ReportWire

Tag: Labor negotiations

  • Nurses strike looming: Up to 20,000 caregivers issue 10-day warning for biggest walkout in NYC history – amNewYork

    [ad_1]

    The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) has delivered a 10-day strike notice to a dozen private hospitals in NYC, warning that up to 20,000 nurses intend to strike if they do not agree to a new labor contract.

    NYSNA issued the notice on Friday, stating that the strike would represent the largest nursing strike in New York City history.

    The 10-day warning comes two days after union contracts expired on Dec. 31, with NYSNA pointing to a number of “key sticking points” in negotiations. The union accused hospitals of failing to guarantee healthcare benefits for frontline workers in addition to allegedly attempting to “roll back” safe staffing standards that nurses won in a 2023 strike.

    NYSNA further accused hospitals of refusing to agree to protections from workplace violence, referencing an incident at a Mount Sinai hospital in November when a man was fatally shot by cops after threatening to “shoot up” the hospital.

    The union said the 10-day warning offers hospitals an opportunity to plan for patient care while nurses are striking

    The Greater New York Hospital Association, however, which represents around 280 hospitals across the New York area, has described a potential strike as “irresponsible,” stating that impacted hospitals will spend millions of dollars hiring outside agency nurses even if the strike does not go ahead.

    The association further stated that the strike threatens the financial stability of several hospitals facing federal funding cuts implemented through President Donald Trump’s budget.

    Which hospitals could be impacted by nurses’ strike?

    Members of the NYSNAPhoto by NYSNA

    NYSNA said nurses at 12 private hospitals, including BronxCare Health System, Flushing Hospital Medical Center, the Brooklyn Hospital Center and Montefiore Medical Center have voted unanimously to strike on Jan. 12.

    Nurses at Maimonides Medical Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside, Mount Sinai West, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, Richmond University Medical Center, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center and Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn have also voted to strike. Several impacted hospitals are “safety net” hospitals that provide care to patients regardless of their ability to pay.

    NYSNA President Nancy Hagan accused management at the hospitals of “fighting against” frontline workers. She added that a strike is a “last resort” but said nurses will not stop until their demands have been met.

    “Management is refusing to guarantee our healthcare benefits and trying to roll back the safe staffing standards we fought for and won,” Hagan said. “We have been bargaining for months, but hospitals have not done nearly enough to settle fair contracts that protect patient care.

    “The future of care in this city is far too important to compromise on our values as nurses.”

    The union accused hospital executives of not doing enough to settle contracts at a time when New York is experiencing the worst flu surge since 2017/18.

    Michelle Jones, a Registered Nurse at Flushing Hospital, said union demands will help ensure that patients at safety net hospitals receive the same care as patients in “wealthy hospitals..”

    “We care for a disproportionate number of uninsured and underinsured patients,” Jones said. “At a moment when healthcare is under attack, we need our safety net hospitals to protect care for those who need it most. Nurses also need to have quality healthcare as we take care of sick patients.”

    A spokesperson for Mount Sinai, on the other hand, accused NYSNA of threatening to strike after just one day of negotiations with a third-party mediator. They also alleged that the union’s demand would amount to a $100,000 increase in average nurse pay and accused NYSNA of using patients as “bargaining chips” at a time when hospitals are facing significant federal funding cuts.

    The Mount Sinai representative said the hospital group is prepared for a potential strike if an agreement cannot be reached by Jan. 12.

    “We will continue to work in good faith to reach an agreement before the strike, however after months of preparation, our system is ready for every outcome so we can maintain high quality patient care and continue to serve our patients and communities across New York,” a Mount Sinai spokesperson said.

    Flushing Hospital Medical Center has not yet returned a request for comment.

    Hospital association leader says strike threat ‘irresponsible’

    However, Greater New York Hospital Association President Kenneth E. Raske slammed NYSNA as “irresponsible” for threatening a strike, stating that hospitals will be forced to commit millions of dollars to hire agency nurses over the next 10 days. As a result, he said, hospitals would lose millions of dollars even if the strike does not go ahead.

    He said some hospitals do not have the resources to hire agency nurses, which he said would limit their ability to function during the strike.

    “Some hospitals will immediately spend tens of millions of dollars to bring in outside agency nurses. These funds cannot be recouped if there is no strike, but not doing so is a risk that can’t be taken,” Raske said.

    “We have the greatest respect for our nurses, but this action by NYSNA leadership flies in the face of massive cuts in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act that will slash $8 billion from New York hospitals and trigger a loss of an estimated 34,000 hospital jobs statewide.”

    NYSNA also referenced impending federal funding cuts but said the union demands would help protect patient care from any funding cuts by ensuring that there is always enough nurses at bedsides to provide safe patient care.

    “While nurses have fought for patients, hospital administrators have fought against nurses, responding with avoidance, delays, takebacks, and retaliation,” NYSNA said. “Management’s proposals would erode safe staffing and quality care in New York City.”

    [ad_2]

    Shane O'Brien

    Source link

  • Some University of California striking workers reach deal

    Some University of California striking workers reach deal

    [ad_1]

    LOS ANGELES — Postdoctoral scholars and academic researchers on Tuesday reached a tentative labor agreement with the University of California but will remain on strike in solidarity with thousands of graduate student workers at all 10 of the university system’s campuses.

    The union representing the scholars and researchers hailed the deal as a major victory and said it would provide “substantial wage increases that address cost of living.”

    In addition to pay hikes of up to 29%, the agreement would provide increased family leave, childcare subsidies and lengthened appointments to ensure job security, according to a statement from United Auto Workers Local 5810.

    The agreement must be ratified in a vote by members.

    Letitia Silas, executive director of UC’s labor relations, said the university system was pleased to have reached a deal that honors the workers’ contributions.

    “These agreements also uphold our tradition of supporting these employees with compensation and benefits packages that are among the best in the country,” Silas said in a statement.

    The postdoctoral employees and academic researchers make up about 12,000 of the 48,000 union members who walked off the job and onto picket lines three weeks ago. About 36,000 graduate student teaching assistants, tutors and researchers are bargaining separately and remain on strike, calling for increased pay and benefits.

    Union leaders have said the strike could be the largest work stoppage the prestigious public university system has ever faced.

    The academic workers say with their current salaries they can’t afford to live in cities such as Los Angeles, San Diego and Berkeley, where housing costs are soaring.

    Organizers from the United Auto Workers, which represents the employees involved, have said there is no end date for the strike.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Biden calls on Congress to head off potential rail strike

    Biden calls on Congress to head off potential rail strike

    [ad_1]

    OMAHA, Neb. — President Joe Biden on Monday asked Congress to intervene and block a railroad strike before next month’s deadline in the stalled contract talks, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers would take up legislation this week to impose the deal that unions agreed to in September.

    “Let me be clear: a rail shutdown would devastate our economy,” Biden said in a statement. “Without freight rail, many U.S. industries would shut down.”

    In a statement, Pelosi said: “We are reluctant to bypass the standard ratification process for the Tentative Agreement — but we must act to prevent a catastrophic nationwide rail strike, which would grind our economy to a halt.”

    Pelosi said the House would not change the terms of the September agreement, which would challenge the Senate to approve the House bill without changes.

    The September agreement that Biden and Pelosi are calling for is a slight improvement over what the board of arbitrators recommended in the summer. The September agreement added three unpaid days off a year for engineers and conductors to tend to medical appointments as long as they scheduled them at least 30 days in advance. The railroads also promised in September not to penalize workers who are hospitalized and to negotiate further with the unions after the contract is approved about improving the regular scheduling of days off.

    Hundreds of business groups had been urging Congress and the president to step into the deadlocked contract talk and prevent a strike.

    Both the unions and railroads have been lobbying Congress while contract talks continue. If Congress acts, it will end talks between the railroads and four rail unions that rejected their deals Biden helped broker before the original strike deadline in September. Eight other unions have approved their five-year deals with the railroads and are in the process of getting back pay for their workers for the 24% raises that are retroactive to 2020.

    If Congress does what Biden suggests and imposes terms similar to what was agreed on in September, that will end the union’s push to add paid sick time. The four unions that have rejected their deals have been pressing for the railroads to add that benefit to help address workers’ quality of life concerns, but the railroads had refused to consider that.

    Biden said that as a “a proud pro-labor president” he was reluctant to override the views of people who voted against the agreement. “But in this case — where the economic impact of a shutdown would hurt millions of other working people and families — I believe Congress must use its powers to adopt this deal.”

    Biden’s remarks and Pelosi’s statement came after a coalition of more than 400 business groups sent a letter to congressional leaders Monday urging them to step into the stalled talks because of fears about the devastating potential impact of a strike that could force many businesses to shut down if they can’t get the rail deliveries they need. Commuter railroads and Amtrak would also be affected in a strike because many of them use tracks owned by the freight railroads.

    The business groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers and National Retail Federation said even a short-term strike would have a tremendous impact and the economic pain would start to be felt even before the Dec. 9 strike deadline. They said the railroads would stop hauling hazardous chemicals, fertilizers and perishable goods up to a week beforehand to keep those products from being stranded somewhere along the tracks.

    “A potential rail strike only adds to the headwinds facing the U.S. economy,” the businesses wrote. “A rail stoppage would immediately lead to supply shortages and higher prices. The cessation of Amtrak and commuter rail services would disrupt up to 7 million travelers a day. Many businesses would see their sales disrupted right in the middle of the critical holiday shopping season.”

    A similar group of businesses sent another letter to Biden last month urging him to play a more active role in resolving the contract dispute.

    On Monday, the Association of American Railroads trade group praised Biden’s action.

    “No one benefits from a rail work stoppage — not our customers, not rail employees and not the American economy,” said AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies. “Now is the appropriate time for Congress to pass legislation to implement the agreements already ratified by eight of the twelve unions.”

    Business groups that have been pushing for Congress to settle this contract dispute praised Biden’s move.

    “The Biden administration’s endorsement of congressional intervention affirms what America’s food, beverage, household and personal care manufacturers have been saying: Freight rail operations cannot shut down and imperil the availability and affordability of consumers’ everyday essentials,” said Tom Madrecki, vice president of supply chain for the Consumer Brands Association. “The consequences to consumers if a strike were to occur are too serious, especially amid continued supply chain challenges and disruptions.”

    Clark Ballew, a spokesman for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division, which represents track maintenance workers, said before Biden’s announcement that the union was “headed to D.C. this week to meet with lawmakers on the Hill from both parties. We have instructed our members to contact their federal lawmakers in the House and Senate for several weeks now.”

    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Neil Bradley said Biden was correct in advocating for the deal already reached. “Congress must do what it has done 18 times before: intervene against a national rail strike,” Bradley said in a statement, and he called Congress enforcing the deal agreed to by railroads and union leaders the “only path to avoid crippling strike.”

    The railroads, which include Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, CSX and Kansas City Southern, wanted any deal to closely follow the recommendations a special board of arbitrators that Biden appointed made this summer that called for the 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses but didn’t resolve workers’ concerns about demanding schedules that make it hard to take a day off and other working conditions. That’s what Biden is calling on Congress to impose.

    ———

    Associated Press writer Colleen Long in Washington contributed to this report.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Biden calls on Congress to head off potential rail strike

    Biden calls on Congress to head off potential rail strike

    [ad_1]

    OMAHA, Neb. — President Joe Biden on Monday asked Congress to intervene and block a railroad strike before next month’s deadline in the stalled contract talks, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers would take up legislation this week to impose the deal that unions agreed to in September.

    “Let me be clear: a rail shutdown would devastate our economy,” Biden said in a statement. “Without freight rail, many U.S. industries would shut down.”

    In a statement, Pelosi said: “We are reluctant to bypass the standard ratification process for the Tentative Agreement — but we must act to prevent a catastrophic nationwide rail strike, which would grind our economy to a halt.”

    Pelosi said the House would not change the terms of the September agreement, which would challenge the Senate to approve the House bill without changes.

    The September agreement that Biden and Pelosi are calling for is a slight improvement over what the board of arbitrators recommended in the summer. The September agreement added three unpaid days off a year for engineers and conductors to tend to medical appointments as long as they scheduled them at least 30 days in advance. The railroads also promised in September not to penalize workers who are hospitalized and to negotiate further with the unions after the contract is approved about improving the regular scheduling of days off.

    Hundreds of business groups had been urging Congress and the president to step into the deadlocked contract talk and prevent a strike.

    Both the unions and railroads have been lobbying Congress while contract talks continue. If Congress acts, it will end talks between the railroads and four rail unions that rejected their deals Biden helped broker before the original strike deadline in September. Eight other unions have approved their five-year deals with the railroads and are in the process of getting back pay for their workers for the 24% raises that are retroactive to 2020.

    If Congress does what Biden suggests and imposes terms similar to what was agreed on in September, that will end the union’s push to add paid sick time. The four unions that have rejected their deals have been pressing for the railroads to add that benefit to help address workers’ quality of life concerns, but the railroads had refused to consider that.

    Biden said that as a “a proud pro-labor president” he was reluctant to override the views of people who voted against the agreement. “But in this case — where the economic impact of a shutdown would hurt millions of other working people and families — I believe Congress must use its powers to adopt this deal.”

    Biden’s remarks and Pelosi’s statement came after a coalition of more than 400 business groups sent a letter to congressional leaders Monday urging them to step into the stalled talks because of fears about the devastating potential impact of a strike that could force many businesses to shut down if they can’t get the rail deliveries they need. Commuter railroads and Amtrak would also be affected in a strike because many of them use tracks owned by the freight railroads.

    The business groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers and National Retail Federation said even a short-term strike would have a tremendous impact and the economic pain would start to be felt even before the Dec. 9 strike deadline. They said the railroads would stop hauling hazardous chemicals, fertilizers and perishable goods up to a week beforehand to keep those products from being stranded somewhere along the tracks.

    “A potential rail strike only adds to the headwinds facing the U.S. economy,” the businesses wrote. “A rail stoppage would immediately lead to supply shortages and higher prices. The cessation of Amtrak and commuter rail services would disrupt up to 7 million travelers a day. Many businesses would see their sales disrupted right in the middle of the critical holiday shopping season.”

    A similar group of businesses sent another letter to Biden last month urging him to play a more active role in resolving the contract dispute.

    On Monday, the Association of American Railroads trade group praised Biden’s action.

    “No one benefits from a rail work stoppage — not our customers, not rail employees and not the American economy,” said AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies. “Now is the appropriate time for Congress to pass legislation to implement the agreements already ratified by eight of the twelve unions.”

    Business groups that have been pushing for Congress to settle this contract dispute praised Biden’s move.

    “The Biden administration’s endorsement of congressional intervention affirms what America’s food, beverage, household and personal care manufacturers have been saying: Freight rail operations cannot shut down and imperil the availability and affordability of consumers’ everyday essentials,” said Tom Madrecki, vice president of supply chain for the Consumer Brands Association. “The consequences to consumers if a strike were to occur are too serious, especially amid continued supply chain challenges and disruptions.”

    Clark Ballew, a spokesman for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division, which represents track maintenance workers, said before Biden’s announcement that the union was “headed to D.C. this week to meet with lawmakers on the Hill from both parties. We have instructed our members to contact their federal lawmakers in the House and Senate for several weeks now.”

    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Neil Bradley said Biden was correct in advocating for the deal already reached. “Congress must do what it has done 18 times before: intervene against a national rail strike,” Bradley said in a statement, and he called Congress enforcing the deal agreed to by railroads and union leaders the “only path to avoid crippling strike.”

    The railroads, which include Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, CSX and Kansas City Southern, wanted any deal to closely follow the recommendations a special board of arbitrators that Biden appointed made this summer that called for the 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses but didn’t resolve workers’ concerns about demanding schedules that make it hard to take a day off and other working conditions. That’s what Biden is calling on Congress to impose.

    ———

    Associated Press writer Colleen Long in Washington contributed to this report.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Railway workers in Austria to strike Monday in pay standoff

    Railway workers in Austria to strike Monday in pay standoff

    [ad_1]

    BERLIN — Railway workers in Austria are set to hold a one-day strike on Monday after a failed round of talks in pay negotiations.

    The Austria Press Agency reported Sunday that both sides said the fifth round of talks on pay for some 50,000 employees of about 65 railway operators, including the main national operator OeBB, had failed.

    That means that there will be no regional, long-distance or night trains on Monday, and that only buses and other public transport run by municipal authorities will run.

    Labor union vida has called for an extra 400 euros ($416) per month for railway employees, which it says is equivalent to an average 12% increase.

    Employers have said that would amount to a 13.3% raise and is too much. OeBB said employers were offering an 8.44% increase and strongly criticized the strike.

    Like many other countries, Austria has seen inflation surge this year following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The country’s annual inflation rate hit 11% in October.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Consumers could pay price if railroads, unions can’t agree

    Consumers could pay price if railroads, unions can’t agree

    [ad_1]

    OMAHA, Neb. — Consumers could see higher gas prices and shortages of some of their favorite groceries during the winter holiday season if railroads and all of their unions can’t agree on new contracts by an early-December deadline that had already been pushed back.

    The likelihood of a strike that would paralyze the nation’s rail traffic grew on Monday when the largest of the 12 rail unions, which represents mostly conductors, rejected management’s latest offering that included 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. With four of the 12 unions that represent half of the 115,000 rail workers holding out for a better deal, it might fall to Congress to impose one to protect the U.S. economy.

    The Retail Industry Leaders Association said a rail strike “would cause enormous disruption” although retail stores are well stocked for the crucial holiday shopping season. It’s not clear what a strike would mean for packages because FedEx and UPS, which both rely on rail to some degree, haven’t commented in detail.

    “Fortunately, this year’s holiday gifts have already landed on store shelves. But an interruption to rail transportation does pose a significant challenge to getting items like perishable food products and e-commerce shipments delivered on time, and it will undoubtedly add to the inflationary pressures already hitting the U.S. economy,” said Jess Dankert with the group that represents more than 200 major retailers.

    Even getting close to the deadline could cause problems because railroads will freeze shipments of dangerous chemicals and perishable goods ahead of time. And commuters could be stranded if there is a strike because so many passenger railroads operate on tracks owned by the freight railroads.

    Just about every industry could be affected because so many businesses need railroads to deliver their raw materials and completed products, and there aren’t enough trucks to pick up the slack.

    Tom Madrecki with the Consumer Brands Association said a rail strike “would effectively bring hundreds of America’s largest food, beverage, household and personal care manufacturing operations to a halt in a matter of days as inputs and ingredients run out. On-shelf availability and accessibility will quickly drop, compounded by almost inevitable panic buying.”

    There’s no immediate threat of a strike even though four unions have rejected deals the Biden administration helped broker before the original strike deadline in September. Those unions agreed to try to hash out a contract before a new Dec. 5 strike deadline. But those talks have deadlocked because the railroads refuse to add paid sick time to what they’ve already offered.

    Railroad engineers voted Monday to join seven smaller unions in approving the deal, but conductors’ union rejected its contract, joining three unions that previously voted no.

    It appears increasingly likely that Congress will have to settle the dispute. Lawmakers have the power to impose contract terms, and hundreds of business groups have urged Congress and President Joe Biden to be ready to intervene.

    White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reiterated to reporters on Monday that Biden believes “a shutdown is unacceptable” but that “the best option is still for the parties to resolve this themselves.”

    Workers frustrated with the demanding schedules and deep job cuts in the industry pushed to reject these contracts because they wouldn’t do enough to resolve their quality-of-life concerns. The deals for the engineers and conductors did include a promise to improve the scheduling of regular days off and negotiate the details of those schedules further at each railroad. Those two unions also received three unpaid days off a year to tend to medical needs as long they were scheduled at least 30 days in advance and the railroads said they wouldn’t penalize workers who were hospitalized.

    The railroads also lost out on their bid to cut crew sizes to one person as part of the negotiations. But the conductors in the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers union still narrowly rejected the deal. A small division of the SMART-TD union did approve it.

    “The ball is now in the railroads’ court. Let’s see what they do. They can settle this at the bargaining table,” SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson said. “But, the railroad executives who constantly complain about government interference and regularly bad-mouth regulators and Congress now want Congress to do the bargaining for them.”

    Dennis Pierce, the president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union, said the deal engineers ratified should help improve working conditions somewhat, but that the railroads must address workers’ frustrations, especially after they cut nearly one-third of their jobs over the past six years as they overhauled their operations.

    “When you’ve got to offer $20,000 to get somebody to go to work for the railroad in Lincoln, Nebraska, you’ve got a problem. People used to stand in line there,” Pierce said. “The reason for that is the word is out that if you go to work here, you’re not going to ever see your family.”

    The railroads maintain that the deals with the unions should closely follow the recommendations made this summer by a special panel of arbitrators Biden appointed. That’s part of the reason why they don’t want to offer paid sick time. Plus, the railroads say the unions have agreed over the years to forgo paid sick time in favor of higher pay and strong short-term disability benefits.

    The unions say it is long overdue for the railroads to offer paid sick time and that the pandemic highlighted the need for it.

    The group that negotiates on behalf of the railroads that include Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern, BNSF, Kansas City Southern and CSX said Monday that the unions that rejected their deals shouldn’t expect to receive more than the Presidential Emergency Board of arbitrators recommended.

    It’s unclear what Congress might do given the deep political divisions in Washington D.C. and a single lawmaker could hold up a resolution. But the head of the Association of American Railroads trade group, Ian Jefferies, said “if the remaining unions do not accept an agreement, Congress should be prepared to act and avoid a disastrous $2 billion a day hit to our economy.”

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Rail union approves deal offering hope of avoiding strike

    Rail union approves deal offering hope of avoiding strike

    [ad_1]

    OMAHA, Neb. — Another one of the 12 railroad unions narrowly approved its deal with the major freight railroads Saturday, offering some hope that the contract dispute might be resolved without a strike even though two other unions rejected their agreements last month.

    Now that 52% of International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers members who voted approved their deal, seven railroad unions have ratified contracts that include 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses, but all 12 have to approve contracts to prevent a strike.

    Concerns remain about the possibility of an economically devastating strike because the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division and Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen unions voted down their contracts, and many workers say these deals just don’t address their quality-of life concerns. No strike is imminent because those unions agreed to return to the bargaining table to try to work out a new deal, but those talks have been deadlocked over the unions’ demands for paid sick time and there is a Nov. 19 deadline.

    The railroads have rejected union demands for paid sick time because they say the deals they’ve been offering include higher wages that are intended to compensate workers for the lack of sick time and their other quality of life concerns. The railroads want any deal to closely follow the recommendations made this summer by a special panel of arbitrators that President Joe Biden appointed.

    The railroads have also maintained that the unions have agreed over the years to forego paid sick leave in favor of better wages and strong short-term disability benefits.

    The group that negotiates on behalf of Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific, BNSF, Kansas City Southern, CSX and other railroads said the deal the Machinists approved includes “the largest wage package in nearly five decades” and implements the recommendations the Presidential Emergency Board made.

    The deal the Machinists approved this weekend was the second one they voted on after rejecting their first agreement. This one includes all the raises and an additional paid leave day that was in the original deal, but it also included several additional benefits including a cap on health insurance expenses, an agreement that the railroads will study how much overtime employees are being forced to work and a promise that each railroad will negotiate individually over expense reimbursement.

    The railroads also promised the Machinists that they won’t force workers to share hotel rooms when they’re on the road for work.

    “Our union recognizes that the agreement wasn’t accepted overwhelmingly, so our team will continue conversing with our members at our rail yards across the nation,” the Machinists union’s District 19 unit said in a statement. “This agreement is the first step in addressing some of the issues in our industry. Our fight was able to shine a light on the work-life balance issues as well as the lack of proper paid sick leave.”

    Three other unions are scheduled to vote later this month, including the largest ones that represent engineers and conductors.

    The workers represented by the Machinists union generally have more regular schedules than the engineers and conductors who say the railroads’ strict attendance policies keep them on call 24/7. And the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers unions won’t even release the results of their votes until after the current Nov. 19 deadline in the BMWED talks.

    Because of the fears about a possible strike, business groups have urged Biden and Congress to be ready to intervene if both sides can’t reach an agreement. Biden played an active role in securing these original deals back in September, and Congress has the power to block a strike and impose terms on the workers if there is a walkout.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Railroads reject sick time demands, raising chance of strike

    Railroads reject sick time demands, raising chance of strike

    [ad_1]

    OMAHA, Neb. — The major freight railroads appear unwilling to give track maintenance workers much more than they received in the initial contract they rejected last week, increasing the chances of a strike.

    The railroads took the unusual step of issuing a statement late Wednesday rejecting the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union’s latest request to add paid sick time on top of the 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses they received in the first five-year deal.

    Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz said Thursday that he thinks the main reason the BMWED rejected its initial contract last week was that the details of improved expense reimbursement in the deal were still being negotiated at UP while workers were voting. So it wasn’t clear exactly what those workers would receive for their travel expenses when they go on the road to repair tracks.

    Six of the 12 railroad unions that represent 115,000 workers nationwide have approved their tentative agreements with the railroads so far, but all of them have to ratify their contracts to avoid a strike. The unions have agreed to put any strike on hold until at least mid-November while the BMWED negotiates a new deal and the other unions vote on their proposed contracts, so there’s no immediate threat the the trains most businesses rely on to deliver their raw materials and finished products will stop moving. A railroad strike could devastate the economy.

    “Ultimately, I remain confident that we’re going to get our temporary agreements ratified and be able to avoid a strike. That’s still a possibility but I don’t think it’s a probability,” Fritz told investors after his railroad released its earnings report.

    The group that negotiations on behalf of the major railroads, including UP, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, CSX and Kansas City Southern, said the new contracts should closely follow the recommendations of the special board of arbitrators that President Joe Biden appointed this summer. The railroads said that board rejected union demands for paid sick time.

    “Now is not the time to introduce new demands that rekindle the prospect of a railroad strike,” the railroads said.

    Officials at the BMWED union didn’t immediately respond to the railroads Thursday. Concerns about quality of life and the ability for workers — particularly the engineers and conductors who drive the trains — to take time off without being penalized have weighed heavily on the negotiations.

    But the railroads say workers do have significant short-term disability benefits that kick in after four or seven days and last up to 52 weeks that the unions have negotiated for over the years. The railroads said the unions have repeatedly agreed that short-term absences would be unpaid in favor of higher wages and more generous benefits for long-term illnesses.

    If both sides can’t agree on contracts, Congress could step in to block a strike and impose terms on the workers.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Large rail union rejects deal, renewing strike possibility

    Large rail union rejects deal, renewing strike possibility

    [ad_1]

    OMAHA, Neb. — The U.S.’s third largest railroad union rejected a deal with employers Monday, renewing the possibility of a strike that could cripple the economy. B oth sides will return to the bargaining table before that happens.

    Over half of track maintenance workers represented by the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division who voted opposed the five-year contract despite 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. Union President Tony Cardwell said the railroads didn’t do enough to address the lack of paid time off — particularly sick time — and working conditions after the major railroads eliminated nearly one-third of their jobs over the past six years.

    “Railroaders are discouraged and upset with working conditions and compensation and hold their employer in low regard. Railroaders do not feel valued,” Cardwell said in a statement. “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 represents the railroads in negotiations said they were disappointed the union rejected the agreement, but emphasized that no immediate threat of a strike exists because the union agreed to keep working for now.

    Four other railroad unions have approved their agreements with freight railroads including BNSF, Union Pacific, Kansas City Southern, CSX and Norfolk Southern, but all 12 unions representing 115,000 workers must ratify their contracts to prevent a strike. Another union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, initially rejected its deal but has since renegotiated a new contract. Voting will be completed in mid-November.

    President Joe Biden pressured the railroads and unions to reach a deal last month ahead of a mid-September deadline to allow a strike or walkout. Many businesses also urged Congress to be ready to intervene in the dispute and block a strike if an agreement wasn’t reached because so many companies rely on railroads to deliver their raw materials and finished products.

    In general, the deals the unions agreed to closely follow the recommendations a special panel of arbitrators that Biden appointed made this summer. That Presidential Emergency Board recommended what would be the biggest raises rail workers have seen in more than four decades, but it didn’t resolve the unions’ concerns about working conditions. Instead it said the unions should pursue additional negotiations or arbitration that can take years with each railroad individually.

    The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way union said it agreed to delay any strike until five days after Congress reconvenes in mid November to allow time for additional negotiations.

    Quality of life issues took center stage at the end of these negotiations, with unions representing conductors and engineers holding out until the end for three unpaid leave days a year for medical appointments and a promise that railroads will negotiate further about giving those employees regularly scheduled days off when they aren’t on call. Engineers and conductors have complained that strict attendance policies make it hard to take any time off.

    Track maintenance workers in the BMWED generally have more regular schedules than engineers and conductors, but all the rail unions have objected to the lack of paid sick time in the industry — particularly after working to keep trains moving throughout the pandemic.

    Rutgers University professor Todd Vachon, who teaches labor relations classes, said he’s not entirely surprised the contract was rejected given how emboldened union members feel to fight for better working conditions amidst the current worker shortage.

    “The biggest sticking issue is quality of life — especially access to paid time off and paid sick time. If the railroads can make some movement in that area, it will likely go a long way with rail workers who currently feel they are not being respected by their employers,” Vachon said. “Wages and resource allocation are one important part of contract negotiations, but feeling respected by one’s employer remains one of the top reasons that workers form and join unions.”

    Although a strike is now possible, Vachon said he’s not too worried yet because both sides have more than a month to reach a new agreement.

    [ad_2]

    Source link