A bipartisan majority in Congress passed a bill last week that averted a nationwide rail strike by imposing a deal that raised workers’ wages, but failed to provide the requested 7 days of paid sick leave. Biden had negotiated this deal, the ‘tentative agreement,’ between the unions and the railroad companies last month, but it fell through when 4 out of 12 unions voted it down (it requried unanimous approvaL).
The economic threat of a national strike was real. But the bottom line is, the threat of a work stoppage is the backbone of unions’ leverage to demand fair working conditions. Congress took that leverage away when it bypassed the workers and imposed this deal. All our representatives voted for this bill, and we should express our disappointment.
Contact your representative:
Pramila Jayapal: 202-225-3106 or http://jayapal.house.gov/contact
Adam Smith: 202-225-8901 or http://adamsmith.house.gov/contact
Maria Cantwell: 202-224-3441 or http://www.cantwell.senate.gov/contact/email/form
Patty Murray: 202-224-2621 or http://www.murray.senate.gov/write-to-patty/
Script:
“My name is [NAME] calling from [CITY, PLACE]. I am disappointed that [the Senator/Representative] bypassed railworkers and imposed the tentative deal without paid sick leave. Congress should not legislate away unions’ negotiating leverage. Please make up for it by passing mandatory sick leave for rail workers in a separate bill.”
Background:
https://www.npr.org/2022/12/02/1140265413/rail-workers-biden-unions-freight-railroads-averted-strike
