Originally Posted by Earthboundmsfit

Geeze people I know it’s APC but the amount of defeatism is staggering.

Also…..why was NOTHING done in 2009-2010 when the dems had a supermajority in the senate and the presidency? What a wasted window.

I’m not a partisan guy but I’m SMH.

Additionally I’m still not buying that a bill to amend it wouldn’t be successful. I mean look at our neighbors to the north and how Westjet got a deal because they were about to strike less than a year after their contract was amendable.

Now THATs what you call results.

We aren’t talking France here where they strike every hour on the hour, we are talking Canada who’s cultural is most similar to the US compared to any other nation.

Originally Posted by symbian simian

So, is there anything in the RLA preventing the unions from at least asking for COLA after the contract becomes amendable?

Originally Posted by AirBear

He had to. The economic consequences would have been devastating. No coal moved to powerplants = no power. Factories shut down, 10's of thousands laid off. And much more. Too much "stuff" moves via railroads.

Related to this, the 350K UPS drivers are threatening to go on strike by August 1st. UPS moves 1/4 of all packages in the USA. About 24M per day. The Teamsters are still very angry over a 2018 contract that was forced on them thru a technicality. They've elected a hardliner Union President. Now they're not under the RLA but the President can still act if it's considered a "National Emergency". I'll link an article below from 1997 when President Clinton declined to intervene in the UPS strike.

https://www.southcoasttoday.com/stor...e/50603291007/

Originally Posted by rickair7777

As a notable Dem famously summarized: It's the Economy, Stupid.

Nobody who hopes to be elected again can torpedo the economy.

Also... many of today's Dems are fairly lukewarm on the more successful unions, by their success their members are comfortable middle or upper-middle class. That makes them more enemy than friend.


Not defeatism, but reality: we will not be allowed to willy-nilly shut down a major economic enabler or even a significant part of it on a whim. Not even in a localized geographic area... that's a problem with the airline industry, it's not like FDX, Arby's, or Riteaid where their competition is homogeneous across the land. Any of the top six airlines would have a devastating effect on their concentration areas if shut down. The SWA meltdown was actually mitigated by the fact that they don't really dominate any major metro areas.





They get paid roughly half of what we do? But they make up for it because their taxes are double?

Originally Posted by av8or

Yeah, I’ve heard that from a union steward in the trucking industry as cover for why the most “pro union” POTUS shoved a lousy TA up their….

The railways are making BANK right now, and had they been allowed to strike I’d lay money they’d have gotten their 7 days paid sick leave and it’d have been over in 24 hrs. We shut down damn close to the entire economy for a yr and a half. I think a 24-48 hr roll of the dice for 7 days paid sick would have been worth it. Plus, it kinda makes the OP point. If unions practically can’t ever strike, then quit acting like the RLA has ANY
genuine teeth for labor. Biden is just like Clinton and Obama, and both Bush’s…. Bought and paid for by the oligarchy.

“The only difference between an establishment Democrat or Republican politician is how fast their knees hit the carpet when a corporate donor walks in the room.” - Ralph Nader

Originally Posted by symbian simian

Sadly, you are right. I think D is slightly less hypocritical for social issues, and makes up for it by pretending to be pro labor.

Originally Posted by Carebear

Democrats are just as bad as republicans, as they all taken money from the lobbyists. The only people who support unions and striking are progressives like Bernie and the like. Which means ALPA will never strike, because “socialism.”

Originally Posted by symbian simian

So, is there anything in the RLA preventing the unions from at least asking for COLA after the contract becomes amendable?

Originally Posted by Carebear

Democrats are just as bad as republicans, as they all taken money from the lobbyists. The only people who support unions and striking are progressives like Bernie and the like. Which means ALPA will never strike, because “socialism.”

Originally Posted by Noisecanceller

Just so long as they take money from our ALPA PAC lobbyists. Back the PAC