoly is broken (and they make a hella lot of money while being dangerously blasé about their employees) nothing will change. And they have a lot at stake to prevent that from happening.'
I'm guessing there are still other possible options to scrutinize before the rail workers were nailed to the tracks.
If the US government, instead of interceding at this time, had chosen to file an antitrust suit against CSX, who could shut down all the trains, the damage to a fragile economy would be much worse.
The CSX monopoly an issue to be addressed. This many not be the right time to do so.
Dave, as you can surmise, I don't buy into your position. There are some who know a good deal about American Capitalism and what it has been doing to many Americans and our grand experiment with democracy.
'The Averted National Rail Strike Is a Parable of Contemporary American Capitalism'
'Railroads are prioritizing payments to Wall Street stockholders over everything else, including serving the public interest.'
By John Cassidy
'In our click-driven world, the threatened strike at America’s freight railroads, and President Biden’s intervention to prevent it, represents last week’s news. But there are two groups for which the averted strike is still very much front and center: the hundred and fifteen thousand rail workers who will be forced to work under the terms of the contract agreement that the White House and Congress imposed upon them after some rail unions rebuffed a deal mediated by the Administration, and the managers and owners of the railroads, who will get back to running what, these days, is an immensely lucrative, and suspiciously monopolistic, business.'
'Much of the news coverage of the contract dispute focussed on the railroads’ refusal to grant their workers paid sick leave. But this intransigence was only one aspect of a larger parable of modern American capitalism. Unfolding in one of the country’s oldest and most far-flung industries, it is a story of deregulation, consolidation, downsizing, under-investment, and intensification of work practices. Most of all, though, it is a story of financialization, and of prioritizing payments to wealthy stockholders over everything else, including serving the public interest.'
'During the lockdowns early in the coronavirus pandemic, the railroads accelerated their job cuts and capacity reductions. When demand rebounded last year, many shippers faced chronic delays, cancellations, and, in one case, a temporary suspension of service on key routes between the West Coast and Chicago. “Freight-railroad service is abysmal,” Representative Peter DeFazio, the chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, complained, at a hearing earlier this year. “This appalling service is forcing shippers to recoup their extra costs downstream and Americans are paying for it—with increased food costs and at the gas pump.”
'The modern rail-freight industry dates back to 1980, when Congress partially dismantled a strict system of regulation that had been introduced in the late nineteenth century following a catalogue of abuses by the companies of the original railroad barons, men like Jay Gould, James Hill, and Edward Henry Harriman. The Staggers Rail Act of 1980—named after the Democratic congressman Harley O. Staggers, Sr.—gave the railroads much more freedom to run their operations, including closing down unprofitable lines and setting their own freight rates, which the federal government had previously determined through the Interstate Commerce Commission. For a time, deregulation appeared to work as planned. Thanks to healthy competition in many areas, prices fell and shipments increased. After decades of losing out to trucking, the rail industry started to win back market share, which was good news for its workers and owners, and for the environment. (Rail transportation is much less carbon-intensive than trucking.)'
'Similarly to what happened in the decades after the Carter Administration deregulated the airline industry, the era of vigorous rail competition gradually gave way to consolidation and tacit collusion. After a long series of mergers, there are now just seven large, or Class I, railroads, compared to thirty-three in 1980, and between them they control more than eighty per cent of the freight market. “CSX and Norfolk Southern have a duopoly on traffic east of Chicago, while Union Pacific and BNSF have a duopoly on traffic west of Chicago,” Matthew Jinoo Buck, a senior fellow at the American Liberties Project, pointed out, in an illuminating article for *The American Prospect *earlier this year. “Canadian Pacific, Canadian National, and Kansas City Southern run much traffic going north-south through the Midwest.”
'Rather than expanding their operations for a greener age, the big railroads have been doing what unregulated or lightly regulated monopolists (and duopolists) tend to do: rationalizing their operations, reducing their work forces, and charging prices well above their costs. According to the Surface Transportation Board, which replaced the defunct Interstate Commerce Commission in 1996, inflation-adjusted freight rates have risen by thirty per cent since 2004, and over-all freight traffic—in terms of carloads and tonnages—has been declining since 2006. In recent years, the industry has slashed its workforce by roughly a third. “Operating the railroads with that many fewer employees makes it difficult to avoid cuts in service, provide more reliable service, and reduce poor on-time performance that does not compete well with trucks.” Martin J. Oberman, the current chair of the Surface Transportation Board, noted, in a speech last year.' (NewYorker) Link to complete article is below.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-averted-national-rail-strike-is-a-parable ... -
What does all that have to do with what I said regarding decision making and pragmatism?
…and timing, too. How long ago if ever will this country take necessary steps to stop the transfer of wealth to the ultra wealthy and begin to rectify the extreme inequality of wealth here?
I linked three pieces from Robert Reich that you might appreciate. The last is a videotape.
https://robertreich.org/post/666874177346797568
https://inthesetimes.com/article/robert-reich-elon-musk-capitalism-inequality-wealth-tax
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z1iToALkzE
Tell that to republicans, oh no, never blame the perpetrators of the problem. Dems can keep handling the vitriol. Republicans love it, Hawley really does
... understaffing on one side of the coin - overstuffing on the other ...
Agreed 100%. This has been going on at least since Reagan. More work, no increase in pay or benefits. It's disgusting!
Add to your list: don’t let profits decline even a teensy weensy bit.
Indeed Dave Dalton -> "Root cause analysis: Understaffing". I could and would argue for a far harsher, less politically correct defining word: "Greed" vs Human / humane realities. Greed wins another, and this has played out for decades upon decades, in fact grossly accelerating since about 1981. I have a personally lived story not too much unlike the poignant truths told by our contributor Linda Blue - different corporate giants, different unions, but the resultant outcomes no less traumatic and life altering. Someday, I'll be called on to tell those true stories, is my greatest hope. In the mean time my daily task is to find some semblance of sanity and serenity - in the name of self preservation, to acknowledge and try to accept, that small i, have little to no control of people, places, things outside of myself and my reactions to those 'things' I can't control.
I do not disagree re greed, but that seems not specific enough to the railroad issue
My experience in America is that management will pile on tasks until the worker is overwhelmed. Our culture is such that employees will find ways to increase their output via extra hours (many times voluntary for salaried employees) as management pushes for more
Until Covid, employers had the upper hand in terms of “if you don’t perform, there’s ten people behind you who will”. Covid changed that. Supply of labor is at a premium right now. Workers have “some” leverage at this point. The wheel turns slowly
My point is that, as I read the indignation towards Biden regarding the 4 rail unions (out of 12), I’m thinking that any action he might take will criticized, so he has to act like Solomon and lead. Some people raise issue with his decision but fail to acknowledge that he is not a King. His power is limited by law, as it should be. His responsibility is to the country, not individual special interests
The situation is difficult. He moved business and labor back to the table to find compromise. Some didn’t like the result and blame him. I think he played the cards he was dealt the best anyone could
No one is offering a better course of action here except those holding a Royal Flush, which Biden was not dealt
In this case, pragmatism is how the world of reality works. And so, some people complain and others recognize the limitation of our laws and culture
Yes. We consumers run the show and we seem mostly unconcerned about the plight of those who provide us with our goods and services.
Yup, as they say in AA, where so many wind up,
"It's a save your own ass program."
This is indeed part of the problem. We personally are very concerned about those people who provide goods and services, but the pandemic showed us just how awful a large part of the population can be when they don't get what they want asap or even have the minor inconvenience of wearing a mask which we still do when going inside stores. We make an effort to buy locally and tip generously.
❗️❗️❗️
There is a maximum number of hours truckers can be on the road, which is still high enough for the drivers to fall asleep. There is no reason there can't be a minimum staffing requirement on trains--1 individual for every mile of train, as an example.
It's like basic common sense ends where profits begin.
Railroads have been trying to hire. The problem is that railroads want to eliminate the conductor position and are in negotiations to do just that on a couple of railroads. Other railroads will do the same as soon as they can. Train service employees hire out as conductors, then promote to engineer. So when a railroad hire a group of new contractors, the new employees find out during their training the the position they were just hired for is temporary since that job is in negotiations to be eliminated. Most are quitting before they complete training to go find a permanent job. Where I work, management tried to hire a group of 15. Only one completed the training.
So well put: “attitude adjustment.” As one of the last remembering WWII, I plead for rationing and price controls (climate change and food prices must ALWAYS be linked), smaller and fewer cars, more public transportation. It’s survival for the species - the big picture, America!
Indeed
Linda, that is such a touching story that humanizes this issue. Why doesn’t that story make headlines?
Professor Richardson noted that Elizabeth Warren opposed the measure. She’s smart and compassionate. I would love to hear the compromise she would have voted for.
It doesn't make headlines for the same reasons President Biden's accomplishments have gotten short shrift...the media by and large are creatures of the same corporate culture and untold hours of airtime and columns of print are devoted to the latest idiocy by tfg.
Yes, I saw that Elizabeth Warren opposed the bill along with Bernie Sanders which gives me pause to think. I, too, would like to hear the compromise that they
would have supported.
I think mainstream media is in the pockets of their corporate owners. The goal is to make money for shareholders and all those 401Ks. News gatherers read and regurgitate the news releases and stats they receive from corporate PR departments and go home. By and large the once indispensable 4th estate no longer watches out for the little guy. I read newsletters like this one to gain understanding. It helps me be an informed voter.
Media doesn’t want to upset their customers, the Railroads.
Go to their web pages. They have both sent me letters about it. They don’t share Prof. Richardson’s desire to see all things through President Biden’s eyes. I’m not looking forward to a wildcat railroad strike but too much is at stake here for all Americans: I hope those 4 stalwart unions risk everything and conduct one.
It doesn’t make headlines because the mainstream media is owned by immoral billionaires!
And management dances away with nary a care in the world. It’s not just the railroad workers, it’s all of us. These trains are speeding bombs with precious little control. What could go wrong…. Linda Blue told us above, for starters…
Jeri, you are precisely correct about speeding bombs, a compelling reason for health safeguards similar to what we recognize as necessary for airline pilots and crew since the development of that sector of the transportation industry.
It's clear that safely and health are not top priorities for any of the greeds running businesses. I might add that the gun issue clearly demonstrates that this talk about valuing life is just talk. Here in Oregon we are having problems getting the gun control measure off the ground. Some of it is understandable nobody, notably LE was ready to do what they are required to do even if they actually want to follow the law. The part on the size of magazines can be implanted immediately.
This story should have been told at the hearings. I’m sure there are many more like it. 12 companies is too small I think. There’s not enough competition between companies. So concentrated that we are vulnerable to a strike and shutdowns. It’s not Capitalism, it’s a concentration of wealth and power at the top. Ours is a corptocracy another form of oligarchy.
This:
"It’s not Capitalism, it’s a concentration of wealth and power at the top. Ours is a corptocracy another form of oligarchy."
This is not capitalism. It is a concentration of wealth and control over workers at the top. Capitalism, correctly run, would pay workers what they are worth. Without workers nothing happens. We need to start paying workers what they are worth. If we did that, strikes wouldn’t happen.
Yes, but it's more than wages, it's benefits (e.g., sick leave) and working conditions that respect workers, not demean them.
Unrestrained unregulated capitalism breeds monopolies. Monopolies can collude to treat all workers the same. In a competitive market, there would be more RR’s. The best lead RR would treat workers as their #1 resource. Pay and conditions would be attractive enough to attract the best and brightest workers. This RR would have an advantage as valued workers would seek to solve problems and keep efficiency high. High levels of respect and feeling valued is a competitive advantage. In monopolies we don’t see any of that, thus a Nation wide strike.
I ordered this book a couple days ago. Thanks for the warning.
Through mutual friends, a man I knew decades ago was one of the engineers responsible for a fatal freight train accident; he also died. He had told me several years earlier about the crazy work shifts that they had no control over, and how often he would be called back into work 8 hours after returning home, and only a few hours of sleep. Thank you for sharing this heartbreaking story about your patient. Where is our humanity?
Linda, I was glad that HCR in today's Letter did not exonerate the rail carriers or praise where this strike settlement left many of the rail workers. Out of personal weakness, I did not search for resources that would spell out what our capitalism has wrought on regular working people. I won't drag out the data indicating that 1% of our population owns more than a third of the country's wealth. The rail industry and the workers are part of that horrific equation.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, personal experience and pain with us.
What a terrible thing. No words really.
My heart aches for her, and I wonder how she is doing today. Yes, these stories should be brought to light. I'm sure there must be more over the years. It is a dangerous job, like coal miners have worked in extremely dangerous conditions, like medical people working with sick patients for long hours, with no breaks, and a health risk to them and their families....I could go on and on. Not to mention the military men and women of the world, who have given their lives or body parts. :(
Linda, THANK YOU for the important work you do to help make people whole again. How hard even for you to carry so many burdens on your shoulders....not an easy job, but so important!!
Beyond tragic...the knee of management on the necks of the workers...does not allow for choice...just sayin'
This is so flippin' sad ... tell the story - spread the word ... who really pays for my over-indulgent, ever-expanding inflated sense of opportunity?!
((Stick a pin in this delusional balloon and watch it fly all over like an aerodynamic fart!!))
As you said it's criminal. Not just to the workers, also to all of us traveling on trains with exhausted engineers and railroad staff. It is a national problem, all of us are in peril while we keep making money for the companies.
Excellent analysis of this situation. Thank you, Heather. I still think Joe should have wrangled with owners over the sick leave before forcing the imposition of this contract, which is despicable for its lack of sick leave. I fear he leaves the impression he’s siding with owners over workers, which is exactly the wrong thing to have happen when the GOP is doing everything it can to win over workers. Well, everything it can short of actually doing anything for them!
I’m sure splitting the bill into two different votes was a Pelosi idea to give the bulk of the bill a chance to pass, while revealing for all the world to see who was against the 7 days of paid sick leave. That’s exactly how it played out.
Mara, I think you are probably right about Pelosi's stance on this. It is so unfortunate that just 8 more senators did not have enough compassion to vote for the 2nd bill, overcoming any filibuster and ensuring the 7 paid sick days!
I applaud the 5 democratic senators who voted against the 1st bill, seeing what would be the outcome.
That’s the best argument for nationalizing the railroads that I’ve heard.
Profit over people. It never ends.
This article today from The New Yorker nails it.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-averted-national-rail-strike-is-a-parable-of-contemporary-american-capitalism?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=tny&utm_mailing=TNY_Cassidy_12062022&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&bxid=5bda46d82ddf9c5063632a78&user_id=4834735&hasha=6bc4acec739a99379009a22dc7b04756&hashb=8b7be9c2064cd37a60cc74ff463598ba123b6eb7&hashc=006dd0bda2cdc65ae5db17df3779ace218c5fc8b6792be68eb155b714facfe6b&esrc=subscribe-page&utm_term=TNY_Cassidy
Oh Linda. I live in the PNW and know what you're talking about. So terribly sad and awful.
I can’t really say that I liked your comment. Who would. But your comment is truth.
It's more than greed. It's avarice: extreme greed for wealth or material gain. And, unfortunately, it's admired in many circles. But the bosses of the mistreated railroad workers — and other like them — should be ostracized. Not providing adequate benefits is simply immoral.
Thank you, Heather, for laying everything out regarding the railroad unions, workers, and management. I thought unions were to protect the people they serve. Seems the workers are treated like slaves. I hear the strict schedules are burning people out. I, for one, have never blamed the workers.
The Unions are trying to protect the workers. At least 4 of them are! But laws are stacked against them.
She doesn’t lay “everything” out. People of principle, knowledge and good will disagree with the picture she draws, like Senator and law professor Elizabeth Warren.
Sorry if I wasn’t precise.
Marlene, sorry if I sounded snappish.--I check these columns very early in the a.m., before I get my coffee! But I do think that Professor Richardson, whom I respect and like, tells the stories as she sees them, like all historians do. I'm one too. In this particular case, she doesn't see it as some others I also respect do, like Senator Warren and (Prof.) Bob Reich and Elie Mystal.
I respect the people you mentioned, as well. And it is important to get different perspectives, Mary. After all, there is chocolate and vanilla ice cream or strawberry, etc. it is important that we are given all sides so we can important decisions.
The filibuster is a misnomer; no-one actually actively filibusters anymore. It's the "threat" of action that preserves the need for the super-majority. The right to control legislation should be determined at the ballot box rather than by a procedural rule in the Senate. If senators were required to actually filibuster in the active sense, they would fairly quickly lose their taste for the trick. The desire to continue with an actual filibuster diminishes as the hours wear on. So let them use that rule for a while and see how effective it actually is at it's objective.
A filibuster should be done by requiring a person to stand, not sit, at their desk, and talk as long as they want. This means no bathroom breaks and no one can pick up where you left off. That’s what they do in Texas. Make that the filibuster rule will see how quickly the filibuster becomes a thing of the past.
Furthermore, as suggested by Al Franken and Norm Ornstein, flip the numbers from 60 required to end debate to 41 required to continue it. Make the continuers stay on the floor to keep the debate going, and make it obvious to voters who is blocking popular legislation. Make them put on the diapers. Also, the talking should be required to be on topic. No phone book reading.
Perfect definition of what a filibuster must be - let's make this happen!
Simple solution, too simple and too easy as well as requiring commitment. Something our senators know nothing about.
Zero sick days? Why were the only options zero or seven?
Professor, I don’t understand the failure here. If “adding 7 sick days” could only get 52 votes. Okay, fine. How about 4 sick days? Or one sick day? Why isn’t there a mechanism in our congress to find a compromise that CAN get 60 votes?
Also, I’ve heard that while the unions approved the measure 8 to 4, the four unions that oppose the measure represent more people than the 8 unions that approved it.
Reporting on the “number of unions” makes the vote seem “fair.” But in reality, more than half of union members oppose the current contract.
That’s minority rule. That is not democracy. That is unjust and barbaric.
"....railroad companies implemented a system called precision scheduled railroading, or PSR. “We fundamentally changed the way we operate over the last 2½ years...."
Yes, and it sounds like it works great for the billionaire owners. But the burden it places on the skeleton crews that operate these trains is unconscionable. Imagine in an age of rampaging viral infections knowing that you MUST show up for work regardless of how you feel or face losing your job. It seems to me that Biden et. al. have missed the boat on this one. Allowing PSR to continue as a practice is guaranteed to bleed the railroads dry of workers, aside from the callous disregard for basic decent working conditions. This smacks of the behavior of the railroad tycoons of the gilded age. I suppose Warren Buffet figures he'll just import replacements from Senegal.
Joe was acting as president, not a union rep. Why is he the fall guy, when chump set the mess up and Joe had to be the fixer.
That's the game, isn't it?
Jeri, You've twisted what I said beyond recognition. I did not state that Biden was the "fall guy" for the situation that led up to an impending strike. I distinctly laid the blame on rapacious management/ownership. What I DID say is that Biden might have done better than to use his office to nail down an agreement that is a) unfair, b) unacceptable to a majority of union members (forget the number of unions involved and c) untenable in the long run. And why did he do it? In my opinion, to avoid a serious jolt to the economy that would not go down well in advance of 2024. Others in these comments have used the word "pragmatic". Sometimes it's wise to "let the wheels come off", or at least come a little closer to coming off than to swoop in and "fix the problem" i.e., kick the can down the road. If the rail system is so strategically important to the nation, it should not be left in the hands of the greedy billionaires, much the same as health care should be nationalized. Biden took a step in the wrong direction by cementing this draconian agreement and not focusing on a broader and longer term solution, politics be damned. As another poster suggested, maybe a hard jolt would be good for a spoiled populace.
PSR started in 2017 when Trump was president. The STB had a hearing about the supply chain crisis in April 2022. I was hoping the STB would make recommendations to Congress to fix the issues. PSR is one of the main culprits for supply chain issues and inflation.
It’s what RepubliQans do.
True, to a degree, but President's make a difference. Reagan broke PATCO, and that really led to a major decline in union and worker power. Republicans in general have always favored management. Dems often do better despite their own corporate tendencies.
Capitolism and democracy : poor bedfellows
Not so much poor bedfellows Gwen as bedfellows who must constantly "negotiate" through the night for both to share enough covers to stay warm!
Yes, You make two great points, the compromise over the amount of sick days and the amount of workers on these 4 unions. Also, how is it cheaper to give them a 23% raise than give them sick days?
The Filibuster has to go back to its original form of debating to the death of the senator. That would be the easiest way to stop the abuse.
It makes things more complicated, easier to bury the problems and rehire. Sick leave is the cost of a humane work place, but it’s inconvenient in some areas. Tuff Schitt management
I am a railroad employee. The fight was supposed to be about quality of life due to the railroads’ draconian attendance policies. It somehow morphed into being about paid sick leave. As for me I don’t care if it’s paid leave or not. I just don’t want to be fired for becoming sick or for having to take care of a sick family member. Most railroad employees have disability insurance that covers the lost pay if it is an extended leave.
A compromise in THIS Congress?! Nice dream!
Sure. But I genuinely do not understand the legislative process here. Wondering if anyone can explain why the only options voted on were zero or seven. Why not 2? Why not two half days? Sick days happen. You cannot legislate away sore throats. There are easy solutions beyond offering seven sick days. Why are no other humane solutions being discussed or offered?
From the Brennan Center:
"There are, however, exceptions to the filibuster rule. Perhaps the most notable recent example pertains to presidential appointments. In 2013, Democrats changed the Senate rules to enable the confirmation of executive branch positions — including the cabinet — and of non–Supreme Court judicial nominees with a simple majority. Four years later, Senate Republicans expanded the change to include Supreme Court appointments. Both changes invoked what is known as the nuclear option, or an override of a rule to overcome obstruction by the minority.
At times, the Senate has also exempted certain types of legislation from the cloture rule. For example, Congress’s annual budget reconciliation process requires only a simple majority vote and cannot be filibustered. Likewise, trade agreements that are negotiated using fast-track rules cannot be filibustered. Other exemptions apply to measures that involve, for example, military base closures or arms sales. In total, 161 exceptions to the filibuster’s supermajority requirement have been created between 1969 and 2014, according to an analysis by the Brookings Institution’s Molly Reynolds.
What options are available for filibuster reform?
As Senate gridlock persists, calls for eliminating the filibuster altogether have grown louder, especially given its historical complicity in perpetuating Jim Crow laws and thwarting civil rights legislation and voting reforms. Changing the Senate rules — particularly, Rule XXII — would be the most straightforward way to eliminate the filibuster, although such a change would require a two-thirds supermajority. The nuclear option is another way to eliminate the filibuster. Under this method, the Senate majority leader would use a nondebatable motion to bring a bill for a vote and then raise a point of order that cloture can be invoked with a simple majority. "
Given that there are 161 exceptions to the filibuster rule why isn't there a carve out for resolving labor disputes? It is an area that requires rapid action to avoid major harm to the economy or America's security.
And if there is a nuclear option available why was it not used here when there was bipartisan support and the vote in the House was clearly supportive?
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/filibuster-explained
I rather like the option of making anyone who wants to filibuster actually hold the floor. That would demand some commitment and make a filibuster much harder to maintain. It's WAY too easy now!
I agree with you.
Or the idea that each party gets 6 hours of floor time total for their side of the debate on major bills and the leaders divy up the time equally among those who request to speak and organizes who will prepare and cover which topics in the debate. Then you alternate 10 minute time blocks. I hear they do something like that in high school debate clubs ;-)
Would eliminate a lot of bloviation.
Thx
Another point of view vis-a-vis rail labor negotiations I haven't heard much about, including from HCR: In light of the Covid pandemic, (remember that?) how can there be work rules that, in effect, require workers to go to work sick? This is a public health issue more than a labor issue, and thus should give government more leverage in imposing sick leave rules universally, not just on the railroads.
My further two cents worth; parents of young children need more sick days than the rest of us so sick children can stay home from school as well.
Excellent point. Another thought: how ‘present’ at your job have you been when sick? These folks are operating thousand pounds of speeding death should they not be fully alert. I’m sorry— no excuse for NO sick leave.
None
That is true Ralph, about parents of kids, and should come under the clause of Family Sick Leave...
So what happens now? How are we going to protect railroad WORKERS while railroad Profits increase but workers are denied basic necessities like paid sick leave or paid time off for family matters or other human necessities? Workers are not slaves are they? This current policy allows inhumane treatment of human beings who are valued as necessities in our national life while railroad companies are destroying their lives, welfare & well being for insane profits at the expense of workers ONLY because of GREED! What recourse do we have to fairly treat & protect railroad workers?
Given how CEO's and well endowed stockholders refuse to give their workers essential benefits to survive, it appears they do think of workers as slaves and don't care what happens to them, as long as the profits keep rolling in. If a catastrophe were to occur, like a major derailment with accompanying release of multiple toxic chemicals into the environment due to a worker or workers having to work when sick or severely sleep deprived, would the CEO's be held accountable? (I.E. on a scale of the Bhopal disaster)
Our particular form of government was built on stolen land and free labor and it continually reverts to same. It is fundamentally flawed that way. We are really a government for the property--not for the people. Citizens’ United was a another step in the direction of saying property is more important than people. Even the overturning of Roe helps keep the people cowering doesn’t it? It too has the desired result of keeping people on the back foot. If you look back you will see other brick and mortar decisions that strengthen property rights over people rights. I think in terms of a brick and mortar building-- I mean the strengthening of the architecture of this edifice of ours. I happen to think 401K’s are an example of property before people. That’s what is coming next...the argument that Social Security is old fashioned and 401Ks the better modern option. Property winning again. And it will be absolute at that point--people once again serfs. The castle will be inhabited by the few and the serfs toiling on the property.
Well said!
We have a major political party dedicated to the proposition that the law should protect capital and bind labor. I think HCR’s letter makes that clear. Democrats, at least, supported paid sick leave, and a majority of senators supported it, but the GOP scuttled it via the modern filibuster.
The thing that bothers me about this is that the political media doesn’t call out the Republicans for this. Somehow it’s Joe Biden who failed all by himself, as if the obstructionists were an inanimate bar Biden must leap over, the GOP having no free will or agency, no choice in the matter. Nobody asks them why they are good with the workers being denied paid sick leave when the railroads are making record profits. It’s all “Can Biden (or the Democrats) overcome GOP opposition to pass this measure?” and go on to discuss the need for 60 votes in the Senate. If they ask McConnell for a quote he burbles some meaningless blather about big government. They’re never confronted publicly about the working conditions that are at issue; it’s just bloodless, unthinking reflexive support for management. The media just shrugs. “Whatcha gonna do?”
Not sure how he was supposed to “bring them to heel.” What leverage did he have? You may be right, but I don’t know what legal mechanism was available to do this. Do you know how the President could single-handedly forced the railroad management to cave?
If the railroad workers were to walk out anyway then all of a sudden the people coming over the border wouldn’t be as big an issue because they would replace the labor force that walked out. Property over people always wins. Right now corporations are holding ALL the cards. From defense contractors to the companies that make $ off of incarcerating people. I don’t know what it is going to take to make people more important than property. Even Christmas has been incorporated you might say. And the press is now incorporated and paying shareholders. It is discouraging.
I believe government needs to re-regulate the railroads.
That, and a few more industries I can think of.
I believe the concept of running “Lean” is at the heart of so many of our current problems. In healthcare, lean has been pushed for years as a way to be more efficient. What that gave us was emergency supplies like masks that would only last 3 months (under normal usage which the pandemic wasn’t), and staffing that meets the average daily census of patients but is inadequate for flexing up under periods of high demand, unless staff works overtime. When the stresses in the system dragged on, staff were burned out and left. When the supplies were rapidly exhausted, people got sick and far too many died. During the early lockdowns, Car rental agencies sold all their cars and the airlines gave out early retirements, all to stay lean and efficient. No planning for the future. No “warehousing” of people or product. The railways did the same, and then doubled down, all on the backs of the workers.
We need to reorganize this country, and put people before profits and efficiency. We can’t survive without shipping, and none of us will survive if all the healthcare workers leave.
It was reported that over the pandemic, over 3,500 health care workers died of Covid. That’s more than 911. 25% of nurses have left the field, and 20% of doctors have left. Not sure on how many retired early. Right wing crazies protesting outside the private residences of our Public Health officials. Railroad workers with no sick days at all? Underpaid and over burdened workers is not sustainable. Only 12 RR Companies today? How many RR companies were there 50 years ago? Less than 1 million hospital beds today, how many hospital beds 50 years ago? No one even says monopoly anymore, why? How do we measure competition? Or do we? Why not?
Ted I think it goes back again to efficiency arguments. It is more efficient to consolidate so there is one payroll system for 12 hospitals etc… I really do think this is one of the places where it all went wrong.
My hospital showed us a chart about ten years ago. Every hospital in the state was plotted in a graph showing efficiency and costs. We were fat and away the most efficient while having the lowest costs. The hospital president congratulated us on what we were doing. I took to calling it the “we do more with less” phenomenon and it came back to bite us big time in 2020 and even more so since. Burnout went through the roof. I quit and likely won’t ever go back to nursing. I am far from alone.
I don’t think any reasonable person could blame the docs and nurses for leaving the profession post pandemic. We remain vulnerable. And especially now, as this triple epidemic will show. Covid, RSV, Flu. ICU admissions up 25% just the last two weeks according to CDC and Becker’s reports. What good are 1 million hospital beds with out nurses to staff them?
Thank you for your service. We are vulnerable to all kinds of shortages in Health Care. In people, beds, facilities. More $ for ownership but with less everything, even available hospital cribs for vulnerable children under 4 with this flu outbreak.
https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/supply-chain/crib-shortages-send-pediatric-hospitals-scrambling.html?fbclid=IwAR1eMAo5_GNKSoUXeGFcib1keJ7uDO3Z0ra3J9qkX2txIFWUNH2Au5QrVYc
Brenda S., Don’t get me started about running “Lean” in the healthcare system. My mother experienced that “lean” system. I feel it contributed to her untimely death three months after breaking her hip. Yes, I get one out of three people of a certain age die within a year of breaking their hip. However, this “lean” system increased the odds of her being one of them. Something has to change.
Sharon I am so sorry. I blame my dad’s death on it too. You can’t work at the top of your game for endless hours without rest. The railroad workers are in the same situation and I don’t know what it will take to change all of this.
Brenda, it will take people taking steps in the right direction. I am optimistic that sick leave thing will be worked out. Keeping profit margins is perspective is another step in the right direction. Especially when excess profits are used to buy back stock rather than make improvements and pay workers more
"It was about a system that has historically made it harder for workers than for employers to get what they want. And it is about consumers, who—in the past at any rate—have blamed strikers rather than management when the trains stopped running. "
And yet for the most part consumers = workers = consumers. Anyone sociopathc enough to be observed shafting other people will do the same for you in a heartbeat should it suit their agenda. No such thing as liberty and justice without solidarity. That's not just for unions; its the basis of a free society.
Well said
Thank you for this historical context. It really helps.
Thanks, Heather for shining light on this complicated issue.
So, now what?
As usual, workers will be blamed if the economy shuts down but they are not the unreasonable ones in this disagreement and 7 sick days is not an unusual amount. But, like the oil company's record 2021 profits, the railroads are not willing to give back to those who made the profits for them.
Greed doesn't look good on anyone.
Actually, for most of the world, 7 paid sick days IS unusual - shockingly low for citizens of most developed countries.
Right!
Republicans signed on to “Greed is good” long ago, and it may not look good (if they can blame Dems) but it sure gives them money to trash poor people.
"And it is about consumers, who—in the past at any rate—have blamed strikers rather than management when the trains stopped running." That's the key point and holds for all such actions. That said, I quibble with the use of the word "consumers."I miss the days when we were citizens and customers.
Yes! Thank you for reminding us of that important distinction. Language IS important.
This situation is evidence that it’s all about control; people are nothing more than machines to employees. To be willing to raise pay by 24% but leave any paid sick time as a non-starter demonstrates the inhumanity with which we treat our work force. And it’s not only in railroads. High-skilled jobs in health care have extremely limited sick days.
I heard an Econ professor once recount a story in which her student asked why we threaten people who are unable to work with starvation and death; that seemed like a cruel way to run a culture. The professor said she didn’t have a good answer to that.
This railroad episode shows that our culture values resources more than humanity.
It’s sad.
And Josh Hawley blames Democrats for denying the workers the additional sick days.
I don't know his reasons, and naturally I doubt they are in any way admirable, but I also blame the Ds. There's no point in blaming Rs, any more than in calling a rabid dog "bad". Voting as they did is in their nature. But the Ds could have forced through the sick days by including that as a provision of the anti-strike bill. They chose to separate the two, ensuring that the sick days would not pass and the Rs, not the Ds, would be blamed. It was a political calculation, for which rail workers pay the price.
An immediate solution was required to keep the trains running. It passed into law
An immediate remedy for sick days was offered. Republicans rejected it, immediately
Combing sick days in the first resolution would have killed that one immediately
And you hold D’s responsible? I don’t get it
Not
Nor do I, the republicans seem to never pay the price. Almost like Germany in the 30’s with Goebbels reporting on the “news.”
As long as our political leaders, of any party, cowardly advantage our corporate owners in trade negotiations, our society will continue to decline. I am more afraid of allowing short-sighted, heartless, out-of-touch CEOs continue to rule our country than of anything else.
Wondered why the Dems got blamed, you explained by blaming Dems. Way to go.
Of course he does, and the hate Biden bumper stickers are metastasizing in Texas.
But of course he does.
Railroad management is essentially (and soon literally I fear) running their companies into the ground. Caring for equipment and profits is one thing, but far more important is caring for your people. Regardless of what service/widgets they provide, companies are made of people. Most really successful companies care for their workers, then their facilities, then their profits. Railroads seem to have this in reverse, reflecting what I see is a larger trend across most sectors of the economy. When workers have a strong, reasonable, consistent voice, companies thrive. When they don't, they fail. On the rare occasions when the voice of management is disregarded, companies also fail (think Twitter).
Laws and court decisions undermining Labor Unions are proving disastrous to our economy because the larger and more complex it grows, the more it depends on the cooperation of ALL its parts to function. Management having too much power over workers not only hurts workers, it hurts the entire economy. Balancing the needs of workers and management is essential. Weak Labor Unions are a sign that, for railroads at least, this balance is upset. Failure will be the result. The government needing to step in is also a sign that this is no way to run a railroad.
Thank you for your summary and for the review of how these matters have been treated in the past. I’m always amazed at how you can take such a complex issue and make it understandable.