Judd LegumNov 29, 2022

1. The nation's 100K+ rail workers get ZERO paid sick days

They want FOUR

And are threatening to strike December 9

In response, corporate America is demanding Congress intervene and force them to continue working without any paid sick days

https://popular.info/p/railroading-workers

Railroading workers

Railroad workers across the country are threatening to go on strike on December 9, delivering a potentially crippling blow to the American economy. According to the Association of American Railroads, a nationwide rail shutdown could cost more than $2 billion per day. There are 140,000 miles of rail in the United States, which are operated by about 115,000 rail workers. This network serves "nearly every agricultural, industrial, wholesale, retail and resource-based sector of our economy." Passenger rail would also stop, disrupting hundreds of thousands of commuters.

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Show threadJudd LegumNov 29, 2022

2. The argument advanced by corporate lobbying groups is that rail workers are ESSENTIAL and a strike would be an ECONOMIC CATASTROPHE

But if these workers are so essential, shouldn't they get a few paid sick days?

https://popular.info/p/railroading-workers

Railroading workers

Railroad workers across the country are threatening to go on strike on December 9, delivering a potentially crippling blow to the American economy. According to the Association of American Railroads, a nationwide rail shutdown could cost more than $2 billion per day. There are 140,000 miles of rail in the United States, which are operated by about 115,000 rail workers. This network serves "nearly every agricultural, industrial, wholesale, retail and resource-based sector of our economy." Passenger rail would also stop, disrupting hundreds of thousands of commuters.

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Show threadJudd LegumNov 29, 2022

3. The railroad companies can certainly afford it.

Providing 15 days of paid sick leave would cost the industry roughly $688 million per year

Last year, railroad companies generated over $23 BILLION in profit

https://popular.info/p/railroading-workers

Railroading workers

Railroad workers across the country are threatening to go on strike on December 9, delivering a potentially crippling blow to the American economy. According to the Association of American Railroads, a nationwide rail shutdown could cost more than $2 billion per day. There are 140,000 miles of rail in the United States, which are operated by about 115,000 rail workers. This network serves "nearly every agricultural, industrial, wholesale, retail and resource-based sector of our economy." Passenger rail would also stop, disrupting hundreds of thousands of commuters.

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Show threadJudd LegumNov 29, 2022

4. To put this in perspective, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway owns BNSF, one of the nation's largest rail companies

One day last week, Buffett's net worth increased by $1.38 BILLION. That's enough to pay for 15 DAYS of paid sick leave for the entire workforce for two years

Show threadJudd LegumNov 29, 2022

5. This wouldn't be an issue if, like every other developed economy, the United States required all major employers to offer paid sick days

But Corporate America has fiercely opposed paid sick leave legislation for decades

https://popular.info/p/railroading-workers

Railroading workers

Railroad workers across the country are threatening to go on strike on December 9, delivering a potentially crippling blow to the American economy. According to the Association of American Railroads, a nationwide rail shutdown could cost more than $2 billion per day. There are 140,000 miles of rail in the United States, which are operated by about 115,000 rail workers. This network serves "nearly every agricultural, industrial, wholesale, retail and resource-based sector of our economy." Passenger rail would also stop, disrupting hundreds of thousands of commuters.

Popular Information
Show threadJudd LegumNov 29, 2022

6. Biden has sided with the corporate lobbying groups, urging Congress to pass legislation imposing a contract without paid sick days that several rail unions have already rejected

Biden says its necessary to avoid an economic catastrophe

https://popular.info/p/railroading-workers

Railroading workers

Railroad workers across the country are threatening to go on strike on December 9, delivering a potentially crippling blow to the American economy. According to the Association of American Railroads, a nationwide rail shutdown could cost more than $2 billion per day. There are 140,000 miles of rail in the United States, which are operated by about 115,000 rail workers. This network serves "nearly every agricultural, industrial, wholesale, retail and resource-based sector of our economy." Passenger rail would also stop, disrupting hundreds of thousands of commuters.

Popular Information
Show threadJudd LegumNov 29, 2022

7. But Congress has a lot of other options. For example, it could impose a contract that provides paid sick days for rail workers. Or it could pass legislation providing paid sick days for all workers.

https://popular.info/p/railroading-workers

Railroading workers

Railroad workers across the country are threatening to go on strike on December 9, delivering a potentially crippling blow to the American economy. According to the Association of American Railroads, a nationwide rail shutdown could cost more than $2 billion per day. There are 140,000 miles of rail in the United States, which are operated by about 115,000 rail workers. This network serves "nearly every agricultural, industrial, wholesale, retail and resource-based sector of our economy." Passenger rail would also stop, disrupting hundreds of thousands of commuters.

Popular Information
Show threadJudd LegumNov 29, 2022

8. Somehow, the way to avoid economic disruption is to give highly-profitable railroad corporations exactly what they want and force rail workers to choose between going to work sick and forfeiting their income

https://popular.info/p/railroading-workers

Railroading workers

Railroad workers across the country are threatening to go on strike on December 9, delivering a potentially crippling blow to the American economy. According to the Association of American Railroads, a nationwide rail shutdown could cost more than $2 billion per day. There are 140,000 miles of rail in the United States, which are operated by about 115,000 rail workers. This network serves "nearly every agricultural, industrial, wholesale, retail and resource-based sector of our economy." Passenger rail would also stop, disrupting hundreds of thousands of commuters.

Popular Information
Show threadJudd LegumNov 29, 2022

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Show threadJudd LegumNov 29, 2022

10. I'll add that the railroad corporations are likely not budging on paid sick leave because they are counting on the fact that, when push comes to shove, Congress will bail them out

No other developed country treats its workers this way

Show threadAdam DallianceNov 29, 2022

@juddlegum That's pretty shoddy.

Another thing Congress could do it nationalize the railway industry, sack all the bosses, and give the workers fair pay and fair leave and fair treatment.

Then arrest the bosses for profiteering and put them in jail.

That's what I'd do.

Show threadTracy HallNov 29, 2022

@pre @juddlegum

I'm curious - which Constitutional provision provides the power to do this?

I'm not saying it's *wrong* , just wondering about logistics. Perhaps Congress could authorize funds to buy the railroads?

Show threadAdam DallianceNov 29, 2022

@video_manager @juddlegum
Dunno, I'm not American. Probably none of them I would assume, that's why America is so broken like this.

Can you change the constitution without a civil war? If not then one day it might take one?

Didn't FDR have a plan roughly like that? Perhaps all you need is the empty threat.

Show threadAmberWavesoFlameNov 29, 2022
@pre @video_manager @juddlegum it is possible to amend it, but very difficult. It’s happened only 17 times in our history, (and once just was repealing a prior amendment that didn’t work out.) The last amendment was 1992, and before that, 1971. Essentially, it takes 2/3rds Congress AND 3/4ths our states (provinces). But since the early-mid 90s, we could hardly find that level of political unity even to agree that water is wet and ice cream is yummy.
Show threadAmberWavesoFlameNov 29, 2022
@pre @video_manager @juddlegum in the case of your proposal, you’d have to fight several sources of sufficient opposition, for example the notion that employment laws should be left to individual states and almost all federal intervention is illegitimate, and an even stronger sentiment that the government owning or running any business or service is disastrous, if not Literally Communism.
Show threadAdam Dalliance
@AmberWavesofFlame @video_manager @juddlegum
And yet they are happy to intervene and force the workers to work?
Nov 29, 2022 at 7:19pmWeb
Show threadAmberWavesoFlameNov 30, 2022
@pre @video_manager @juddlegum You’re giving our politics way too much credit for logical consistency. :)