But rail workers and union leaders
Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2025 5:14 am
Meanwhile, business groups stress that it is crucial to avoid a strike next week, claiming it would devastate the economy.
The law allows Congress to impose a compromise agreement that had been backed by business and labor leaders in September, and which leaves out provisions demanded by four rail unions to boost sick leave. say forcing the deal on workers — a majority of whom voted against it — is siding with businesses over workers
"It is not enough to 'share workers' concerns'," the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union said in a statement. "A call to Congress to act immediately to pass legislation that adopts tentative telegram database agreements that exclude paid sick leave ignores the railroad workers' concerns." The union is one of the four that rejected their deal.
"Wolves in sheep's clothing"
The railroads that include BNSF, Union Pacific, CSX, Kansas City Southern and Norfolk Southern have refused to consider adding sick time because they didn't want to spend any more on the labor deals than they agreed to in September. They have also argued that rail unions have agreed over the decades to forego paid sick time in favor of higher wages and stronger short-term disability benefits.
Conductor Gabe Christenson, who is co-chairman of the Railroad Workers United coalition that includes workers from all the rail unions, said Biden's move sides with employers over workers.
"The 'most labor-friendly president in history' has proven that he and the Democratic Party are not the friends of labor they have touted themselves to be," said Christenson, whose group encouraged workers to reject these deals. "These wolves in sheep's clothing have for decades been in bed with corporate America and have allowed them to continue chipping away at the American middle class and organized labor."
The law allows Congress to impose a compromise agreement that had been backed by business and labor leaders in September, and which leaves out provisions demanded by four rail unions to boost sick leave. say forcing the deal on workers — a majority of whom voted against it — is siding with businesses over workers
"It is not enough to 'share workers' concerns'," the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union said in a statement. "A call to Congress to act immediately to pass legislation that adopts tentative telegram database agreements that exclude paid sick leave ignores the railroad workers' concerns." The union is one of the four that rejected their deal.
"Wolves in sheep's clothing"
The railroads that include BNSF, Union Pacific, CSX, Kansas City Southern and Norfolk Southern have refused to consider adding sick time because they didn't want to spend any more on the labor deals than they agreed to in September. They have also argued that rail unions have agreed over the decades to forego paid sick time in favor of higher wages and stronger short-term disability benefits.
Conductor Gabe Christenson, who is co-chairman of the Railroad Workers United coalition that includes workers from all the rail unions, said Biden's move sides with employers over workers.
"The 'most labor-friendly president in history' has proven that he and the Democratic Party are not the friends of labor they have touted themselves to be," said Christenson, whose group encouraged workers to reject these deals. "These wolves in sheep's clothing have for decades been in bed with corporate America and have allowed them to continue chipping away at the American middle class and organized labor."