President Biden faces deadline in U.S. railroad labor standoff

a reply to: Blueracer

Always the Wildcat…even though there is usually a rule against it.

Or maybe little wooden shoes (called sabots) left in the gears…

Not saying, just saying. But when a POTUS kills an oil pipeline forcing greater dependency on rail for oil transportation and then repeatedly “sniffs the pooch” on negotiating a labor contract that he should had stayed out of other then strong arming the companies…

originally posted by: Blueracer

President Joe Biden on Monday asked Congress to pass legislation to reach an agreement between railroad workers and management after he failed to reach an agreement.

Joe Biden Punts Looming Rail Strike to Congress After Failure to Reach a Deal

President Biden says he supports unions but is trying to get congress to force this deal upon union members. The forced deal takes away the union's biggest weapon, the strike.

Tells you how much the dems actually value “unions”.

They don’t

Perhaps congress should tell the companies to cave this time instead?

a reply to: shooterbrody

Tues 11.29.2022

Now that President Joe Biden has FAILED AGAIN, Nancy Pelosi will have a floor vote tomorrow on whether Congress should stop the impending rail strike, or not.

Source: justthenews.com...

How can Congress FORCE someone to work? Has Communist China been Nancy Pelosi's boss-controller, all along?

a reply to: carewemust

Exactly, how do you force someone to work?

This strike will most likely happen and will be the canary in the coal mine for the US in general. I hope yall prepared for what's coming if the rail strike happens. At least the FED will have to pivot, it won't matter at that point but they will try.

originally posted by: litterbaux
a reply to: carewemust

Exactly, how do you force someone to work?

This strike will most likely happen and will be the canary in the coal mine for the US in general. I hope yall prepared for what's coming if the rail strike happens. At least the FED will have to pivot, it won't matter at that point but they will try.

Have you seen any publications describing how a general railroad strike will affect specific sectors and supply chains? All I see is "The Sky Will Fall!!" headlines.

a reply to: carewemust

Shelves will be cleared in 72 hours. Economy will lose 2 billion dollars per day.

I've heard it all. Will it happen? I lost my crystal ball on the river last week.

a reply to: litterbaux

Right. Times are different from 1992, when Senator Biden voted AGAINST forcing the striking railroad workers to return to work.

Source: gettr.com...

Anyone remember the 1992 massacre? I don't.

This is a Democratic controlled house
This is a Democratic controlled senate

They are going after labor unions


Read that again

a reply to: carewemust

Here is the deal. Rail carriers handle about 25% of all goods sold. Intermodal containers come off ship in LA, go on rail to just north of Dallas and then to distribution warehouses. For example Walmart has a huge one outside Laredo. I have taken standard 53’ semi-trailers that had two kinds of stakeboards packed in it. Another trailer was identical and two other trailers had two other styles. All came by rail from LA. Intermodal containers are smaller.

So the kids in Texas and other SW states don’t have skateboards. No biggie. It is all China goods anyway.

But that XL pipeline that was Green New Dealt when Biden was sworn in as POTUS in military occupied DC…that oil travels by rail…or it did, if the strike happens. So then what happens?

Meanwhile, all those barges up and down the Mississippi River, like 33% of all goods sold…that is being impacted by historically low waters and lack of constant dredging in 2020-2021…

Oh, and that oil that becomes diesel fuel for semis that transport 100% of all goods at one point or another in the supply chain?

Yeah…now you see why the railroad is still pretty important.

Congress imposes the agreement on the union. House passes legislation to avert a rail shutdown

By a 290 to 137 vote, the House passed the tentative rail agreement that will prevent a rail strike. The vote was largely bipartisan, with 79 Republicans joining Democrats in voting for the bill. Eight Democrats voted against the bill.

In a separate vote, the House also voted 221 to 207 to add a provision to the rail agreement that would increase the number of paid sick days from one to seven. The bill was passed largely down party lines, with just three Republicans, including John Katko of New York, and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania crossing over to vote with Democrats on that measure.

Pro union politicians are only pro union when it is convenient for them.

a reply to: Blueracer

Of course I only get PTO. Not paid sick days. I am not saying they don't have a gripe but PTO is PTO.

a reply to: Ahabstar

The rail also has huge contracts with the military to carry equipment across the country as well as chemicals/compounds, etc that are better suited to be shipped by rail and I believe in some cases cannot be be shipped via other modes.

a reply to: Charliebrowndog

You would be amazed (or truly frightened) what goes by truck.

Some loads have on-road escorts. Some loads have in-cab escorts. Strangest tale I heard required the guy to wake up and join the driver to tell him when to turn into the desert. Then be dropped off in the desert and told to drive another mile until he came to a humvee and stop. Two of the three guys got out and told the driver to wait here with the other guy until they brought the truck back in a few hours.

Now I had some hush-hush loads that I am still not sure what was in there that had phone numbers to call to get keys to padlocks driven to me as cutting meant serious jail time. I would guess some bonds or special security paper for printing checks. But nothing that required armed military ride alongs.

a reply to: Ahabstar

There’s a lot we don’t know. What ever, as long as the driver is safe and abides by traffic laws, I’m not opening the back of those trucks. Leave it for the state troopers and check points. Truckers are what keeps our pantries partly stocked, the over worked unsung hero’s today.

I am a member of SMART.

It has been pretty quiet, almost scary, no mention of it from our members or hall.

Only time will tell.

I didn't vote for Biden.

I didn't vote for Trump.

Just had to get that out of the way.

Living in the midwest, I am getting used to the shelves being periodically empty of goods, oh and diesel. A strike would cripple the nation. The writing is on the walls.

a reply to: Ahabstar

Thankyou for the education on how the supply line works. Rail must have been less critical in 1992 when Senator Biden told the workers to RESIST...to stay on strike.

Welcome to the Commerce Clause. Written for The East India Company (now aka The Unite States) 😎

originally posted by: Blueracer
Congress imposes the agreement on the union. House passes legislation to avert a rail shutdown

By a 290 to 137 vote, the House passed the tentative rail agreement that will prevent a rail strike. The vote was largely bipartisan, with 79 Republicans joining Democrats in voting for the bill. Eight Democrats voted against the bill.

In a separate vote, the House also voted 221 to 207 to add a provision to the rail agreement that would increase the number of paid sick days from one to seven. The bill was passed largely down party lines, with just three Republicans, including John Katko of New York, and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania crossing over to vote with Democrats on that measure.

Pro union politicians are only pro union when it is convenient for them.

The additional sick leave provision was added at the insistence of progressive members of the House who had threatened to scuttle the rail agreement bill if sick leave wasn’t included. However, it was added using an arcane tactic that will enable the Senate to pass the original rail agreement without including the sick leave provision.

Sounds like the time Biden enacted student loan forgiveness but then didn't.

And why didn't students get their loans forgiven? Conservative judges blocked it; thats why.

And why didn't the rail workers get their sicktime? Because Republicans (and one Democrat) senator didn't vote for it; thats why.

Man the rail workers and the Republicans are getting played with.

originally posted by: Ahabstar
a reply to: carewemust

Here is the deal. Rail carriers handle about 25% of all goods sold. Intermodal containers come off ship in LA, go on rail to just north of Dallas and then to distribution warehouses. For example Walmart has a huge one outside Laredo. I have taken standard 53’ semi-trailers that had two kinds of stakeboards packed in it. Another trailer was identical and two other trailers had two other styles. All came by rail from LA. Intermodal containers are smaller.

So the kids in Texas and other SW states don’t have skateboards. No biggie. It is all China goods anyway.

But that XL pipeline that was Green New Dealt when Biden was sworn in as POTUS in military occupied DC…that oil travels by rail…or it did, if the strike happens. So then what happens?

Meanwhile, all those barges up and down the Mississippi River, like 33% of all goods sold…that is being impacted by historically low waters and lack of constant dredging in 2020-2021…

Oh, and that oil that becomes diesel fuel for semis that transport 100% of all goods at one point or another in the supply chain?

Yeah…now you see why the railroad is still pretty important.

When I used to drive trucks, I remember we did a few deliveries to a rail yard once. I would look at the weight limits on the rail cars, and well......... they were pretty big compared to my truck's weight limit. I'm thinking it takes at least four trucks to equal one rail car, and then look how long that train is.

That's a lot of goods.

a reply to: bloodymarvelous

The flat cars that can hold four 53’ standard dry box trailers are out there. East of Texas, they tend to only have two due to tunnels.