An ad-hoc rail workers’ group is calling for informational picketing on Wednesday to address what it calls “the staffing shortages and lack of a decent quality of life” for employees as railroads, employees, and customers wait to see if unions will ratify tentative agreements that averted a strike last week.
Meanwhile, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 19, which voted down its tentative agreement with railroads last week, said in a Monday letter to members that it is resuming bargaining this week with the railroads’ group, the National Carriers’ Conference Committee.
In that letter, signed by “IAM District 19 Leadership,” the union contends its rejection of an agreement reached earlier “made clear to the NCCC that it had to improve its offer to reach a deal with other unions.” The letter also says the union agreed to an additional cooling off period — until Sept. 29 — to allow it to continue to bargain. “Without an extension, it’s a very real possibility that Congress would have imposed a contract upon us,” the letter says.
The IAM announced it had voted down the tentative agreement on Sept. 14 — the organization Railroad Workers United says it was rejected by a 63%-37% margin — while two other unions announced they had approved agreements that same day [see “Machinists reject tentative contract deal …,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 14, 2022, and “Rail labor roundup …,” News Wire, Sept. 14, 2022]. Nine other unions have yet to vote on tentative agreements, including the three that reached those agreements last Thursday after a 20-hour bargaining session [see “Freight railroad strike averted …,” News Wire, Sept. 15, 2022].
Call for picketing underlines uncertainty over contract ratification
The call for picketing on Wednesday comes from the group “Rail Labor for Coordinated Bargaining in 2025,” which says on its Facebook page that it a rank-and-file organization independent of any specific rail labor union. It is calling Wednesday a “Railroad Worker National Day of Action,” and says workers should picket at their terminals before and after work in what it is calling a “practice picket.” It underlines the uncertainty that remains whether union members, who have been vocal in their unhappiness over working conditions, will ratify the agreements negotiated last week.
Another cross-union workers’ group, Railroad Workers United, said in a press release that it was not a party to the call for picketing but supported the action, with RWU General Secretary Jason Doering saying, “It appears to be part of a spontaneous uprising of working railroaders around the country who wish to voice their discontent with the treatment they received from the Class I rail carriers.” Railroad Workers United says it is planning for possible action as other unions complete voting, with the organization’s co-chairman, Ross Grooters, saying , ““We expect things to come to a head next month, and RWU will no doubt play a role in coordinating and channeling this mass discontent.”
In other labor news, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division will hold a series of online “Town Hall” meetings about its tentative agreement beginning on Wednesday. The meetings will be held on a railroad-by-railroad basis at 7 p.m. CDT, with a session for CSX workers on Wednesday, BNSF on Thursday, Sept. 22, Union Pacific on Monday, Sept. 26, Norfolk Southern on Tuesday, Sept. 27, and all other railroads on Wednesday, Sept. 28. Union president Tony Cardwell and other officials will discuss the agreement and answer questions in the one-hour sessions.
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