Fears of rail workers strike renewed after railroad union rejects deal - The Washington Post

Members of the third-largest obstruction national rejected the projected five-year declaration 56 percent to 43 percent, officials said. Both sides person agreed to resume negotiations until astatine slightest Nov. 19, and railroads are expected to proceed operating usually successful the meantime.

President Biden was personally progressive successful the talks — arsenic were 3 of his Cabinet secretaries, his apical economical advisor and his main of unit — that led to the deal hammered out past month. He hailed it arsenic a triumph for some carriers and workers.

But galore national members were skeptical from the start, with immoderate telling The Washington Post that the details were opaque. The program included a 24 percent wage summation by 2024 — bringing the mean wage to $110,000 a twelvemonth — and $1,000 yearly bonuses for 5 years. It besides ensured health-care co-pays and deductibles would not increase.

But it seemed to see lone 1 paid sick day, adjacent aft national leaders had pushed for 15.

“Railroaders are discouraged and upset with moving conditions and compensation and clasp their leader successful debased regard. Railroaders bash not consciousness valued,” BMWED President Tony D. Cardwell said successful a connection Monday announcing the ballot outcome. “They resent the information that absorption holds nary respect for their prime of life, illustrated by their stubborn reluctance to supply a higher quantity of paid clip off, particularly for sickness.”

The tentative pact stemmed from 2 years of negotiations betwixt the carriers and unions, and the White House appointed an exigency committee successful aboriginal July to mediate. One of the sticking points was a points-based attendance argumentation adopted by immoderate of the largest carriers earlier this year. Those policies tin penalize workers for missing enactment for regular doctor’s appointments oregon household emergencies.

Workers had pushed for much flexibility successful this area, and immoderate seemed disappointed erstwhile the tentative woody appeared to see lone 1 paid sick day.

The projected woody was celebrated arsenic a large accomplishment for Biden, who has pledged to beryllium the “most pro-union president” successful U.S. history. On Tuesday, a White House spokeswoman said that Biden remains focused connected avoiding a obstruction shutdown.

“We basal acceptable to enactment the parties successful their efforts, and proceed to impulse some sides to decorativeness their enactment and debar adjacent the menace of a shutdown successful the future,” Robyn Patterson said successful an emailed connection to The Post.

A railroad onslaught would person large implications for shipping and commuter operations crossed the country, particularly starring into the engaged vacation shipping season. It could besides spawn layoffs and further impair the already struggling proviso chain.

The 2 largest obstruction unions volition soon formed their votes connected the projected agreement. One of them, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, released a announcement to members this weekend, seeking to dispel what President Dennis R. Pierce called “misinformation and misrepresentations” spreading astir the deal.

“There are groups, galore from extracurricular our Union, moving overtime pushing outright lies astir the tentative agreement, however it was reached, and what the rank should bash next,” helium wrote.

He urged members to vote, “regardless of however you presumption the tentative agreement.”

A conjugation representing obstruction carriers said successful a connection that it was “disappointed” by the BMWED vote, but emphasized that a onslaught would not hap immediately.