Introduction
For the past few weeks, two of the nation’s largest railroad unions have been threatening a strike due to poor working conditions, severe attendance policies, and staff shortages. These two unions are the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, Transportation Transportation Division (SMART-TD), and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET). Negotiations have been made, but SMART-TD has recently “rejected a tentative labor deal with freight railroads.”
Campus Conservative, Marisa Powers
While a railroad strike is certainly not ideal, the Biden administration is not offering any incentives for the workers not to strike. The tentative agreement would have only allowed for three days off per year for a routine medical appointment with no disciplinary action. The contract presented to the railroad unions did not address the needs that the workers are truly concerned about, minimizing labor costs and targeting chronic understaffing. A wife of a locomotive conductor is quoted as saying, “Rejecting the contract or the proposed agreement was the right move. I thought all along they should have struck from the get-go. They need to take a stand and make it hurt. Show them they’re serious. This is their livelihood. This is their well-being.” White House Press Secretary stated at a press conference that American families would suffer if an agreement is not reached, but if the needs of the rail workers aren’t met, they will suffer as well.
If there were a strike, it would have a significant impact on the already suffering economy. The economy would lose 700,000 jobs across multiple industries and the Producer Price Index would increase by 4 percent.
The Biden administration needs to more seriously consider the needs of working Americans if they want to avoid a strike. The intervention of Congress should be a last resort, but it seems as though it might be necessary if the RailRoad Unions don’t accept the terms of the contract by December 8.
Campus Liberal, Tasha Khosla
Currently, everyone is looking to Congress to take action and stop the strike. Railroad strikes are incredibly damaging to the economy because they can “create all types of shortages, from gasoline to food to automobiles, and cause a spike in the prices of all types of consumer goods. It can screw up the commutes of tens of thousands of workers who take the train to work, slow the delivery of parts and force factories to shut down.” In addition, since railroads are responsible for hauling 40% of the nation’s freight annually, a rail strike could cost the U.S. economy about “$2 billion a day.”
In a year that has already experienced high inflation, shortages, and a 7.7% increase in consumer prices, a railroad strike is the last thing the American people need. The Biden administration is actively attempting to avert a railroad strike. However, simply trying to increase wages will not work, especially since the main issue has been the poor working conditions and the strict attendance policies. Congress can get involved but that will not make the issue go away. As Michael Paul Lindsey, a Union Pacific locomotive engineer said “They can try to force us out of a strike, but they can’t force us to not quit […] Congress needs to think long and hard before they force it within the strike, because if they do […] people resign and leave the industry.”
The only solution to this issue is properly acknowledging the real concerns of these unions during the deal-making process.
Conclusion
Both sides agree that the needs of the union members should be put first in order to avoid further conflict and an impending strike.
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