An agreement with employers was rejected by the third-largest railroad union in the United States on Monday, reviving the threat of a strike that may cripple the US economy. Before that takes place, the two parties will return to the bargaining table for negotiation. In particular, the threat of a potential railroad strike is renewed if both sides fail to come to a satisfactory agreement.
Of the 23,000 members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees, about 12,000 voted in the union’s vote. More than half of the workers represented by BMWE and who participated in the vote opposed the agreement despite the 24% raise and $5,000 in bonuses. According to the results of the vote presented by the BMWE, 43% of voters supported the proposed five-year contract while 57% opposed it. Notably, before a full-scale strike is initiated, both parties would go back to the table for negotiations.
According to union president Tony Cardwell, the contract collapsed because it failed to address some major issues faced by workers. After the big railways cut roughly one-third of their employees over the previous six years, he pointed out that the deal didn’t address concerns about sick leave and working conditions.
“Railroaders are discouraged and upset with working conditions and compensation and hold their employers in low regard. Railroaders do not feel valued,” Cardwell stated. “They resent the fact that management holds no regard for their quality of life, illustrated by their stubborn reluctance to provide a higher quantity of paid time off, especially for sickness.”
The group that stands up for the railroads and wants the strike to end expressed disappointment that the union rejected the deal. However, they did point out that there isn’t now a threat of a strike as the union has agreed to continue working.
Biden asked both parties to reach a satisfactory agreement to avert the strike
President Joe Biden has, meanwhile, made it clear that the railroad strike must be averted. In a statement, Biden urged the railroads and the unions to come to an agreement to prevent strikes.
Similarly, other businesses urged a peaceful resolution in order to avoid a strike that could cripple the economy. Additionally, a large number of companies pleaded for Congress to step in, resolve the conflict, and prevent the impending strike in case both parties fail to reach a satisfactory agreement. The businesses said that a railroad strike is not acceptable because they depend on trains to supply their raw materials and finished goods.
Think back to when President Biden appointed a special panel of arbitrators to settle the dispute. The Presidential Emergency Board had approved the biggest increment for rail workers. The unions’ issues with the working conditions, however, remained unresolved. Instead, the board advised the unions to pursue further discussions or arbitration with each railroad separately, which could take years.
Notably, four additional railroad unions have given their approval to their contracts with freight railroads like BNSF, Union Pacific, and Kansas City Southern, among others. However, to prevent a railroad strike, all 12 unions, which collectively represent 115,000 workers, must ratify their contracts. Furthermore, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, a different union, first rejected its offer but later renegotiated a new contract. Mid-November will mark the end of the voting.
Strike actions spreading across the United States
In the meantime, several unions in the US have started walking out of their jobs to protest working conditions. Following the United Auto Workers union’s rejection of a contract proposal, more than 10,000 workers went on strike at John Deere, a farm equipment manufacturer.
Similarly, workers at cereal maker Kellogg, recently rejected a tentative agreement and chose to remain on strike until coming to an agreement. Moreover, over the past year, support for labor unions has grown in the US.
According to the stats of the labor action tracker at Cornell University, the number of strikes so far in 2022 has exceeded that of 2021. In the first half of 2022, there were more than 180 strikes involving 78,000 workers. When compared to the 102 strikes that affected 26,500 workers in the first half of 2021, the stats for the first six months of 2022 are significantly higher. Between August 15 and September 15, 2022, 41 strikes involving 35,250 workers were recorded by the tracker.
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