I'll be writing my Congresspeople again
Although by far most of the private workforce in the US are not represented by unions (only 6% are, a record low in 2021), it turns out that our railworkers are represented by unions. And there's a deadline for contract negotiations of 12:01am on Friday morning, and there is not yet a new agreement for a contract. So the US is bracing for a railworker strike beginning early Friday morning. Railroad companies have already begun canceling trains that would be stranded by a strike. The strike would also affect passenger and commuter rail in most places.
But Congress is talking about quickly passing a law forcing the railworkers back to work, effectively prohibiting them from striking. And both Democrats and Republicans are talking about this, forcing railworkers to work. With the midterm elections coming, even Democrats have no stomach for a railworker strike that would snarl supply chains and worsen inflation.
I believe in the right of workers to organize and the right of workers to strike. Perhaps this is terribly old-fashioned of me, to believe in workers rights in the 21st Century, when only 6% of the private sector is unionized.
I'll be writing my Congresspeople.
But Congress is talking about quickly passing a law forcing the railworkers back to work, effectively prohibiting them from striking. And both Democrats and Republicans are talking about this, forcing railworkers to work. With the midterm elections coming, even Democrats have no stomach for a railworker strike that would snarl supply chains and worsen inflation.
I believe in the right of workers to organize and the right of workers to strike. Perhaps this is terribly old-fashioned of me, to believe in workers rights in the 21st Century, when only 6% of the private sector is unionized.
I'll be writing my Congresspeople.