A conversation I had last night with a good friend of mine about the possibility of a rail strike this coming weekend was a little frightening.
He has done just about every job from the ground up in the railroads.
Friend: “I was a union man for most of my career but never got involved in the small stuff or really any issues as they normally resolved themselves. This is different. I’d strike for this.”
If it was one guy I wouldn’t give pause, however, it is not one guy. I have many friends around that are saying the same things or hearing similar sentiments from reliable sources.
Along with some relevant facts about the issues, a report from Thetrucker.com last month also had a couple of experts discussing the likelihood of a strike. I think most of us would have agreed with a prediction of “very unlikely” at that time.
I’m not so sure today. I am no expert, but I see enough evidence to cause me to be concerned.
The 12 unions were seeking a 31% retroactive raise, while the railroads were offering 17%.
Members of a presidential emergency board did not address the real issues and instead offered a 24% raise and some retroactive pay via annual bonus payments. Nice!
Back to my friend:
Me: Are we looking at a strike?
Answer: “I’m afraid we are looking more at that.”
Me: Scary, dude.
Answer: “F**k yes it is!”
Pay is not the entire issue. Yes, they have not had a raise in years, but the meat of the matter is more quality of life and safety.
“Seven days a week on call is B.S.” is another quote from my friend who concurred that it is less about the pay or keeping union jobs (fighting reduced crew sizes) as it is about quality of life and safety.
Longer trains, reduced crew, poor quality of life, and reduced safety are the culmination of decades of decline attributed by some to “precision-scheduled railroading.”
As reported in Land Line in July, this “precision railroading” was first introduced by E. Hunter Harrison at Illinois Central Railroad. Higher profits, longer trains, worsening quality of life, and even fights to get time off for a spouse’s funeral were among the results.
“I spent my whole career on the road as an extra board employee…To this day I average 3.5 hours of sleep just out of habit. It’s tough.” – Friend
Fast forward to today in a Washington Post report on the negotiations. The President is taking daily briefings and calling the railroads and the unions to beg for them to accept a deal.
Meanwhile, daily meetings are being held with the federal departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Energy and others to construct and implement a contingency plan in case of a strike.
Me: What’s the strangest thing you ever hit driving a locomotive? (cuz I’m curious)
“A water truck. I was hitting imaginary brakes!”
“But, the craziest was a cow. My conductor’s face was the best. He said, ‘what are you going to do?’ I said throttle up baby..!”
Me: Wow!
“Freight trains don’t stop for barking dogs! Not even cows. LOL. I left nothing but hamburger!”
Let us pray the U.S. economy is not the next cow.
Peace and Love.
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