Here we go, NS taking preemptive action

[learmoia]

Looks like the Senate's preemptive move to stop the strike (which needed unanimous concent) was blocked.. So I doubt Congress will  do anything before the weekend unless the White House does something...

Although letting the strike play out for a few days might be the best option for all involved.... if it lasts beyond Monday, then we will have some valid national impact concerns that need to be addressed..

~Ian

[Jbub]

This is going to hurt the country, but not in a bad way. Things need to change with the way the railroads treat their employees. If management can't retain employees in a job that used to be sought after, management is the problem, not some excuse of people don't want to work anymore.

[Kentuckian]

So did the suits blink? https://www.foxbusiness.com/live-news/stock-market-news-today-september-15-2022

[C855B]

Tentative agreement has been reached; strike averted pending ratification vote. White House statement.

[John]

Technology is not replacing anyone in a locomotive cab any time soon.

I do not want unmanned weapons of mass destruction driving through my town.

 

[Philip H]

So did the suits blink? https://www.foxbusiness.com/live-news/stock-market-news-today-september-15-2022

until we see the details . . . .

[GonzoCRFan]

until we see the details . . . .

https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2022-09-15/biden-announces-deal-to-avert-rail-strike

[Jbub]

They spell out the pay issue which on the surface looks good but kind of dodge the high vis policies. Sure an extra paid day off is nice but what about the point system in general.

[mu26aeh]

I give you the new political football.  WH has taken it and is running for the goal line already

[Hyperion]

They spell out the pay issue which on the surface looks good but kind of dodge the high vis policies. Sure an extra paid day off is nice but what about the point system in general.

It's not so much about the extra day -- though that's nice.  The tentative agreement addresses some of the worst issues the the points systems by not assigning any points to medical appointments, exemptions from the policy for medical reasons, and (though the details are sparse right now) the possibility of assigned days off which not only just great from a quality-of-life perspective, but was a real sticking point for those with children under visitation rights (no surprise the divorce rate is extremely high for engineers) as it was literally impossible for them to take care of their children for even an 'every-other-weekend'-type deal because they simply didn't know if they could get that time off without being docked so many points as to potentially lose their job.

It appears that the BLET got at least the most significant things that they wanted and didn't even have to give up anything to get it.  They were prepared to give concessions from the PEB recommendations to get the medical exemptions from the attendance policies.  But it appears they are getting everything from the PEB recommendations on pay and benefits and also getting what they wanted (at least on a realistic level) on attendance.

Does it do away with the Hi-Viz and other points systems altogether?  No.  But that was never in the cards.

Between this and the near-certainty that the FRA will issue a ruling codifying 2-man crews into law within the next couple months (arguments against the rule are due by end of this month) slowing the move towards one-man crews, union leaders should be feeling pretty good.

[Hawghead]

The email I got from the BLET says the pay increase, no additional cost for health care, no single man crews "for the indefinite future", some method of voluntary assigned days off for through freight crews, and exemptions from the carriers attendance policy for some health care reasons.  I haven't seen the proposed contract yet and I haven't heard from my local chairman yet.  The agreement still has to be ratified by the rank and file so it could take another week or so before this is all in the rear view mirror.

Scott

[mu26aeh]

Couple of engineers I know have already given a 👎 to what they've been told/read.  Just kick the can down road 30 days

[Jbub]

Couple of engineers I know have already given a 👎 to what they've been told/read.  Just kick the can down road 30 days

So are the concessions from management more fluff than substance? What's their reason for disapproval?

[Philip H]

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 19 said today that its 4,900 members had voted to reject the deal that had been reached with the railroads’ negotiating arm, the National Carriers’ Conference Committee. The union did not provide a tally of how its members voted.

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/machinists-reject-tentative-contract-deal-and-authorize-a-strike/

[Hyperion]

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/machinists-reject-tentative-contract-deal-and-authorize-a-strike/

This was from yesterday.  No other union was ever going to ratify while their brothers in other unions were still negotiating.  Theres a reason no other union, even those who quickly reached tentative agreements, even put theirs out to vote yet.  Not that they may not have some disagreements and want to go back and get a little bit more, but that vote was a symbol of solidarity and a PR move to help their BLET brothers out a bit