RLA, the Railroads and Airlines
09-14-2022, 08:13 AM
#1
Polyester Pilot
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Joined APC: Mar 2011
Position: 777 CA
Posts: 510
RLA, the Railroads and Airlines
Posted in Cargo also since it affects us all.
It appears the railroad workers are headed for a strike. One wonders how they managed to get released to strike in the first place. The law is called the Railway Labor Act after all. In our industry the last strike I can remember was the Spirit pilots in 2015 and the last major airline pilot strike was AA for 4 minutes in 1997. The last major airline strike of any length of time were the FA's at AA in 1993 for 5 days. Many pilot groups in negotiations over the last few decades have been told via back door channels that they would never be released to strike due to the "hardship" it would put on the US public. Yet a railroad strike would cause much more pain to mom and pop 'mericans if they go on strike. You think gas was expensive a few months ago? It would look like a bargain if the railroads shut down. It seems to me that all of the various airline unions (ALPA, IPA, SWAPA, IBT, TWU, AFA and any I missed) need to figure out what is happening with the railroads because our current system on the airline side has effectively taken the best tool we have for improving our contracts from us.
It appears the railroad workers are headed for a strike. One wonders how they managed to get released to strike in the first place. The law is called the Railway Labor Act after all. In our industry the last strike I can remember was the Spirit pilots in 2015 and the last major airline pilot strike was AA for 4 minutes in 1997. The last major airline strike of any length of time were the FA's at AA in 1993 for 5 days. Many pilot groups in negotiations over the last few decades have been told via back door channels that they would never be released to strike due to the "hardship" it would put on the US public. Yet a railroad strike would cause much more pain to mom and pop 'mericans if they go on strike. You think gas was expensive a few months ago? It would look like a bargain if the railroads shut down. It seems to me that all of the various airline unions (ALPA, IPA, SWAPA, IBT, TWU, AFA and any I missed) need to figure out what is happening with the railroads because our current system on the airline side has effectively taken the best tool we have for improving our contracts from us.
09-14-2022, 11:15 AM
#7
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Joined APC: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,611
Originally Posted by BcULstDaBlodyWr
Congress can impose an agreement which would dampen our negotiating leverage greatly. Are there any generic calls to action we can use to let our congresspeople know we don’t want them to interfere?
If you're a Democrat politician, you would look awfully stupid having campaigned on "worker's rights and power to the unions" only to interfere and shut them down when push came to shove.
If you're a Republican, they'll want to court the unions and let the market play itself out, but at what cost?
I think this is a hot potato that no party would want to touch.
09-14-2022, 11:37 AM
#8
Perennial Reserve
Joined APC: Jan 2018
Posts: 11,496
Originally Posted by BcULstDaBlodyWr
Congress can impose an agreement which would dampen our negotiating leverage greatly. Are there any generic calls to action we can use to let our congresspeople know we don’t want them to interfere?
Originally Posted by RJSAviator76
Do you think the politicians want to do this? This puts them between the rock and a hard place.
If you're a Democrat politician, you would look awfully stupid having campaigned on "worker's rights and power to the unions" only to interfere and shut them down when push came to shove.
If you're a Republican, they'll want to court the unions and let the market play itself out, but at what cost?
I think this is a hot potato that no party would want to touch.
If you're a Democrat politician, you would look awfully stupid having campaigned on "worker's rights and power to the unions" only to interfere and shut them down when push came to shove.
If you're a Republican, they'll want to court the unions and let the market play itself out, but at what cost?
I think this is a hot potato that no party would want to touch.
HOUSTON (ICIS)–The emergency board appointed by US President Joe Biden to help avert a possible strike by rail workers recommended significant increases to pay and benefits in its report this week, setting up a framework for continued negotiations over the next 30 days.
In a statement, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) said the recommendations from the Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) “markedly exceed the rail carriers’ proposal” but do provide a useful basis to reach a conclusion.
The PEB was appointed on 15 July after a vote by members of the rail workers union, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), came in at 99.5% in favour of going on strike.
AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies said the report sets the framework for the parties to be able to reach a negotiated agreement.
“The recommendations would provide 24% compounded wage increases by 2024, with 14.1% of those increases effective immediately, along with additional service recognition bonuses totaling $5,000 over the course of the contract,” Jefferies said. “An agreement based on these terms would lead to the largest general wage increase in nearly 40 years.”
In a statement, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) said the recommendations from the Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) “markedly exceed the rail carriers’ proposal” but do provide a useful basis to reach a conclusion.
The PEB was appointed on 15 July after a vote by members of the rail workers union, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), came in at 99.5% in favour of going on strike.
AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies said the report sets the framework for the parties to be able to reach a negotiated agreement.
“The recommendations would provide 24% compounded wage increases by 2024, with 14.1% of those increases effective immediately, along with additional service recognition bonuses totaling $5,000 over the course of the contract,” Jefferies said. “An agreement based on these terms would lead to the largest general wage increase in nearly 40 years.”
09-14-2022, 11:57 AM
#10
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2021
Posts: 421
Originally Posted by RJSAviator76
Do you think the politicians want to do this? This puts them between the rock and a hard place.
If you're a Democrat politician, you would look awfully stupid having campaigned on "worker's rights and power to the unions" only to interfere and shut them down when push came to shove.
If you're a Republican, they'll want to court the unions and let the market play itself out, but at what cost?
I think this is a hot potato that no party would want to touch.
If you're a Democrat politician, you would look awfully stupid having campaigned on "worker's rights and power to the unions" only to interfere and shut them down when push came to shove.
If you're a Republican, they'll want to court the unions and let the market play itself out, but at what cost?
I think this is a hot potato that no party would want to touch.
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