A rail strike looms again, as the largest rail union votes ‘no’ on tentative agreement
The votes are in, and four rail unions representing more than half of the nation’s unionized rail workers are headed back to the bargaining table to reach a deal as another potential strike looms.
The largest railroad union, SMART-TD, announced Monday its members voted down the deal President Joe Biden helped broker in September. SMART-TD represents about 28,000 of the nation’s more than 100,000 rail workers.
This vote reopens negotiations between SMART-TD and rail carriers, including Fort Worth-based BNSF Railway. A cooling-off period which prevents a strike or lockout by carriers ends Dec. 9. Congress can also intervene to prevent a strike.
“The ball is now in the railroads’ court. Let’s see what they do. They can settle this at the bargaining table,” said SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson. “But, the railroad executives who constantly complain about government interference and regularly bad-mouth regulators and Congress now want Congress to do the bargaining for them.”
SMART-TD joins three other unions in voting down the deal: the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers.
The second-largest rail union, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen, or BLET, announced Monday its members approved the agreement. BLET represents about 24,000 engineers.
While eight unions, including BLET, have voted to ratify the deal, it’s unlikely their workers would cross the picket line in the event of a strike.
News of SMART-TD’s vote has carriers calling on Congress to step in and avoid a strike that the American Association of Railwords has estimated could cost $2 billion a day.
“Congress must be prepared to act and institute the terms supported by the majority of the unions, guaranteeing certainty for rail customers and the broader economy,” read a statement from the American Association of Railroads.
A majority of rail unions have ratified the agreement, but the four unions that voted against the deal and the eight unions that approved it each represent about half of unionized rail workers.
The tentative agreement reached on Sept. 15 was hailed as an accomplishment that avoided an economically catastrophic rail strike. But, now that workers have voted, a strike is back on the table if parties don’t reach an agreement before Dec. 9.
The agreement provides one additional personal leave day. It also allows members to attend three annual routine or preventive health care visits. However, those appointments must be scheduled at least 30 days in advance, and must take place on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
Many rank-and-file members argue the deal doesn’t address quality-of-life issues for rail workers.
This story was originally published November 21, 2022 at 11:23 AM.
