Instead of telling us how bad a rail strike will be

[edhopper]

maybe more of the Media should be talking about why the workers are taking this drastic step.
Here's a clue, it's not money, it's the shitty working conditions.

Labor cuts, lack of paid days off, precision scheduling systems to reduce headcounts, disciplinary attendance policies that issue points against workers for any time taken off and unfair and punishing on-call schedules have made it more difficult to continue working in the railroad industry, said Grooters, and workers claim these issues aren’t being addressed in proposed new union contract agreements.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/sep/14/us-railroad-strike-union-pacific-bnsf

[questionseverything]

1. If I understand correctly, they are on call 7 days a week, never a designated day off

That would leave no room for family life or any relationships

[edhopper]

2. Yep

12 hour shifts, with more if they are needed. Unpaid days off for family or medical reasons can be call for dismissal.

The Rail companies are trying to do more work with a reduced work force. And making a fortune doing it.

[questionseverything]

8. Maybe threaten to nationalize them with the time off federal employees get

And that would force owners to change

[former9thward]

9. What law would allow nationalization?

Threats don't work if there is no authority for them.

[questionseverything]

10. Eminent domain

If grain doesn’t get delivered and meat animals have to be put down we will see panic and misery not seen since the depression

[former9thward]

11. No.

That is used when government claims land is needed for a more productive use than how it is being currently used. Nothing in it would apply to national railways. Panic and misery are not legal terms. Truman tried to nationalize steel mills during a war and he got knocked down by the Supreme Court.

[questionseverything]

12. If the railroad deliberately drives the nation into a depression

To maximize their profits

That’s exactly the kind of thing eminent domain was written into the constitution for

[WhiskeyGrinder]

4. That's exactly what their life is.

[Generic Brad]

18. So they see their employees as slaves

It’s more like a prison sentence than a job.

[crickets]

3. People who are worked this hard are more prone to exhaustion,

which can lead to costly and/or deadly mistakes. It makes no sense to treat workers this way, and given the rail system is part of national infrastructure, it makes no sense that the railroad industry is allowed to do it.

[DEbluedude]

7. Exhaustion. Also known as fatigue.

The Class 1's think fatigue is a behavior. I know. I spent 45 years in the industry. On call for 22 years. The strides made by the unions regarding rest have improved greatly in the last 10-15 years but the carriers ALWAYS try to figure out ways ro circumvent FRA mandated rest. It's what they do.

The attendance policies are draconian. They need to be changed if the rr's want to retain people.

Another fact is remote technology. They want unmanned trains. They've been working at it for the last 40 years and they figure they'll get it sooner or later.

[jimfields33]

13. Things must have changed

My neighbors, a husband abs wife both retired from the rail road and get really nice pensions and medical benefits. From what they say, retirement from the railroad is one of the best. Ashame if they changed.

[DEbluedude]

14. Not in that regard.

A Railroad Retirement pension is one of the best benefits I receive from putting up with that lifestyle for over 40 years. The medical benefits are also the best of any blue-collar industry.

[questionseverything]

19. The pay and benefits are fine but

It’s the lack of designated time off, never being able to plan family time

[lostnfound]

5. A lonely job and workers complain management is always out to get them nt

[honest.abe]

6. My brother is union for an electric company with similar issues and working conditions.

They have worked it out to the satisfaction of both the company and workers. Seems the transit union should be able to do the same.

[edhopper]

15. Its

The Railroads who aren't compromising. Not the Unions.

[honest.abe]

16. Its always about both sides compromising.

There has to be some give and take.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

17. The unions want to be able to take unpaid time off to go to the doctor or be sick without

penalty. There's no need to give up anything to "compromise" on that, especially considering what they've given up over the past decades.