OMAHA — Union Pacific and its unions are suing each other over the vaccination requirement announced by the railroad last week.
The Associated Press reports the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division, or SMART-TD, filed suit last week contending UP should have negotiated before announcing the vaccine requirement. The same day, UP sued SMART-TD, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes, with the railroad saying in a statement that the move was “necessary to prevent any disruption of the national rail network and to avoid any impact on America’s supply chain.”
UP said it would require workers to be vaccinated by Dec. 8 to comply with an executive order requiring vaccination of all employees of federal contractors [see “Union Pacific to require employees …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 15, 2021]. The railroad said it fits that description because it ships items for the military.
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