[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

interesting view fo the railroad strike and the history of how they got here

Rail Strike: Why The Railroads Won’t Give In on Paid Leave

F* corporatism

Seems to be a very slanted story. No word on salaries for the employees or featherbedding.

[Worldseries27]

Originally Posted by daves

far as the railroad strike. The whole set up is insane. They regularly go on strike in the last quarter. Many retailers the holiday selling season decides if they will be in business next year. They typically have many different unions. One goes on strike and the others refuse to cross the picket line. They are not on strike so they are still paid while refusing to work.
Management, negotiating to prevent a strike, know that whatever the union guys get they will get a similar package. Many railroads have a fireman his job is to tend the non-existent steam boiler for the steam locomotive.

your referring to pattern bargaining. One accepts then they all do.
Obsolete job titles are kept in contract books as a holding spot. Unions and management meet in arbitration and sometimes to settle a discilplinary action the individual rather than being discharged is transferred to that title. So effectively their pay is cut and they are generally used as helpers with the chance of regaining their former position by accrediting themselves in the future

[Dilligas]

Originally Posted by Keefelane66

Surprising in 2022 people still need to fight for sick benefits. Greed is the worst evil combined profits of railroads this year $25 billion with diesel fuel $5+. Corporation are trying to pull the wool over our eyes, yet they are all reporting exceptionally good earnings.

Even in the corporate and education world, “sick day benefits “ produce liars out of everyone. Too many workers call in “sick” to take another day off from work. Instead of having Dr appointments, they are found at the ball game, shopping, or playing golf..etc. Some organizations tried adding sick days to vacation days, but then the workers wanted more days. Many jobs that had sick days required you to “use em or loose em”, instead of carrying over for long term illnesses……so liars again to avoid loosing another day off from work.

[spinner1001]

Originally Posted by DAVES

It has perhaps become a national obsession with complaining. Things are not that bad.

Precisely. The traditional media sells more advertising by raising passions of outrage, worry, and so on. Social media is mostly an echo chamber of whatever group you want to listen to. The noise-to-signal ratio from our devices is very high. More device time isn’t healthy. But it’s easy to tune out much of the noise if we try — beginning with the on-off switch.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Seems to be a very slanted story. No word on salaries for the employees or featherbedding.

all depends upon if the points the article make, confirms or not, your current beliefs of how the railroads should work.

Personally I have no experience with how a railroad works or should work. I only have maritime transportation industry experience. The article gave me insights to how the optimization processes have transformed a traditional industry from labor intensive to minimal labor. However, the industry appears very similar to the airline industry with scheduling optimization. Lots of federal airline regulation for labor requirements, max hours, backup requirements, similar to the maritime industry with continuous testing and safety education requirements, minimum labor requirements to work in the industry. Not so much with railroads. . . . obviously.

That technology transformation in labor reduction means less opportunities for future employment, seen it, been part of it, assisted in it in some places. There are many, many secondary and tertiary effects which are very similar to the monopolies and trusts of the 1920s and 30's, with the industrial transformation.

glad I am almost watching and not participating.

[crash]

Originally Posted by DAVES

It has perhaps become a national obsession with complaining. Things are not that bad.
We read about Ukraine. Imagine living wondering when troops will come through or cannons and or missals? Our CPI consumer price index hit 9.1% an it is now 8.2%. I read that in England it is 10%.

Far as, "happy pills," WE are the cause. People choose to take them.

Terms-a soft landing. What does it mean? Perhaps like my post. It could be worse.

Soft landing means reducing inflation without going into a recession. Increasing interest rates decreases borrowing and thus spending which in turn reduces inflation. Less spending leads to layoffs which decreases spending more and in return lowers inflation but put us in a recession. It is not a U.S. only phenomenon but world wide and worse for most of the world.

[Brwne]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Seems to be a very slanted story. No word on salaries for the employees or featherbedding.

Check into the history of railroad Union negotiations for a point where increased wages were traded for no or little sick leave. Therein may be the answer to the reluctance to add it now...

[Berwin]

When I was getting my MBA in the 70s, the economics course I had to take taught that when unemployment went below 5%, inflation would result. When unemployment started dropping after the COVID recovery, I posted that concern and was poo-pooed by friends saying that theory had been debunked. And yet here we are, with unemployment low and inflation raging.

[Blackbird45]

I represented the union I belong to and was the single negotiator for a number of contracts. One that I was proud of had 27 signatures, 26 from their side of the table and mine. What it boils down in most cases is the employer's representatives are sent in with a parameter they have to stick to, and they usually try to go below that to secure their own jobs. The employers send in his representatives with one thing in mind, profits and what it takes to get what they want doesn't matter. I on the other hand would go in with a number of demands from my members which I knew many were ridiculous, but I had to put it on the table. Once you pass the nonsense and if everyone entered this in good faith you would come with settlement. I settled one contract in day most others took months. It's a tug of war. As in many negotiations you knew you had a fair contract when either both parties left the table happy or unhappy. I approached these negotiations with two priorities to ensure my members had a safe environment to work in and to get them what would be a fair salary. Many people will blame the employers and many people will blame the unions, but until you're sitting at the table you really shouldn't pass judgment.

[villager7591]

The complaining is from the self-inflicted wounds.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy

all depends upon if the points the article make, confirms or not, your current beliefs of how the railroads should work.

Have to disagree with this. Have no idea how railroad should work no experience other than every once in awhile being a passenger.

Think the writer had his point of view and was not at all a balanced article. Wonder if the writer was a member of the railroad union?

[kkingston57]

Originally Posted by Kenswing

What’s the over/under on this thread?

Best reply to a ? where in 90%+ of the world do not have the expertise to answer these ?s.

[Worldseries27]

Originally Posted by berwin

when i was getting my mba in the 70s, the economics course i had to take taught that when unemployment went below 5%, inflation would result. When unemployment started dropping after the covid recovery, i posted that concern and was poo-pooed by friends saying that theory had been debunked. And yet here we are, with unemployment low and inflation raging.

which shows you that your friends had agendas not economic principles to back their beliefs upon

[kkingston57]

Originally Posted by vintageogauge

And there are still 10 million or so unfilled jobs out there, what's up with that?

Most of those jobs are for very unskilled labor, such as in the restaurant industry. Went to 2 restuaruants last week. Both 1/2 full and both had 15 minute wait times. Saw 1 maybe 2 wait staff walking around when we waited to hear that there was a 15 minute wait. Also, affecting skilled workers. Have a relative who can not find engineers in S. Florida. They can not afford to live there in a decent neighborhood, with a starting salary of 125K+.

[Bay Kid]

When I had a state job in the '70s we had sick leave. When I quit I had many sick leave days available. I was told by my fellow workers to be sick during the last month to use up my sick leave.

Dad called it slick leave.