The Biden administration urges major rail companies to provide guaranteed paid sick leave, addressing a contentious issue from 2022 labor negotiations.
At a Glance
- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su sent letters to CEOs of major rail companies
- The push aims to cover the remaining 10% of rail workers without paid sick leave
- Majority of Class I freight railroad employees now have paid sick days, up from 5% two years ago
- Biden administration’s efforts follow criticism over blocking similar benefits during 2022 rail strike negotiations
Administration’s Renewed Push for Rail Worker Benefits
The Biden administration has launched a fresh initiative to secure guaranteed paid sick leave for rail workers, addressing a contentious issue that nearly caused a nationwide freight rail shutdown in late 2022. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su have taken the lead, reaching out to major rail companies including CSX, Canadian National Railway, and Canadian Pacific Kansas City.
This renewed effort comes after significant progress in the industry, with the share of Class I freight railroad employees having paid sick days increasing from a mere 5% to 90% over the past two years. However, the administration is not satisfied with leaving 10% of workers without this crucial benefit.
Labor Unions’ Response and Ongoing Negotiations
The push for paid sick leave has received support from labor unions, including the AFL-CIO. Greg Regan, head of the union federation’s transportation trades department, emphasized the safety risks associated with not providing paid sick days.
“Pressuring these rail companies to provide sick days has been an all-hands effort, from the workers and their unions to these federal agencies,” Greg Regan said in an emailed statement. “Sick or injured railroaders should not be forced to work on miles-long freight trains that travel through populated communities.”
While some major carriers like CSX have made progress, with CEO Joe Hinrichs stating that 80% of their union employees now have access to some form of paid sick leave, negotiations are ongoing with other companies to reach similar agreements.
Historical Context and Recent Developments
The issue of paid sick days for railroad workers has been a point of contention since late 2019. It came to a head in 2022 when some unions rejected contract deals due to the lack of guaranteed sick leave. The situation escalated to the point where Congress and President Biden had to intervene to prevent a potential strike, though the legislation enacted did not resolve the sick leave issue.
“We’re thankful that the Biden administration played the long game on sick days and stuck with us for months after Congress imposed our updated national agreement,” said an IBEW representative. “Without making a big show of it, Joe Biden and members of his administration in the Transportation and Labor departments have been working continuously to get guaranteed paid sick days for all railroad workers.”
Since then, significant progress has been made. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Railroad members at four major U.S. freight carriers have secured paid sick days after months of negotiations. Agreements were reached with BNSF Railway, CSX, Union Pacific, and Norfolk Southern to provide these benefits.
Challenges and Path Forward
Despite the progress, challenges remain. Some rail companies have yet to respond to the administration’s calls for action. The Biden administration acknowledges the improvements but stresses the need to address the remaining gap in coverage.
“While we applaud this success, it’s cold comfort for the 10% of railroaders who still do not have paid sick leave,” Buttigieg and Su stated in their letters to rail company CEOs.
As negotiations continue, the administration’s commitment to securing these benefits for all rail workers will be closely watched. The outcome of these efforts could have significant implications for labor relations in the rail industry and potentially set precedents for other sectors grappling with similar issues.