Railroad workers on the verge of a national strike

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November 28, 2022
Railroad Workers Fight to Mobilize for Strike

by Tim Hall, Detroit Workers’ Voice

Excerpts:

The fight of the railroad workers for paid sick leave and to eliminate the 24-hour-call attendance system, which is threatening a national rail strike, is coming to a head. The workers have finished voting. Four unions, including the largest one, have voted against the tentative agreement of September 15, put together by the railroad capitalists, President Biden and the bureaucratic leaders of the unions. This agreement flouted the demands expressed widely by workers, for paid sick leave and against on-call attendance.

Yesterday President Biden, who said 14 months ago, “I intend to be the most pro-union President leading the most pro-union administration in American history,”[1] refused to press the railroad capitalists for changes to that agreement. Here's his excuse: “however well-intentioned, any changes would risk delay and a debilitating shutdown.”[2] That was quick! Won't lift a finger for the health, safety and well-being of the workers! Let the bosses roll in dough!

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Thus the situation is bad for the workers. Both capitalist political parties are hostile to their simple demands. The bosses claim the workers “force” them to block or crush a strike or there would be supply-line chaos, great suffering, slashed profits.(15]

So it is inconceivable to the railroad capitalists to just simply give paid sick leave and eliminate on-call attendance. So simple. But the whole economy of the U.S. is being held to ransom for it. “Pro-labor” Biden won't do it. The so-called “labor leaders” won't either.

Only mass workers' action can succeed!

Notes on the Conditions Railroad Workers are Protesting

by Tim Hall, Detroit Workers’ Voice

A look at the conditions railroad workers are facing and organizing against

With respect to sick leave, workers tell horror stories of their comrades missing health care and suffering health crises because no paid sick days are available. The sick leave demand is universal among the members of all the unions involved.

As for the system of working on 24-hour call, the companies are not agreeing to alter it in any way. The 24-hour system means that, for example, a worker who has just finished a seven-day work week (yes, mandatory overtime is an issue, too) and has a heart exam scheduled for the next day can find himself or herself suddenly called in that morning to work. At BNSF, a huge railroad operating in the Southwest, here is what happens:

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The 24-hour call system was instituted at BNSF, which has 35,000 workers, back in February, after the two major unions, the BLET and the SMART-TD, protested that it would destroy workers' lives. The protest was over-ruled on the grounds that it was a “minor” issue.[6] Now this “minor” issue has swelled into a boil that may burst in a nationwide strike.

Full text of both articles at http://www.communistvoice.org/DSWV-221129.html.