Current Events > Biden sides with rail companies over workers they won't give sick leave

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.politico.com/amp/news/2022/11/28/freight-rail-shutdown-fuel-supply-00070980

President Joe Biden on Monday asked Congress to intervene to prevent an economically crippling freight rail strike, even though it means delivering a defeat to his allies in the labor movement.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi immediately announced she will call a vote this week to carry out Bidens request, which will mean that paid sick leave for the 115,000 workers involved in negotiations wont be included in the deal.

Biden had held out for months on seeking congressional action, instead opting to give the freight rail industry and 12 of its unions more time to negotiate a contract. But as warnings mounted that a strike could begin as soon as Dec. 9, threatening to interrupt U.S. power and water supplies and devastate the broader economy, the pro-labor, pro-rail president said Monday that he saw no path to resolve the dispute at the bargaining table.

The development came two months after Labor Secretary Marty Walsh held an all-night bargaining session at his agencys headquarters that produced a tentative deal, temporarily defusing the strike threat. But since then, members of three of the 12 unions voted to reject the agreement.

On Monday, Biden asked that Congress act without any modifications or delay to impose the September settlement.

In a statement, Biden called himself a proud pro-labor president and said he was reluctant to recommend Congress step in, but that the economic consequences of inaction were too great. He also included a pointed message to Democratic lawmakers who might be inclined to side with workers who oppose the agreement.

Some in Congress want to modify the deal to either improve it for labor or for management. However well-intentioned, any changes would risk delay and a debilitating shutdown. The agreement was reached in good faith by both sides, he said.

Though a bitter pill for labor to swallow, enacting the agreement would put an end to the cliffhanger deadlines that have loomed every few weeks since summer, and allow all manner of industries that depend on freight rail shipments to stand down from doomsday preparations. Freight rail moves many bulk goods, including grains for people and livestock, energy supplies and even chlorine to ensure communities have clean drinking water.

Nodding to the looming holiday season, Biden said we cannot let our strongly held conviction for better outcomes for workers deny workers the benefits of the bargain they reached, and hurl this nation into a devastating rail freight shutdown.

Soon after Bidens statement, Pelosi issued one of her own, endorsing the move and promising to put legislation on the House floor this week. Considering that key GOP lawmakers have endorsed this approach, it is likely that any legislation would have enough support to overcome Democratic objectors.

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Biden: *Sniffing stops*
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/3/8/AATz36AAD7vi.jpg

Time for strike

Convince me the Assault weapons ban isn't because the government ultimately knows another Blair Mountain is coming and will be worse than the first.

I work in one of those businesses that relies on rail and we would absolutely get fucked up if they went on strike. It would be a gigantic blow and take months to recover. I say all this to add emphasis when I say, fuck Biden.

xXfireglzXx posted...

Convince me the Assault weapons ban isn't because the government ultimately knows another Blair Mountain is coming and will be worse than the first.

What assault weapon ban?

Dat_Cracka_Jax posted...

What assault weapon ban?

The theoretical one

A right wing president not supporting workers?

Madness!

Melzargard posted...

A right wing president not supporting workers?

Madness!

Joe Biden isn't right wing.

He's not right wing he's just an incompetent tool

120DrowzeeFur posted...

Joe Biden isn't right wing.

On what planet is Joe not right wing because it isnt earth

Darth Brandon cant be trusted!

120DrowzeeFur posted...

Joe Biden isn't right wing.

Lol sure pal

As much as the "both sides" crap gets thrown out by disingenuous people all the time, there is still some truth to it. Both parties are corrupt and pro-business even if one is 100 times worse.

Guy is just handing over ammo to Republicans as well. They'll lie and act like they support "blue collar American rail workers" and call Joe a corporate loving shill with no hint of irony or hypocrisy.

Melzargard posted...

Lol sure pal

If Biden is a conservative then what's your definition of a liberal?

Sure is UnfairRepresent in here.

"In Europe he'd be considered radical right wing" he says while pretending to live in a country run by a group of Trumps.

Southernfatman posted...

As much as the "both sides" crap gets thrown out by disingenuous people all the time, there is still some truth to it. Both parties are corrupt and pro-business even if one is 100 times worse.

Guy is just handing over ammo to Republicans as well. They'll lie and act like they support "blue collar American rail workers" and call Joe a corporate loving shill with no hint of irony or hypocrisy.

It's not really "both sides" if both are on the same side, just one is on the extreme.

120DrowzeeFur posted...

If Biden is a conservative then what's your definition of a liberal?

You can be a right wing liberal. Left-right is mostly about economics. The fact that the US has right vs clown show backwards more right doesn't change that.

If you guys thought supply chain issues the last couple years were bad they would be nothing compared to all these rail companies going on strike

gas would go back up past $6/gallon

thronedfire2 posted...

If you guys thought supply chain issues the last couple years were bad they would be nothing compared to all these rail companies going on strike

gas would go back up past $6/gallon

tough shit, respect the employees

Kloe_Rinz posted...

tough shit, respect the employees

respect employees vs tank the entire economy

hmmm tough choice for the president

if you don't fundamentally oppose capitalism you are right wing
that seems to be the main idea people have
i would say thats accurate if politics were just a single spectrum between socialism vs capitalism
i honestly don't know if the goal of every left leaning party in europe is to convert to a mainly socialist society
is it?

how much do US railway workers make on average

This is why the dems have lost blue collar voters. They should be supporting union rights and this kind of labor issue. Paid sick leave should be a pretty basic thing in 2022 America.

It also a good example of how close politically the two parties are and why a third would help.

thronedfire2 posted...

respect employees vs tank the entire economy

hmmm tough choice for the president

Not doing the first is doing the second

thronedfire2 posted...

respect employees vs tank the entire economy

hmmm tough choice for the president

the economy is less important than the employees. end of story. there is an EXTREMELY EASY out which is agree to the unions demands. There is literally no downside except for upper level executives might get a smaller bonus this year maybe. this is entirely on shitty companies not treating employees like humans. if there is a rail strike it is 100% the fault of management and they are the ones that need to be held accountable. an employee should never be punished in this scenario

Dark BRANDON YESSS!!!

I saw this earlier but I'm still confused. Why is the negotiation between unions, Congress, and the rail owners,

Biden has to do this to prevent a huge blow to the economy. You still need to support him.

Better swing by today and buy out the toilet paper...

emblem-man posted...

I saw this earlier but I'm still confused. Why is the negotiation between unions, Congress, and the rail owners,

basically, employees want reasonable sick pay and to not be penalised if they have to take time off to look after loved ones when they are sick etc. rail owners dont want to pay jack shit or hire a suitable amount of staff because they are generic shitty company owners and want their bonus. they are crying hard about it because they dont want to give employees reasonable time off. add a couple ???s in there and it somehow got to the president

whats funny is here in Colorado you get 48 hours of sick time, and you bet your ass I take it.

Kloe_Rinz posted...

basically, employees want reasonable sick pay and to not be penalised if they have to take time off to look after loved ones when they are sick etc. rail owners dont want to pay jack shit or hire a suitable amount of staff because they are generic shitty company owners and want their bonus. they are crying hard about it because they dont want to give employees reasonable time off. add a couple ???s in there and it somehow got to the president

This is the part I want more info on. Is there something unique about the railroad unions that requires Congressional involvement

emblem-man posted...

I saw this earlier but I'm still confused. Why is the negotiation between unions, Congress, and the rail owners,

Let me tell you about the railway labor act, which makes the federal government a mediator in the industry's labor negotiations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_Labor_Act?wprov=sfla1

Yes if they strike there will be massive supply chain issues that will affect the entire country

emblem-man posted...

This is the part I want more info on. Is there something unique about the railroad unions that requires Congressional involvement

I mean if they strike the whole country is fucked, seems good enough reason for Dark Brandon to have to step in.

emblem-man posted...

This is the part I want more info on. Is there something unique about the railroad unions that requires Congressional involvement

because if they go on strike it will literally destroy the economy within days. Thats why congress has some influence over it

Uh oh, looks like the workers have the power to tank the economy.

Accolon posted...

Uh oh, looks like the workers have the power to tank the economy.

Not if Dark Brandon has anything to say about it.

Antifar posted...

Let me tell you about the railway labor act, which makes the federal government a mediator in the industry's labor negotiations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_Labor_Act?wprov=sfla1

Ah, got it. Thanks

capitalism + automation is not sustainable

the latter is inevitable so the former needs to change

Accolon posted...

Uh oh, looks like the workers have the power to tank the economy.

LET IT ROT

Pretty broken country when neither of the major political parties here are pro-worker

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no, muh economy is the most important thing in the world. this is why we ignored covid and continued on without shutdowns. human life literally is worth less than a dollar

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You dont get to screw over the entire country because youre unhappy with an agreement. Biden understands this and hes got to make the tough decisions we cant for the good of the country.