Sick Pay. Paid Time Off. A Schedule. Sounds simple, right? For many of Montana rail workers, these rights have been neglected for far too long. This coming week, deals are being won by working class folks seeking a better life.
Earlier this summer, railroad workers voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if their employers didn't come to the table with an improved working conditions contract. Many rail workers are frustrated with current working conditions, including a lack of sick pay and demanding on-call schedules. The unions want the railroads to provide unpaid leave time that workers could use to attend doctors appointments or attend to other personal business without being penalized.
The burden has become considerably higher after the major railroads cut nearly one-third of their workforce over the past six years. Hundreds of railroad workers in Montana have left the industry this year. Instead of improving working conditions, the railroads have been aggressively hiring new employees. The lack of experience, including many "gig" workers, has led to safety concerns and a greater training burden by overworked existing employees.
Railroad executives have claimed that running with fewer employees and longer trains has been a long known pushing point for optimal profits.
“Everyone knows you can get more money in the freight industry. But it’s what we would call blood money,” Ron Kaminkow, general secretary of the Railroad Workers United labor group that includes workers from all the rail unions, said. “It’s almost impossible to predict when you are going to be off and when you can attend to various life issues like family, like children, like an appointment.”
Tentative Deal
All summer, both parties have been hard at work to construct a deal. The final deal this past week was negotiated by the unions that represent engineers and conductors, but all 12 of the rail unions will likely benefit from the progress rail unions made as the standard for base salaries will be raised industry wide. The raises workers will receive as part of this deal will be the biggest ones they have received in more than four decades. The railroad industry has said that average rail worker salaries will reach $110,000 by the end of this five-year deal in 2025, but the main concern for workers was scheduling, health care, and paid sick leave.
However, roughly 4,900 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 19 voted to reject the tentative agreement negotiated by IAM leadership with the railroads. The IAM agreed to delay any strike by its members until Sept. 29 to allow more time for negotiations -- a date that is fast approaching.
“Everyone knows you can get more money in the freight industry. But it’s what we would call blood money,”
The financial terms of the deal closely follow the recommendations made by the Presidential Emergency Board last month after those arbitrators met with both sides. One item is clear -- Hard working Montanans will benefit greatly across the board with a collective bargaining agreement.
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