Potential freight railroad strike

[bcla]

This could get really big. I could see shortages of certain things because of the lack of transportation. Long haul trucking can't really make it up and of course costs more.

Also - Amtrak has cancelled all long-distance passenger train routes starting tomorrow. They rely in the freight railroads for dispatch since they own the tracks for most routes. This may also affect commuter trains that operate on freight railroad tracks.

Our area's main commuter rail system may stop traffic on tracks that it doesn't own.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/caltrain-strike-halt-service/3003047/

 

[kdonnel]

Hopefully the workers get what they want/need.

 

[fla4fun]

I feel for the workers. They say the biggest issue is the scheduling with short notice, basically not allowing them to plan ahead for anything, and giving a poor work/life balance. I have seen that come up in a lot of job ads (must be available 7 days per week, schedule given only one week in advance) and won’t apply anywhere that can’t give me a set permanent schedule. Even in my last job, the department that had shift work 7 days a week worked hard to give full timers a set schedule at a set location on a permanent basis and the schedules were published more than a month ahead of time. As much as I hate to see supply disruptions, I understand the problem. I hope they are able to get the scheduling issue worked out.

 

[Southernmiss]

Unbelievable that we still have to fight for basic human dignities while rich are making $ hand over fist.

 

[kymom99]

Looks like they reached an agreement.

 

[China Expat]

Averted!

 

[Colleen27]

Big sigh of relief at this morning's news, because we've got a short Amtrack trip tomorrow. First world problems, I know, but I really wasn't looking forward to trying to find someplace to park my Jeep in Chicago when most of the garages around where we're staying aren't tall enough to accommodate SUVs.

 

[Lumpy1106]

I was surprised by how much this strike was going to affect AMTRAK. I took a 32 hour train ride from LA to Seattle and the majority of our delays was because the freight lines owned the tracks and the passenger trains had to pull off and use the sidings whenever there was a conflict (two-fold the freight lines own the tracks and the freight trains are too long to use the sidings). You would think if freight traffic was halted the AMTRAK trains would not only keep running but make it in substantially less time. Instead they were shut down too? How does that work? I don't think it had anything to do with whether or not the AMTRAK employees supported the strike - I think they were basically told the trains would not run.

Really happy for everyone that that didn't happen.

 

[Colleen27]

I was surprised by how much this strike was going to affect AMTRAK. I took a 32 hour train ride from LA to Seattle and the majority of our delays was because the freight lines owned the tracks and the passenger trains had to pull off and use the sidings whenever there was a conflict (two-fold the freight lines own the tracks and the freight trains are too long to use the sidings). You would think if freight traffic was halted the AMTRAK trains would not only keep running but make it in substantially less time. Instead they were shut down too? How does that work? I don't think it had anything to do with whether or not the AMTRAK employees supported the strike - I think they were basically told the trains would not run.

Really happy for everyone that that didn't happen.

All the employees who maintain the tracks, handle switching and all of the behind-the-scenes stuff are with the freight lines, so if they're striking it isn't safe/possible to use those tracks at all. Amtrak only owns and operates a very small portion of the tracks they run on, mostly in the NYC-to-DC corridor. That's a big part of why we don't have meaningful passenger rail service in the US - because the lines were build and are owned by freight railroad companies, and passenger service is just a little side hustle that they allow when they're not using the tracks for their main business.

 

[momz]

I had to edit what I was going to type and will just say I expect union participation will increase over many industries. I will leave it at that as I don't want to get political. Other than to say, it is needed.

I sincerely hope the rail workers will get the concessions they are asking for.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I know, but I really wasn't looking forward to trying to find someplace to park my Jeep in Chicago

Enjoy your visit here, Colleen! Warm, dry weather forecasted for you.

 

[bcla]

All the employees who maintain the tracks, handle switching and all of the behind-the-scenes stuff are with the freight lines, so if they're striking it isn't safe/possible to use those tracks at all. Amtrak only owns and operates a very small portion of the tracks they run on, mostly in the NYC-to-DC corridor. That's a big part of why we don't have meaningful passenger rail service in the US - because the lines were build and are owned by freight railroad companies, and passenger service is just a little side hustle that they allow when they're not using the tracks for their main business.

It was rather complicated. The Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970 (which created the National Passenger Rail Corporation - Amtrak is just the public facing name) was agreed to by the freight rail companies. They had an obligation to provide passenger rail service as a public service, in exchange for a lot of the powers they got - especially the ability to reserve use of eminent domain to obtain railroad rights of way. That land is extremely valuable to them - not just to lay train tracks. There are utility lines going along many tracks, and they've made a lot of money over the years in rent. They've even made lots of money selling land that wasn't specifically used for tracks.

Also - the law stated that the freight railroads were supposed to give passenger rail the highest priority, although it never seems like it. The biggest issue was enforcement, where often the DoJ didn't seem to make it a high priority. There was an attempt to make this more specific where Amtrak could sue directly, but it didn't go anywhere. However, there wasn't necessarily an enforcement mechanism, and Amtrak was lobbying for one.

https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/...forcing-amtraks-legal-right-to-preference.pdf

Not all freight rails entered into the agreement to form Amtrak. Southern Pacific did agree, but they continued to run their own passenger services. Around here they operated the Peninsula Commute service, which eventually became Caltrain when it was transferred to the public. They even were the service provider - providing personnel such as conductors, mechanics, and engineers. Eventually Amtrak entered into a contract, although they had to wear Caltrain specific uniforms.

https://www.enotrans.org/article/amtrak-at-50-the-rail-passenger-service-act-of-1970/​

 

[NotUrsula]

Apparently the real sticking point was the newly-introduced employee point system. This from a story on NPR:

BNSF Railway introduced its version, called Hi-Viz, in February 2022, saying it would improve consistency for both crews and customers. The unions say it has only made things worse.
Even before the system was introduced, railroad conductors and engineers were essentially on call most of the time, outside of paid vacation and personal leave days (which they do accrue in amounts determined by seniority). When they get called to work, they generally have either 90 minutes or two hours to report to work. Under Hi-Viz, if they are unavailable to report to work in that window, they are docked points from a starting balance of 30. Deductions range from 2 to 25 points, depending on the day. The more valuable the day, the higher the deduction.
That means Fridays, Saturdays, holidays and so-called "high-impact days," including Mother's Day and Super Bowl Sunday, result in larger deductions. When their point balance falls to zero, they face a 10-day suspension. After that, their points are reset to 15. If their balance falls to zero again, it's a 20-day suspension. If there's a third time, the worker faces termination.
There are several ways workers can earn back points, including by being available to work for 14 consecutive days.[\quote]

The workers claimed that due to the long shifts they mandate, things like working 14 days straight to try to make up points resulted in dangerously-fatigued workers. Also, anyone with a serious sudden illness (including something like a severe case of COVID) that would have them out for multiple weeks faced the spectre of being pretty sure they were going to get fired over it.

I've been blessed never to work anywhere that used a point system; but I've heard a lot of ugly stories about management abuses of them. (Disney Parks also uses such a system, though I don't know the particulars of what the terms are for that one.)

 

[Pea-n-Me]

This article explained a lot. Not right to be penalized for a heart attack or Covid.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/09/13/rail-strike-economy-impact/

”A crucial issue in the dispute is a points-based attendance policy adopted by some of the largest carriers earlier this year. Those policies penalize workers, up to termination, for going to routine doctor’s visits or attending to family emergencies. Conductors and engineers say that they can be on call for 14 consecutive days without a break and that they do not receive a single sick day, paid or unpaid.

“All we’re asking is folks to be able to go to routine doctor’s visits without pay, but they have refused to accept our proposals,” Dennis Pierce, president of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), said before the deal was struck. “The average American would not know that we get fired for going to the doctor. This one thing has our members most enraged. We have guys who were punished for taking time off for a heart attack and covid. It’s inhumane.”

 

[lifesavacation]

My husband is part of this Union. The big sticking point is the attendance policy. Many of the workers are on call 24/7 with no scheduled days off, which means no real way to plan for funerals, surgeries, illness, births, etc. The unions weren’t asking for paid sick days. They wanted unpaid sick days that protected the workers.

Currently, should you have a heartattack or need surgery or schedule a routine doctor’s visit, you’d get points deducted and if you reach zero points there’s an investigation. And god forbid it happen on a weekend or high impact day. That’s even more points. It’s demoralizing and impossible to work around. My husband got a max of 2 days off (unpaid) when he had COVID and had to return still feverish and feeling terrible. He would have reached 0 points and triggered an investigation if he took another day off.

We haven’t heard the details of what was negotiated. Hopefully, it helps address some of these issues. The union workers still need to ratify the agreement so there's still the potential to strike if it can't be ratified.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My husband is part of this Union. The big sticking point is the attendance policy. Many of the workers are on call 24/7 with no scheduled days off, which means no real way to plan for funerals, surgeries, illness, births, etc. The unions weren’t asking for paid sick days. They wanted unpaid sick days that protected the workers.

Currently, should you have a heartattack or need surgery or schedule a routine doctor’s visit, you’d get points deducted and if you reach zero points there’s an investigation. And god forbid it happen on a weekend or high impact day. That’s even more points. It’s demoralizing and impossible to work around. My husband got a max of 2 days off (unpaid) when he had COVID and had to return still feverish and feeling terrible. He would have reached 0 points and triggered an investigation if he took another day off.

We haven’t heard the details of what was negotiated. Hopefully, it helps address some of these issues.

That’s awful.

 

[CdnCarrie]

A union without paid sick days? That's highly unusual.

 

[lifesavacation]

That’s awful.

It is awful. The average person hearing the story doesn't understand how the RR handles sick time. This wasn't about the money. It's about the attendance policy and how it impacts the quality of life for the railworker.

My husband has it better than some. He gets Thursdays and Fridays off. Some of his coworkers are on call 24/7 and have to report to work within 2 hours of a call. They are why this is so important.

I could rant about this for awhile. Stupid RR. Thank goodness they have unions.

A union without paid sick days? That's highly unusual.

Yep. No paid sick days. The union was asking for protection to use unpaid days off for medical procedures and illness. Hopefully, they've also made some exceptions for funerals and births in the new agreement.

 

[GreatLakes]

I'm on the side of the union with this one. I'm not a "unions always bad" or "unions always good" person, it depends on the situation and in this one I'm glad the workers got what they were asking for.

 

[CdnCarrie]

It is awful. The average person hearing the story doesn't understand how the RR handles sick time. This wasn't about the money. It's about the attendance policy and how it impacts the quality of life for the railworker.

My husband has it better than some. He gets Thursdays and Fridays off. Some of his coworkers are on call 24/7 and have to report to work within 2 hours of a call. They are why this is so important.

I could rant about this for awhile. Stupid RR. Thank goodness they have unions.



Yep. No paid sick days. The union was asking for protection to use unpaid days off for medical procedures and illness. Hopefully, they've also made some exceptions for funerals and births in the new agreement.

That's a really poor union contract. No wonder they were about to strike. Most unions have decent benefits.